Hibernian 1 - 1 Dundee Utd: Hibs held by Webster strike

Published on Saturday 3 October 2009 16:51

HIBS slipped into second place in the SPL table despite being held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man Dundee United at Easter Road this afternoon.

Merouane Zemmama fired the home side into the lead in the 21st minute but former Hearts defender Andy Webster equalised with a deflected long-range shot in the 72nd minute.

United were reduced to ten men two minutes from time after Prince Buaben was sent off on the advice of assistant referee David Watt following a clash with Hibs striker Anthony Stokes.

John Hughes' side, though, would be left to rue not capitalising on Zemmama's goal having totally dominated the opening 45 minutes in which they twice struck the woodwork.

Hibs signalled their intent within a minute, Derek Riordan flashing a low ball across the face of Nicky Weaver's goal before Zemmama cracked a rising shot off the outside of the left hand post with the United goalkeeper struggling to get there.

That exact same piece of woodwork came to the Tayside outfit's rescue in the 12th minute after Webster misgjudged a long clearance from Hibs goalkeeper Graham Stack in the swirling wind, the ball not quite falling for Republic of Ireland striker Anthony Stokes who was forced a tad wide in attempting to control it before firing off a good shot which was well saved by Weaver.

The rebouned came to Stokes who immediately drilled it in again, beating Weaver but not the post.

But Hibs did get their reward in the 21st minute as a slack pas put Darren Dods in trouble, the former Hibs defender robbed by Zemmama who raced into the penalty area, stepped inside Webster and lashed home his second goal in as many weeks.

It was all Hibs with Craig Levein's side rattled, Weaver blocking a low effort from David Wotherspoon, the right back cutting in from the left wing area, before Riordan attempted a curling effort which looked netbound until it struck his team-mate Abdessalam Benjeloun only four yards out.

A Zemmama cross was just inches out of the reach of Stokes as Hibs turned the screw with Sol Bamba going close with a downward header from a Riordan corner which struck a United body before being booted to safety.

Levein and his players would have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle, an opportunity to regroup knowing they should have been more than one goal down and after the interval they stepped up a gear, Buaben smashing a long-range shot just wide before forcing Stack to sprawl at his near post to save.

Stack needed a spell of treatment after diving bravely at the feet of Damian Casalinuovo but it was United who suffered an injury blow in the 64th minute as Paul Dixon was stretchered off to be replaced by Sean Dillon after making a terrific block on Wotherspoon.

Hibs were badly needing a second goal despite that first half superiority and they should have got it two minutes later when Liam Miller delivered a superb cross into the United area only to see Riordan knock it over the top from only four yards out.

Riordan almost made amends for that miss in the 69th minute with a free-kick which Weaver, at full stretch diving to his left, just managed to claw round the post.

You sensed, however, that a goal for United was coming and it duly arrived via the boot of former Hearts star Webster although he did enjoy a touch of luck as his shot from 25 yards appeared to take a nick off a Hibs player before flying into the net off the inside of Stack's left hand post.

A perfectly delivered free-kick from Zemmama presented Stokes with the opportunity to put Hibs ahead again with 11 minutes remaining but the former Arsenal and Sunderland hitman allowed the ball to slip a couple of inches over his head with the goal gaping at the back post.

United were reduced to ten men following a clash between Buaben and Stokes two minutes from time. The Hibs star appeared to catch his opponent late but the Tannadice player's reaction was reported to referee Mike Tumilty by his far side assistant David Watt, the upshot a red card for an incredulous Buaben.

Hibs: Stack, Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba, Murray, Zemmama, Miller, McBride, Riordan, Benjelloun, Stokes. Subs not used: Ma-Kalambay, Thicot, Cregg, Stevenson, Nish, Galbraith, Rankin.

Dundee United: Weaver, Webster, Dods, Conway. S Robertson, Cadamarteri (Goodwillie 60), Buaben, Gomis, Kovacevic, Dixon, Casalinuovo (Myre-Williams 86). Subs not used: Banks, Dillon, Kenneth, D Robertson, Shala.

Referee: Mike Tumilty.