Hibernian head coach David Gray has alleviated concerns regarding a serious injury to Joe Newell following their 5-1 pre-season friendly victory over Cliftonville, which concluded with the team finishing with 10 players.
Newell exited the match with an injury before the final whistle during the behind-closed-doors match in Kildare, Ireland.
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“At the end of the game, Joe Newell felt a slight issue in his groin—it’s more precautionary than anything else,” Gray shared with Hibs TV.
“We opted to end the match with 10 men instead of bringing a player back on, which presented the remaining players with an additional physical and tactical challenge.”
“They managed it very well, and it was encouraging to see younger players like Zach Bruce, Lewis Gillie, and Joseph McGrath step up and help secure the win without conceding.”
Jack Iredale, who missed Hibs’ initial pre-season friendly—a 1-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Tuesday—returned alongside teammates who had received additional time off due to international obligations.
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“He played well today and had no adverse reactions, which is another positive,” Gray noted.
“It’s been a great week, and it’s always nice to finish it with such a strong performance. This was a significant improvement from Tuesday night.”