Hamilton 1, Hibs 1: Pressure mounting on Paul Heckingbottom as Hibs' wait for win goes on

In so many ways this draw against Hamilton Accies was Hibs’ season in microcosm. Little wonder then that Paul Heckingbottom lamented after the game that his audience need only rerun his quotes from the last three games to take a snapshot of how the 90 minutes played out.

Stevie Mallan celebrates his first-half strike, but Hibs' wait for a second league win goes on

Five times in their last seven league games the Easter Road side have taken a lead only to allow it to slip from their grasp.

Stevie Mallan’s 22nd minute goal was just reward for an opening period in which Accies barely touched the ball and yet as soon as the hosts drew level from the spot just before the hour mark there was a tangible collapse in confidence from Hibs.

Stuck in the stand as he serves the first of his two-game suspension, Heckingbottom was impotent to turn the tide as the points ebbed away.

The evidence, however, would suggest that Hibs’ problems run deeper than where he takes his seat. Tenth in the table and just three points off bottom-placed St Johnstone, the Capital club have just one league victory to boast so far this term.

“We have to talk about the fact that our goalkeeper has not had a save to make and we are not getting the three points,” said Heckingbottom.

“Just replay the last three times I have sat in front of you. Replay the same quotes, write the same things, same story. And that is what is frustrating me most.”

Mallan’s goal came in the aftermath of Daryl Horgan spurning a glorious chance for Hibs to take the lead when Joe Newell, arguably Hibs’ most creative player, sent an inviting ball across the six-yard box only for Horgan to screw it well wide of the target from close range.

Mallan netted five minutes later, which ought to have lent Hibs some composure but they could not turn their dominance into a more commanding lead.

When the goalscorer was judged to have tripped Blair Alston in the box just before the hour mark, Hibs were paid to pay for their failure to put the game beyond the reach of Accies.

Ross Cunningham, on the pitch for just five minutes after taking over from Lewis Smith, netted his seventh goal of the season when he struck a fierce effort well beyond the reach of Chris Maxwell to restore parity.

“We don’t have the best players in the league but we’ve got a spirit and a desire,” said Hamilton manager Brian Rice who was the happier of the two managers.

“I couldn’t ask any more in terms of effort and commitment. I demand a lot and they give me everything – every day. A draw was probably the fair result. I thought we were a threat on the break and we deserved something from the game."

As Hibs struggled to find their way back into the game they were irked that referee John Beaton waved away a penalty call of their own when Newell was barged off the ball by former Easter Road midfielder Scott Martin.

Christian Doidge thought he had nicked the points with a late winner only for the effort to be denied after the striker was judged to have fouled Sam Stubbs in the build-up.

Kamberi, the final, late substitute for Hibs, let fly with an effort that was beaten away by Owain Fon Williams. It was the final act of the afternoon before the jeers rang out from the visiting support.