Dundee United 2 - 2 Hibs: Last gasp equaliser from United sees Hibs throw away early two-goal lead

A glorious double from Colin Nish, his first goals in four months, wasn't enough to earn Hibs a win at Tannadice as Mixu Paatelainen's players threw away an early two goal lead and were forced to settle for a draw with Dundee United.

Nish struck with a tremendous 25 yard drive after just six minutes and then coolly slotted the ball beyond United goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska four minutes later.

Hibs goalkeeper Grzegorz Szamotulski brilliantly stopped a Craig Conway penalty to maintain his side's two goal lead but the Edinburgh side hand to endure a tense, nervous finale after Garry Kenneth handed the Tayside outfit a lifeline wih a 53rd minute header.

And two minutes into added time United made their pressure pay as substitute David Goodwillie poked the ball home from two yards after a Paul Dixon corner had caused mayhem in the Hibs penalty area.

United were dealt a major blow barely three minutes into the match as Jon Daly went down under a hard but entirely fair tackle from Chris Hogg, referee Eddie Smith immediately halting play as a stretcher was called for the Tannadice striker.

Hibs were celebrating thee minutes later, though, as Daly's replacement Warren Feeney lost possession to John Rankin who switched the ball to Nish. The big striker looked up and thundered home a tremendous shot from 25 yards which left United goalkeeper Zaluska helpless.

It was Nish's first goal since the beginning of December and he didn't have long to wait for another. Sol Bamba's throw-in induced a period of head tennis inside the home side's penalty area but in attempting to end it by nodding the ball back to his goalkeeper Prince Buaben's effort struck team-mate Lee Wilkie and fell for Nish who showed terrific composure to pick his spot.

Incredibly, Nish could have had a third in the 16th minute, Denes Rosa cleverly working his way to the bye-line before picking his team-mate out at the back post. Nish hit his shot down into the ground and it appeared to be rearing into the net before Zaluska spectacularly turned it away.

Nish headed wide before delivering an inviting low cross for Steven Fletcher who should have done better than push the ball wide as he slid in.

United almost made Hibs pay for that miss as Chris Hogg was adjudged to have held down Feeney as the pair jostled for a Craig Conway cross, referee Smith having no hesitation in pointing to the spot. But former Tannadice goalkeeper Szamotulski defied Conway, guessing correctly as he threw himself to his right to brilliantly push away his effort from 12 yards.

The Tayside club restarted after the interval on the front foot, Wilkie driving wide after being picked out by Conway before Kenneth claimed a goal back, rising to head home Paul Dixon's cross from the right in the 53rd minute. It was the first goal lost in five matches by Hibs.

Hibs found themselves under the cosh as Craig Levein's outfit sought an equaliser, Szamotulski watching a Buaben shot all the way before pushing the ball round the post. United sensed there was another goal at least in it for them and Kenneth went close with a diving header, the Easter Road side not helping themselves by conceding too many needless free-kicks which allowed their opponents to throw the ball into the box as they attempted to take advantage of their height.

United certainly looked much more assured than they had during that first half, their dominance silencing the travelling support who were beginning to regret those earlier misses from Nish and Fletcher.

The home side kept pushing Francisco Sandaza forcing Szamotulski to push a low shot round the post before the Hibs goalkeeper was again in action, clawing away a Wilkie header from under his cross bar as Hibs desperately tried to hold on for three precious points.

But that hope evaporated with that late, late Goodwillie strike and even a point almost disappeared as Wilkie was only inches away with an even later header.

Dundee United: Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Buaben, Wesolowski (Swanson 55), Gomis, Conway, Daly (Feeney 3 (Goodwillie 80)), Sandaza. Subs not used: McGovern, Caddis, D Robertson, Swanson.
Hibs: Szamotulski, Bamba (van Zanten 73), Hogg, Jones, Stevenson, O'Brien, Rosa, Rankin, Riordan (Murray 77), Fletcher, Nish. Subs not used: Ma-Kalambay, Keenan, Thicot, Chisholm, Johansson.
Referee: Eddie Smith
Attendance: 6623