Kevin Dabrowski reflects on dream Hibs debut as goalkeeper admits psychological battle over lack of gametime

It is the nature of the game. Some youngsters eventually get their chance but many move on without having made a first-team appearance.

Kevin Dabrowski has always been determined that he wouldn’t become another lost statistic.

The 23-year-old signed in the January of 2017, joining Hibs' Under-20s, before making his move from Lech Poznan’s youth system in the summer.

A little over five years to the day, the Polish goalkeeper finally made his competitive debut, thrown in against Hearts in an Edinburgh derby following injury to Matt Macey.

Previously his only first-team experience had been loan spells at Cowdenbeath and Dumbarton, although he faced Arsenal in pre-season and saved a penalty from Nicolas Pepe.

Speaking afterwards the shot-stopper struggled to explain just how much the moment meant to him.

"I am very happy with my performance. I am delighted, because I have had to wait quite a long time to get this chance.

"I am very emotional. I have been at Hibs for more than five years. From the time I had the chance to be on the pitch for the very first time when I was 18, I said to myself that this is the perfect club for me to one day become a first-team player.

"I am happy that it has eventually happened and I am now a first-team player but it was not easy. I have been sent out on loan a couple of times, to Cowdenbeath and Dumbarton and I did a really good job.

“That gave me a very good argument for playing for the first team because I felt I did everything that I was asked to do. But, before now I still hadn't had the chance.”

Dabrowski has been as close to the action as possible, having been the back-up goalkeeper for Hibs on more than 70 occasions. While he is aware that life as the second-choice goalie can often