Dundee United’s promotion hopes suffered a massive blow as they went down to Championship leaders Hibs at Tannadice.
The defeat leaves the Tangerines ten points adrift of the top of the table, meaning the end of season play offs look the most likely route if they are to get back to the Premiership at the first time of asking.
It was 100 miles an hour stuff from the kick off as both teams looked to grab an early advantage.
Hibs were first to have a go at goal when Lewis Stevenson, optimistically, shot from 40 yards. Cammy Bell in the home goal was happy to watch the ball fly a couple of yards wide.
United were keen to get on the attack as well, but all their early efforts earned was a couple of bookings, Scott Fraser for diving and Lewis Toshney for a tackle on Andrew Shinnie.
When the home team won a free kick 20 yards from the Hibs goal, Alex Nicholls tried a shot, but his effort was blocked by the defensive wall.
Disaster struck for United in the 31st minute when Toshney again fouled Shinnie. It earned him a second yellow card and meant Ray McKinnon’s team would play out the rest of the game with ten men.
Neither foul was particularly bad, but it’s the second time this season Toshney has been red carded for two bookings.
United quickly paid the price for his recklessness as Hibs took a 39th minute lead. Shinnie fed Cummings and he smashed home a fine goal with a 16 yard rocket.
Early in the second half Paul Dixon became the third home player booked, for a late tackle on Martin Boyle.
It continued to be an ill-tempered affair and next William Edjenguele and Grant Holt were carded for wrestling each other after a tackle by the United man.
It should have been two for the visitors when Gray cut the ball across goal to Boyle, but he shot well over from ten yards.
Then Hibs were reduced to ten men because of two moments of madness from scorer Jason Cummings. First his angrily bounced the ball after being flagged offside in the 73rd minute and was shown yellow.
Then, in the 76th minute, he used a hand to steer a Gray cross into the United net and was immediately shown a second yellow, then a red.
Shortly after Bell was the United hero, turning a Shinnie shot over the bar.
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