Dundee United scrapped their way to a precious point at Easter Road as they drew 1-1 with Championship title favourites Hibs.
The fifth-placed Tangerines had dreamed of cutting the gap between the hosts and them to just two points with a victory but they at least left Leith with something to show for a tough afternoon’s work.
United had been on the back foot for most of the first half but fell behind on 35 minutes, just as they were enjoying a good spell.
James Keatings was the scorer and it stayed 1-0 until William Edjenguele headed home off a corner on 68 minutes to equalise.
They looked lively on the break thereafter, mainly thanks to sub Tope Obadeyi, but had keeper Cammy Bell to thank for a superb save off Keatings in stoppage-time.
The Tangerines started without injured midfield duo Willo Flood and Stewart Murdoch, while pre-match doubt Charlie Telfer was on the bench.
That meant only one change to the side that started the 2-1 win over Morton at Tannadice eight days earlier, with Scott Fraser coming in for Cammy Smith.
The sun was shining on Leith as the home side got the game under way.
On four minutes, Fraser conceded a freekick just outside after fouling John McGinn.
Keatings took the setpiece and smashed it against the junction of bar and post.
Predictably, Hibs had the better of the early play and they had another chance on 23 minutes when McGinn squared for Andrew Shinnie, whose shot flew wide from a good position.
United had been struggling to get up the pitch but they appeared to have cut open the home defence on 29 minutes when Lewis Toshney burst forward up the right.
He sent over a cross aiming for Simon Murray and Nick van der Velden in the middle but a delayed offside decision was given against Toshney. It was the wrong call by assistant referee David McKniff and a costly one for United.
The visitors were looking better now, though, and after Fraser carried the ball forward from his own half he played in Murray to his right. The frontman cut back inside then shot into the arms of Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano.
Arguably against the run of play, they fell behind on 35 minutes to a well-taken goal by Keatings. He was picked out by a Shinnie pass and peeled away from defender Mark Durnan before firing low into the opposite corner of the net.
Four minutes from the break, Paul Dixon won a corner for United on the left. It was taken deep by Fraser and chested down by Van der Velden, whose shot was deflected into the side-netting by David Gray.
After the second half kicked off, Fraser fired a freekick into the Hibs box that was flicked towards goal by the head of Murray but flew just wide.
Up at the other end, Paul Hanlon got in behind United’s Frank van der Struijk and had space to shoot but fired across goal and out for a goalkick.
There was an injury blow for the Tannadice team on 55 minutes when Toshney hobbled off to be replaced by Telfer. It appeared to be the former Raith Rovers player’s ankle that was hurt.
They also brought Smith on for Van der Velden three minutes later.
United keeper Cammy Bell got down to smother a long-range shot from Dylan McGeoch as Hibs looked for a second goal.
After Obadeyi replaced Murray, the winger won a corner out on the left on 68 minutes.
Fraser took the setpiece and Edjenguele climbed higher than any Hibs defender and bulleted a header into the net for his first goal for the club to pull the Tangerines level.
McGinn blasted past for Hibs as the hosts tried to get back on the front foot before Obadeyi attacked Hibs again up the left, his cross just missing the head of the inrushing Spittal.
Sub Obadeyi was at it again on 77 minutes but again his ball across the face of goal had no takers and was cleared by Hanlon.
As the minutes ticked by, you would think United would be more satisfied with a draw than Hibs but the Tangerines still looked dangerous on the break.
They had Bell to thank in injury-time, though, with the keeper saving from Keatings at his near post then finally gathering the ball after Darren McGregor had tried to poke the ball into the net.
Attendance: 15,492.
Hibernian: Marciano, Gray (Eardley 46), Hanlon, McGinn, Fyvie, McGeoch, Keatings, Shinnie (Boyle 76), Forster, McGregor, Cummings (Graham 76). Subs not used: Laidlaw, Bartley, Holt, Harris.
Dundee United: Bell, Dixon, Durnan, Toshney (Telfer 55), Spittal, Murray (Obadeyi 66), Fraser, Edjenguele, Andreu, Van der Struijk, Van der Velden. Subs not used: Zwick, Dillon, Donaldson, Robson.
Referee: Craig Thomson.
