Hibs 3 Dundee United 1

Hibs took a huge step forward in the race for third as we beat Dundee United 3-1 at Easter Road, with Martin Boyle, Mykola Kuharevich and Dwight Gayle getting on the scoresheet. 

Martin Boyle opened the scoring early on before Kuharevich drilled in the Hibees’ second inside 15 minutes. Kristijan Trapanovski pulled one back for the visitors but Gayle's late header would wrap up the win for the Hibees. 

The result moves David Gray’s men three points clear in third ahead of Aberdeen in the William Hill Premiership.

Following our first defeat in 18 league matches last weekend at Pittodrie – as Hibs narrowly lost out 1-0 to Aberdeen – Head Coach David Gray opted to make two changes to his Hibernian XI. 

Centre-forward Kuharevich and wide attacker Junior Hoilett returned to the starting line-up, as Josh Campbell and Kieron Bowie dropped to the bench. Joining the outgoing pair was Lewis Miller, who was deemed fit enough to be named as a substitute.

Hibs wasted no time in getting ahead as positive fluid football from David Gray’s men, intermixed with a defensive hiccup from the visitors, saw Martin Boyle force the ball over the line inside three minutes.

An intelligent, weighted pass from Junior Hoilett granted Chris Cadden the opportunity to fire in a dangerous grounded cross that was haphazardly flicked into our number 10’s path. Boyle, reacting rapidly to the situation, nudged the ball beyond the goal-line with the help of the woodwork to put the Hibees ahead. 

It would take an impressive double save from United’s number one Jack Walton to keep out the Hibees just minutes later. A well-placed interception from Dylan Levitt on the edge of the area let Boyle shunt the ball into the feet of Mykola Kuharevich. The striker stung the fingertips of Walton with his strike, before Hoilett was promptly denied on the rebound with a simple stop. 

Hibs would find themselves two in front on 14 minutes. Roared on by a lively home support, Mykola Kuharevich broke away at pace from a sparse United defence before striking low across Walton and wheeling away in celebration as the ball clipped in off the post.

The away side’s first attempt came on 18 minutes, as wing-back Will Ferry and striker Sam Dalby worked well up the left-hand side together to allow the latter to take a pop at goal from 25 yards. Dalby’s strike troubled Jordan Smith initially, but the Hibs keeper had no problem collecting the ball at the second attempt. 

The action-packed start continued in Leith as Boyle took aim with a skewed volley after Jordan Obita fizzed in a fierce delivery from the left. The ball remained in play and was hastily re-worked to an advancing Nectar Triantis, who saw his promising attempt deflected behind. 

The action stagnated slightly as the half wound down, though Kuharevich remained keen to snatch another goal. The forward would fire low on his left foot from a central position, following some neat interplay from Levitt and Boyle, and force an outstretched stop from Walton on the cusp of half-time. 

The second 45 started with a worry as Hibs keeper Smith stayed down for treatment after keeping out Emmanuel Adeboyega. Failure to get rid of a corner led to the United centre-half appearing at the back stick looking almost certain to convert. However, his close-range effort was heroically turned behind by a brave Smith stop. 

Corner concerns continued to plague the Hibees, with half-time substitute Kristijan Trapanovski capitalising on the visitors’ next delivery. Hibs’ inability to clear their lines allowed the North Macedonian attacker to fire in beyond Smith on-the-turn. 

Minutes after being booked for simulation, Dundee United captain Ross Docherty fired wide from the edge of the area after being awarded an abundance of space 25 yards from goal. 

With 10 minutes to go both sides saw their shape and structure become more fluid as each team pressed for the crucial next goal. This led to left-back Obita picking up possession high in an unfamiliar position high on the right flank. His improvised run inside led to an attempt from range, which rolled into the arms of Walton. 

The Hibees nearly wrapped the game up on 83 minutes when Josh Campbell surged into the box to latch onto a cut-back from fellow substitute Kieron Bowie, though the midfielder’s fierce finish was excellently parried to safety by Walton. 

It would in fact take another substitute pair to seal the victory with three minutes to play, as Nicky Cadden and Dwight Gayle combined superbly to spark joyous celebrations amongst the bouncing Easter Road support. 

Nicky’s curling cross was perfectly placed onto Gayle’s head, allowing the striker to glance in Hibs’ third of the afternoon and ensure all three points remained in Leith.