Hibs 3 Dundee United 3

Hibernian and Dundee United shared both goals and the points this evening after a thrilling 90 minutes under the lights at Easter Road.

We started brightly only to fall behind against the run of play to a Luca Stephenson effort on 15 minutes. Despite levelling soon after when Yevhen Kucherenko diverted the ball into his net, we trailed at the interval due to Zac Sapsford’s goal on the cusp of half time.

It was a sucker punch for the boys following a dominant first half showing - however, United were clinical on the counterattack. It went from bad to worse early in the second period as Stephenson extended United’s lead before Kieron Bowie swiftly reduced arrears.

We pressed hard for a leveller and got our just rewards from the penalty spot after Vicko Sevlj saw red for handling Bowie’s effort. Jamie McGrath; ruthless from the spot.

David Gray made four changes to the side that drew with St Mirren two weeks ago in our last outing. Warren O’Hora, Josh Mulligan, McGrath and Bowie were all restored to the starting XI. Grant Hanley, Junior Hoilett and Thibault Klidje dropped down to the bench, whilst Miguel Chaiwa missed out altogether. 

The boys, looking terrific in the Club’s 150^th Anniversary, hooped, fourth kit, started the match brightly and took the game to the visitors from the first whistle. 

McGrath went close twice in the opening moments, once from a free kick and secondly with a lob that forced Kucherenko into his first save of the afternoon. 

We kept up the early pressure and from O’Hora’s nod down, Martin Boyle saw an effort from 16 yards blocked by a sea of tangerine jerseys. 

On 14 minutes we had a huge chance to break the deadlock as Bowie’s flick on released Boyle in behind; the angle was tight, and he attempted to lob Kucherenko but didn’t get enough lift on his effort, allowing the goalkeeper to save comfortably.

A minute later and Dundee United broke the deadlock with their first attack of the afternoon when Stephenson headed in from Will Ferry’s cross. The goal came completely against the run of play but that mattered little to the 1,800 travelling supporters.

We attempted to respond quickly, and Nicky Cadden wasn’t far away with a free kick that flashed just wide of the target.

We levelled on 27 minutes when goalkeeper Kucherenko diverted a McGrath corner kick into his own net under heavy pressure from Rocky Bushiri.

Despite the leveller, it was Dundee United that enjoyed their best spell of pressure around the half-hour mark.

Sapsford attempted to curl one into the far, bottom corner only for Jordan Smith to save smartly down to his left and then from the resulting corner kick, the goalkeeper had to deny an unmarked Stephenson.

At the other end Kucherenko did well to beat away a Bowie angled drive at full stretch, before pulling off an even better save to deny the Hibs striker’s stooping header just moments later.

It would prove a crucial save as United restored their lead on the cusp of half-time. Ivan Dolcek raced in behind the sparse backline, rounding Smith and squaring to Sapsford to slot away from close range.

United started the second period on the front foot and it took a last-gasp sliding challenge from Jack Iredale to thwart Dolcek as he raced through on goal.

It mattered little as the visitors scored seconds later as Stephenson notched his second of the afternoon when he slotted away Fatah’s cross from the left.

It was a disastrous start to second half. However, we quickly reduced arrears as Mulligan forced a mistake before Bowie skipped passed his man and fired past Kucherenko with a powerful drive.

The goal was promptly checked for offside by VAR, before being giving following a review.

We made a triple change with Chris Cadden, Dylan Levitt and Boyle being replaced by Hoilett, Klidje and debutant, Dan Barlaser.

The changes almost paid immediate dividends as Hoilett got on the end of Nicky Cadden’s sumptuous cross - only for his goal bound effort to be kept out by stunning, reaction save from Kucherenko.

The United goalkeeper was certainly making up for his earlier error and he was again in action to push away a dipping McGrath shot as we pressed for a leveller.

The visitors remained a potent threat on the counterattack, and it took a fine save from Smith to tip a rising Vicko Sevelj shot over at his near post to keep them out.

Into the final 20 minutes and the game was now wide open. We spurned a good chance to restore parity when Hoilett picked out Bowie with a cross from left following a good driving run from Barlaser, however the striker’s header back across goal ended wide of the far post.

There was no let up in the frantic pace of the match as Nicky Cadden stung the palms of Kucherenko before Hoilett stabbed the rebound wide from a tight angle.

At the other end, Sapsford was played in by Stephenson and only a brilliant block from Smith kept out a fourth United goal.

With eight minutes remaining Dundee United were reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Sevelj as we were awarded a penalty kick.

The incident - missed by the on-field officials - was spotted by VAR. Referee Dan MacFarlane was sent to the screen where he saw the Croatian defender handle from Bowie’s overhead effort and awarded the penalty kick.

Kucherenko guessed correctly but he was powerless to keep out McGrath’s driven finish from the spot to make the score 3-3.

We pressed hard for a winner in the time that remained, with Klidje forcing a save from Kucherenko and Bowie shooting over from close range.

Deep into added time, Hoilett's glancing header from Nicky Cadden’s inch-perfect cross appeared net bound - only for Kucherenko to once more thwart us, as the match ended with the points being shared.