Two goals from ‘Super’ Paul McGinn secured a share of the points against on-form St Johnstone who increased their unbeaten run to nine games at Easter Road last night.
Head Coach Jack Ross kept faith in the same starting XI that drew with Celtic and Christian Doidge who returned from an ankle injury was listed amongst the substitutes.
Photos by Ian Jacobs
Former Hibs’ captain Liam Craig returned to the St Johnstone line up but two other ex Hibs players, Calum Booth and David Wotherspoon had to be content with a place on the bench.
Hibs started on the front foot and in the opening minute Paul McGinn found Jamie Murphy with a perfect through ball but Zander Clark did well to save the on-loan Rangers’ winger’s powerful strike from 22-yards.
Four minutes later a Craig corner fell to Guy Melamed but his shot from 10-yardsflew over the bar.
Moments later Michael O’Hallaron broke clear but his shot from just inside the penalty box flew inches wide of the far post.
Martin Boyle did well down the right wing, beating three-defenders before sending in a powerful low cross which Murphy knocked wide.
Nisbet was brought down just outside the ‘D’ but Stevie Mallan’s free-kick rebounded off the wall and the danger was cleared.
In the 20th minute Paul Hanlon was replaced by Darren McGregor and passed him the captain’s armband on the touchline.
Boyle was clearly brought down on the edge of the area but referee Kevin Clancy ignored his pleas for a free-kick.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 34th minute when Scott Tanser sent in a cross from the left wing which Stevie May knocked into the path of Ali McCann and the highly rated youngster made no mistake from eight-yards.
Within seconds Hibs were back on level terms when McGinn found Nisbet with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty box. Nisbet cushioned the ball back into the full-back’s path and he calmly side footed the ball into the net off the far post.
Just before the break Murphy found Mallan with a quickly taken short corner but his dangerous cross was headed behind for a corner.
In the 50th minute a great run by Murphy ended with a cross to Nisbet who sent a left-foot volley over the bar then five minutes later Doidge replaced Alex Gogic.
Saints broke clear and another dangerous cross from Tanser just evaded May.
On the hour mark, a Nisbet cross fell to Mackie who cut the ball back to Joe Newell but his close range effort flew inches wide of the post.
Mallan then went close with a long-range effort then Hibs almost took the lead when Boyle cut the ball back into the path of Murphy but Clark produced a superb save to deny the winger from close range.
In the next passage of play the visitors took the lead when substitute Wotherspoon collected a slack pass and strode forward before firing a superb strike from the edge of the box past Ofir Marciano.
It looked as though Hibs were heading for defeat but with eight minutes remaining Murphy found Mackie on the left wing. His first time cross was half cleared by the Saints’ defenders but the ball fell to McGinn who fired the ball into the net from an acute angle.
Jamie Gullan replaced Nisbet for the remaining minutes but neither team could add to their goal tally and the game ended 2-2.
After the final whistle Ross told BBC Sportsound: “The positives were the character the players showed being behind twice and coming back into it and the attacking play at times was good. But we’ve become a little bit easy to score against. We need to show more hunger to keep the ball out.
“We need to have that ambition to win every game at Easter Road and the expectation to go and win it. I would describe it as a good season at the moment, but it can tip either way. We need to get it back to being a very good season.”
St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson said: “When you go 2-1 up with 20 minutes to go, you’re hoping to see the game out. Hibs played some really good stuff. I think at stages we both played well, we both defended poorly, very similar.
“I thought the effort tonight was magnificent. We’re four players down in a small squad.”
The result sees Hibs leapfrog Aberdeen into third place.
Hibs: Marciano, McGinn, Mackie, Hanlon, Porteous, Gogic, Mallan, Newell, Murphy, Boyle, Doidge, Nisbet. Subs Barnes, Gray, McGregor, Doig, S.McGinn, Hallberg, Wright, Gullan, Doidge
St Johnstone: Clark, McNamara, Gordon, McCart, Tanser, Craig, McCann, O’Hallaron, May, Melamed, Rooney. Subs Parish, Booth, Wotherspoon, Hendry, Kane, Ferguson
Referee Kevin Clancy
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.
