A dramatic late penalty kick from Sam Dalby snatched a share of the spoils for Dundee United at Easter Road.
Hibs dominated for long spells and carved out numerous opportunities, however going into the closing moments we only had Lewis Miller’s first half header to show for all our control in the game.
That left the door open for late heartache as VAR intervened three minutes from time to award United a late spot kick that they duly dispatched.
It came at another cost too as Mykola Kuharevich picked up a second caution for the infringement and was sent off.
David Gray made one change to the side that were held to a goalless draw in the Highlands four days prior against Ross County; Elie Youan dropped down to the bench and his place in the starting XI was taken by Hyeokkyu Kwon.
Skipper Joe Newell celebrated his 200th appearance for the Club as we started the match with intent to take the game to the visitors.
Hibs forced a couple of early corner kicks before Kwon headed wide from a Junior Hoilett cross as we pushed for an early breakthrough.
Dundee United’s first opportunity came on 14 minutes when Dalby’s low drive on the angle was comfortably saved by Joe Bursik low to his left.
After a slow start the visitors began to make inroads down our right with Glenn Middleton getting some joy out on the left wing.
The long throw of Will Ferry was a tactic the visitors looked to deploy at every opportunity and from one of his trademark deliveries the ball broke to Middleton, who struck a sweet half-volley from 25 yards that flashed just past Bursik’s post.
The home side were still enjoying the lion’s share of possession and appeared the more likely to break the deadlock.
Miller got forward as often as possible and he was involved in a succession of opportunities.
First, he volleyed over the crossbar following a poor punch from Jack Walton then, he mishit a cut back from Jordan Obita that was begging to be turned home before he broke the deadlock with perhaps the most difficult of his three chances.
Obita swung over a terrific delivery from the left that Miller attacked with purpose to bullet a header back across Walton and into the far corner of the net.
Miller’s delight was obvious as he celebrated in front of the 15,454 crowd in Leith.
Hibs were quickly back on the attack and looking to add to their advantage with Hoilett shooting wide on the angle, Martin Boyle’s half-volley being deflected off target and Miller heading over following a corner kick.
In the final action of note from the first half Boyle’s free-kick was low and into the arms of Walton.
Dundee United replaced Ryan Strain and Declan Gallagher with Richard Odada and Kristijan Trapanovski at the break.
They changed shape too, moving to 4-4-1-1, and almost levelled inside four minutes of the restart when Luca Stephenson cut back for David Babunski to skew his shot wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.
On 52 minutes, Kevin Holt was short with a back pass that Walton had to slide clear from Mykola Kuharevich; the rebound fell to Kwon who attempted to dink it over the goalkeeper and retreating defenders only for it to drop just wide of goal.
Trapanovski, a half-time substitute, was himself replaced by Kai Fotheringham on 58 minutes after picking up what appeared to be a hamstring injury.
Moments later, Hibs lost Miller to injury and he hobbled off to be replaced by Jack Iredale, who was making his Easter Road debut.
The Hibees had chances to add to their lead when Boyle shot wide following a Kwon and Hoilett one-two before Marvin Ekpiteta’s header was acrobatically tipped over by Walton moments later.
With three minutes of regulation time remaining, referee Colin Stevens was called across to the monitor by VAR and the visitors were awarded a penalty kick.
Kuharevich was the man penalised for a pulled shirt inside the box, and he picked up a second yellow card for the offence and was sent off.
When the dust settled, Dalby sent Bursik the wrong way from the penalty spot and United had an equaliser.
Ten additional minutes signalled by the fourth official as we threw on Rudi Molotnikov, Elie Youan and Nicky Cadden.
Despite our numerical disadvantage we penned United for the duration of the additional time but couldn’t find a way through to claim what would’ve been a deserved winner.
