Hibernian and David Gray suffer another setback as Dundee United force draw

Posted Monday, November 04, 2024 by PA

Struggling Hibernian suffered yet another late setback as a 90th-minute penalty from Sam Dalby salvaged a 1-1 draw for Dundee United at Easter Road.

The Edinburgh side looked on course to end a five-game run without a win and ease the pressure on manager David Gray as they led through Lewis Miller’s first-half header.

But for the fifth time in nine matches, Hibs squandered a lead in the closing minutes when – after a lengthy VAR check – Mykola Kuharevich was deemed to have tugged the shirt of Emmanuel Adegboyega and shown a second yellow card.

Dalby kept his cool to score the penalty, inflicting more frustration on the Easter Road outfit just over a fortnight after United had scored two stoppage-time goals to defeat them 3-2 at Tannadice.

There was one change to the Hibs side that started the midweek draw at Ross County as Kwon Hyeok-kyu replaced Elie Youan, who dropped to the bench.

United boss Jim Goodwin also made one alteration to the team that began the 2-1 defeat at home to Motherwell as Ryan Strain, who recently returned from injury, came in for his first start since July, with Kristijan Trapanovski dropping to the bench.

Hibs controlled most of the first half but it was United who had the first couple of attempts at goal.

In the 13th minute, Dalby saw his low shot from the edge of the box saved by Josef Bursik after Nectar Triantis was robbed of possession. A few minutes later, Glenn Middleton fizzed a 25-yard strike just wide after a long throw into the box broke out to him.

Hibs’ first sight of goal came in the 22nd minute but Miller hooked a shot high over from a corner. Miller had another opportunity three minutes later when Obita drove in from the left and cut the ball back to the edge of the six-yard box but the Australian right-back got his shot all wrong.

The two full-backs combined once more as Hibs broke the deadlock in the 28th minute when Obita’s deep cross from the left was met by Miller, who powered home a header from six yards out.

The hosts had further chances to add to their lead before the break with Junior Hoilett firing an angled shot over the bar after being released by Joe Newell, while Miller headed over from a corner after Martin Boyle had a shot deflected behind.

Having watched his side spend most of the first half on the back foot, Goodwin replaced Strain and Declan Gallagher with Richard Odada and Trapanovski as he switched from 3-4-3 to 4-2-3-1 for the start of the second half.

The visitors almost equalised in the 50th minute but David Babunski shot agonisingly wide from 10 yards out following Luca Stephenson’s cutback from the right.

Hibs had chances to double their lead, with Kwon chipping an effort just wide after Jack Walton rushed out to clear a short passback, while Marvin Ekpiteta saw a header tipped over by the United keeper.

And Hibs were left to rue a familiar tale of late anguish when Dalby blasted home his penalty. The 10-man hosts’ misery was compounded in stoppage time when they had a penalty claim of their own dismissed following a VAR check.