A goal from Kieron Bowie rescued a deserved point for Hibs against high flying Motherwell at Easter Road this afternoon.
David Gray made two changes to his starting line-up following their win at Kilmarnock last weekend.
Striker Bowie who has been linked with both Rangers and Celtic this week started up front and Jordan Obita returned at left-wing back.
Goal scorer Junior Hoilett and Thibault Klidje dropped to the bench.
Josh Campbell, Martin Boyle and Nicky Cadden all missed out due to injury.
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Rocky Bushiri, who has returned from Afcon, was among the substitutes, while Miguel Chaiwa was not in the squad.
Motherwell’s Elliot Watt, missed out with a muscle problem while fellow midfielder Callum Slattery is among the subs.
Oscar Priestman Tom Sparrow both started while Jordan McGhee made his return to the matchday squad after a lengthy spell out.
Hibs ‘football for a fiver’ initiative paid off with a full house at Easter Road.
Hibs started on the front foot and forced Motherwell into some desperate defending after a long throw.
Bowie managed to get his head to an Obita cross from the left but couldn’t hit the target and former Hibs man Paul McGinn cleared the danger.
Then another Obita cross was just behind Bowie and Emmanuel Longelo knocked it behind for corner.
Grant Hanley won the header from the resultant corner but nobody in a home shirt could find the second touch.
In the 21st minute Stephen O’Donnell was replaced by Johnny Koutroumbis after picking up an injury.
Hanley beat Lukas Fadinger to win a superb cross from Dan Barlaser, but his header was wide of the far post with Bowie unable to get his foot to the ball.
After a spell of pressure Obtia fired over from 15-yards then Josh Mulligan sent Elie Youan clear through on goal but he was unable to get the ball under control under pressure from Emmanuel Longelo and McGinn cleared the danger.
Youan then got on the end of an Obita cross, but his header went straight at the keeper.
At the other end Raphael Sallinger produced a fine save to deny Sparrow in Motherwell’s first chance.
Mulligan was booked for a late challenge on Ibrahim Said providing the visitors with a free-kick in a dangerous position but Sallinger easily dealt with it.
Steven Welsh was then booked for chopping down McGrath who was breaking from midfield.
Sallinger then did well to save from Tawanda Maswanhise as Motherwell started to show why they are so highly rated this season.
Just before the break, a great run by Youan ended with a fantastic cross which found Kanayo Megwa at the back post but his shot was deflected for a corner.
Shortly after the restart Obita was shown a yellow card for complaining about a free-kick.
In the 50th minute Jamie McGrath was replaced by Hoilett after picking up a knock.
Hibs almost opened the scoring when Hoilett’s cross was just too high for Bowie but Motherwell immediately broke clear and opened the scoring with an angled drive from Maswanhise, his 10th goal of the season.
Longelo then went close with a free-kick from 25-yards.
Hibs equalised in the 68th minute when Barlaser sent a wonderful 50-yard crossfield pass to Obita who capitalised by setting up Bowie
The striker adjusted his body well to finish past Calum Ward
Oscar Priestman was belatedly booked for a pull back on Mulligan before being replaced by Callum Slattery.
The sub then set up Said but his header went wide.
Bowie and Megwa made way for Klidje and Chris Cadden the last 15-minutes.
Play continued to rage from end to end with both sides creating chances.
Said was booked for a foul on Hoilett.
With three minutes remaining Joe Newell and Dylan Levitt replaced Mulligan and Barlaser.
In added time Sallinger produced a tremendous save to keep the score level.
Hibs: Sallinger, O’Hora, Hanley, Iredale, Megwa, Mulligan, Barlaser, McGrath, Obita, Youan, Bowie.
Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Newell, C Cadden, Klidje, Hoilett, Mitchell, Bushiri, Molotnikov.
Motherwell: Ward, O’Donnell, Welsh, McGinn, Longelo, Priestman, Fadinger, Sparrow, Just, Said, Maswanhise.
Substitutes: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Slattery, Stamatelopoulos, Koutroumbis, Osong, Ross, McAllister.
Attendance 19,246
