Hibs are through to the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup after a six-goal thriller at Easter Road tonight and will now travel to Alloa’s Indodrill Stadium to face BSC, the only non-league side left in the competition.
Head Coach Jack Ross made two changes to his starting XI with Florian Kamberi and Stephane Omeonga making way for Scott Allan and Steven Whittaker.
Hibs started brightly and almost took an early lead when Whittaker beat five defenders before firing a powerful drive inches past the post.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 11th minute against the run of play when Lawrence Shankland showed why he is so highly rated as he controlled the ball on his chest on the edge of the area before volleying past Ofir Marciano for his 27th goal of the season.
Hibs fought back and Whittaker again went close but slack defending from a corner left Shankland free but his volley flew well over the bar.
Hibs had a couple of penalty claims waved away before referee Kevin Clancy eventually pointed to the spot after Martin Boyle was chopped down by Calum Butcher as he surged into the area.
Allan sent Ben Siegrist the wrong way to equalise five minutes before the break.
United had to survive two corners before the referee finally blew for half-time.
Neither side made any changes and Hibs were twice denied by offside flags before they took the lead in the 59th minute.
Joe Newell feigned a shot before gliding into the box and cutting the ball back for Doidge to fire it into the net.
Within a minute Louis Appere broke clear but Marciano produced a sensational save to retain the lead but moments later the visitors equalised when Adrian Sprole’s shot was deflected into the net.
Ross made a double substitution replacing Allan and Daryl Horgan with Kamberi and Fraser Murray and Hibs went back into the lead after Doidge headed home a Joe Newell corner.
Whittaker left the field to a standing ovation after a superb performance and was replaced by Melker Hallberg.
United fought for an equaliser but in the dying minutes great pressing by Kamberi and Boyle resulted in Hibs winning a corner.
Newell sent the ball into the danger area and Kamberi’s strike fell to Doidge who fired the ball high into the net sparking jubilation from the Hibs’ fans.
Hibernian: Marciano, Whittaker (Hallberg 80), Hanlon, Horgan (Murray 71), Doidge, Boyle, Newell, Stevenson, James, Jackson, Allan (Kamberi 71). Unused substitutes: Bogdan, Gray, McGregor, Gullan.
Dundee United: Siegrist, Smith Powers, Connolly, Reynolds, Pawlett (Sow 76), Robson, Butcher, Harkes (Sprole 65), Shankland, Appere (Glass 82). Unused substitutes: Mehmet, McMullan, King, Watson.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
Attendance: 10,451
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.
