Hibs failed to return to the top of the Championship after being held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee United at Easter Road this afternoon.
Head Coach Neil Lennon made four changes to the starting XI that drew with Queen of the South last Saturday. Jordon Forster made his first start in over a year, replacing the suspended Lewis Stevenson resulting in Paul Hanlon moving to left back, whilst Fraser Fyvie, Andrew Shinnie and James Keatings took over from Marvin Bartley, Martin Boyle and Brian Graham.
Another large crowd turned out despite the early kick off and the match being shown live on Sky TV and Hibs started brightly forcing two early corners.
In he third minute, James Keatings struck the bar with a well taken free kick and Hibs continued to pile on the pressure without creating any clear cut chances.
In the 29th minute David Gray picked up a knock after colliding with keeper Ofir Marciano who then produced a good save to prevent Blair Spittal opening the scoring.
Hibs eventually grabbed the lead five minutes later when Shinnie picked up the ball in midfield and sent an inch perfect through ball into the path of Keatings and the striker’s left foot strike flew into the bottom corner of the net.
Dundee United almost equalised just before the break when Nick Van Der Velden chested down a Scott Fraser corner but Hanlon did well to deflect the ball past the post.
New signing Neal Eardley replaced Gray at half time and almost scored with a long range effort after a few minutes on the pitch.
Hanlon then went close after being set up by Jason Cummings then Cammy Bell did well to hold a long range effort from Dylan McGeouch.
Dundee United equalised in the 67th minute when William Edjengueze powered in a header from a Fraser corner to the delight of the travelling support behind the goal.
Hibs had a handball claim rejected when the ball struck Spittal’s arm before Lennon replaced Cummings and Shinnie with Brian Graham and Martin Boyle.
Hibs almost grabbed a winner in time added on when Keatings accepted a pass from Forster, beat two players and struck a powerful effort toward goal however Bell produced a superb save and turned the ball round the post.
Hibs remain in second place in the Championship, two points behind league leaders Queen of the South. They face St Mirren next Saturday in the Irn-Bru Cup.
After the game Lennon said: “It’s frustrating and the story of our last couple of games. We were in control and all of a sudden we went slack. It’s our own fault. We let other teams back in. The players have to deal with expectation better than they are doing.”
Hibs: Marciano, Gray, Hanlon, McGinn, McGeouch Fyvie, Shinnie, Forster, Keatings ,McGregor, Cummings Subs: Laidlaw, Holt, Bartley, Boyle, Eardley, Graham, Harris
Dundee United: Bell, Dixon, Durnan, Toshney, Spittal, Murray, Fraser, Edjenguele, Andreu, Van Der Struijk, Van Der Velden. Subs: Dillon, Donaldson, Obadeyi, Telfer, Smith, Zwick, Robson
Referee Craig Thomson
Attendance 15,492
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
