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Hibs ready to battle scorching Skopje heat as David Gray names three factors his players must deal with against Shkendija The Premiership men take a 2-1 lead to eastern Europe as they look to progress in the Conference League David Gray believes Hibs can soar in searing Skopje and will learn lessons from the calamity in Kosovo, writes Craig Swan in Skopje. The Easter Road gaffer is adamant his side won’t shut up shop in the Macedonian melting pot - with temperatures set to nudge 35 degrees on match night - defending a 2-1 first-leg against FK Shkendija. Warren O’Hora’s stoppage-time winner in Leith put Hibs in control of the Conference League third-qualifying round tie and Gray’s team were boosted again by their subsequent weekend Premiership victory over Rangers. The Hibs boss knows circumstances and factors will be changed. Heat and humidity will be a test for the players as will the change in tact from a hosts who need to come out and rescue their situation. But Gray is ready for it and said: “Technically, we don’t need to score over there, but you can’t go over there thinking that we're just going to go and defend a lead. Absolutely not. “It'll be a very different environment, a very different game. The way the game will be played will be very different. “We wanted to use that home advantage. We were very aware of that going into the first leg, because I asked the players: Can we take a lead over there, can we play with our intensity at home to give ourselves the advantage? “Certainly the second leg will be a different game in terms of the atmosphere, the heat, the challenge, the travel. All these things will be factors. “But also because we are winning in the tie at this moment in time, the opposition might be a little bit more more aggressive. They need to find a way to get back into the game. “So we'll be ready for that. But we certainly won't be going over there thinking we need to just sit in and hold out for 0-0. “And we know, despite winning [first leg] on the night, that our quality wasn’t where it needed to be. That’s something we spoke about. “We know we can be miles better on the ball. And we need to be better in these situations. “But I think we will be better for that experience. We need to be, to give us the best chance to get through in the tie. “Winning in Europe is difficult, as we know, but we are winning the tie right now. And we're going to do everything to get into the next round.” Hibs were dismal in their previous away outing against Malisheva losing 2-0 in Kosovo, but Gray has learned and continued: “I think you do. I think the players learn from the experience. “It's very rare that you have so many players off it on the one day and that's something we definitely suffered on that day. “In terms of preparations and everything that went into it. I said it before and after the game in Kosovo that I wouldn't change anything we'd done from a preparation point of view because everything was done properly. It just was one of those performances. “Now you could put that down to very early in the season, players not quite up to speed, the first competitive game. All the excuses were there if we wanted them. We never used them because we knew we'd let ourselves down and we knew we'd be better. “The biggest way to fix that was to go and turn it around in the return leg, which we did. So you can certainly learn from it. “But I think you can draw on the type of game it was as well, the atmosphere, the intensity. It will be quite similar when we go to Skopje now. “But this is a step up in opposition, we’ve seen that already. And we will have to be better than we were. But very capable of going over there and winning the game.” Hibs, of course, need only look back on a 2-0 away win over Partizan 12 months ago to prove they can deliver in this situation. Gray said: “For the players that have been here, those are certainly experiences you can draw upon. Put yourself back into the right moments when you're under pressure at times. “But the game plan will be different because we're going over there for a second leg and are winning in the game. “I think back to last year and going to Warsaw, when we were chasing the game and then we obviously found ourselves down. There are different things you can learn from that. “But I think the more regularly you play in Europe and the players that get experience, the more accustomed they get to that sort of atmosphere and that way of playing. Because it is very different. “Even just simple things like flying the day before. And then the quick turnaround and flying straight back and then having to go again on the Sunday. “One thing that certainly helps is three points that we got at Ibrox. Certainly from a confidence point of view and belief point of view that the squad's going in the right direction.” Gray’s ability to mix and match and having players returning is also a big bonus. Jamie McGrath’s return against Rangers was another bonus from Govan and the boss explained: “It gives you, obviously, much more competition and much more creativity. You saw that even in half an hour against Rangers. “His quality, the way he receives the ball really well. He’s calm, he’s composed. He was exactly what the game needed when we put him on at Ibrox. “I thought Callum Wright was the same when he came on. Attacking subs to come on, kept the same shape, still stayed brave with that. “And that sort of creativity has been something we've been crying out for a little bit. Just because the squad has been a little bit stretched, you lose both of them at the same time. They are your main creative ones. So it’s great that they’ve both got minutes heading into this game. “And then Ante Suto starting the game, he did really well. He’s benefiting from minutes, although again he looked tired when he came off, for obvious reasons. “Thiibault Klidje looked tired because he's not played as many minutes. Kanayo Megwa was tired. “But the full group now can all feel really good about themselves because everybody's contributing. And that's what's required. “When you go Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, it's important that everybody's ready to go. It can only help when you get results like we did against Rangers, knowing that everyone has played so well. “The guys feeling part of it and contributing to such a good result really helps with team spirit. And we know how important that is going to be if we want to be successful domestically and in Europe.”