Hibernian 1
Dundee Utd 1
League (SPL)

Match Report

Manager Craig Levein stuck with the central defensive pairing of Andy Webster and Darren Dods for this visit to Easter Road with Paul Dixon and Mihael Kovacevic making up the rest of the back four. Scott Robertson, Morgaro Gomis, Prince Buaben and Craig Conway formed United's midfield midfield with Danny Cadamarteri and Damian Casalinuovo up front. United would be looking to leave Leith with a similar to result to that of their last visit: a 2-1 win thanks to a late David Goodwillie goal.

However it was Hibs who started brightly and had enough chances in the first half to have put the game beyond doubt. From the first minute, Zemmama, Stokes and Riordan were causing the United defence all sorts of problems. With only 60 seconds on the clock, Stokes played in Riordan who fired a ball across the United goal that Darren Dods managed to half clear but only as far as Zemmama who struck the junction of bar and post with his shot. The same post came to the rescue ten minutes later when Stokes was allowed free reign in the box only for Nicky Weaver in the United goal to parry his shot back to him. On the rebound, the Hibs striker could only hit the post. On a couple of rare forays up the pitch, United did create two half chances in the first half. After three minutes Paul Dixon curled a 25-yard free kick over the bar and Andy Webster had a chance after nine minutes but his bulleted header from a Craig Conway corner also flew over Stack’s goal. Referee Mike Tumilty showed his only yellow card of the afternoon on 22 minutes as Abdessalam Benjelloun went in late and from behind on Dixon as the game began to spice up. The home side finally took the lead after 27 minutes. Loose play in the United midfield allowed Merouane Zemmama a one-on-one with Weaver and from inside the box the Moroccan made no mistake as he fired the ball into the roof of the net. Hibs had several other chances to extend their lead before the break but Stokes was guilty of passing up a chance from just six yards after the lively Zemmama had played him into space. Five minutes later Zemmama again turned Paul Dixon inside out but Liam Miller could only scuff a shot wide from the resulting pass. The final chance of the first 45 fell to former Sunderland striker Stokes but his header from a driven Zemmama cross was just over.

Whatever boss Craig Levein said at half time had an immediate effect on United as they came out blazing in the second half. Within two minutes they had forced a corner and Mihael Kovacevic was unlucky to see his effort go wide after a Conway cross was knocked back across goal by Dods. A minute later, Prince Buaben came even closer as he beautifully beat two players in midfield before advancing to the edge of the box and firing a fizzing low shot just inches wide of Stack’s left hand post. Just after that, Morgaro Gomis could have done better as he was picked out at the back post but he could only shoot weakly at Stack. Levein made his first change of the afternoon on 54 minutes as David Goodwillie replaced Danny Cadamarteri. The young striker was immediately involved in play as Webster made space in the box for him but his shot was parried by Stack and cleared. There was bad news for United after 64 minutes when full back Paul Dixon was once again in the wars as he injured himself while blocking a cross. Sean Dillon was called on to replace him as the unlucky United defender was stretchered off. Hibs should have had the game wrapped up after 65 minutes when Derek Riordan somehow managed to put the ball over the bar from only six yards out with only the goalkeeper to beat following a delightful pass from Liam Miller. Miller himself then forced Weaver into a save low down to his left from a free kick round the wall. The home side were to rue those chances when United fashioned an equaliser after 72 minutes. Andy Webster found himself in space up the pitch and decided to head for goal before unleashing a shot that appeared to flick off a foot before flying past Stack and into the net via the goalkeepers left-hand post to the delight of the 1,000 strong Tangerine Army behind the goal. With five minutes to go, excellent link-up play between Goodwillie, Conway and Casalinuovo set up Prince Buaben for a strike but his shot was deflected over the bar as United chased a winner. With the game heading for a draw, Buaben then saw red with two minutes to go. After an off-the-ball altercation with Stokes, the far-side assistant referee spoke to referee Mike Tumilty and the United midfielder was ordered off for what appeared to be an attempted head butt. It was to be the last real action of the game as United held out for the last few minutes to take an excellent point from a tough ground.