Hibernian 1 - 1 St Johnstone: Liam Miller hands it to the referee

Published on Saturday 27 February 2010 21:04

Stokes 2 (pen) Craig 84 (pen)

IT WAS a day laced with occasion, a day when the Hibs fans were saying goodbye to the past and, after three consecutive defeats, hoping that they could build a brighter future. But, while they had more openings throughout the 90 minutes, Hibs still had to settle for a draw after a late surge and an 84th-minute penalty allowed St Johnstone to equalise.

It prompted fury in the home ranks at the time, but afterwards the villain, Liam Miller, admitted the referee had probably called it correctly for handball.

"Looking back at the video I can see why the ref gave it," he said. "I was adamant at the time that it wasn't a penalty but I have seen it back and, if I'm honest, it probably was a penalty. My hands were up but it was instinct, not deliberate. My hands were up because of the way I swung for the ball."

Liam Craig made the most of the opportunity, netting his third penalty from three this season and ensured top six remains a realistic hope for St Johnstone. Two points from 15 for Hibs saw them drop to fourth place in the league.

The old East Stand was in use for the last time before the bulldozers come calling and the crowd jammed in there to sing their farewells and, prior to kick-off, there was also the minute's applause to mark the lives of two Hibs legends, Alan Gordon and Bobby Smith, who passed away within days of each other.

The players wore black armbands but minutes into the match they paid their respects in the best way possible.

Little more than a week since these two teams last met and the Leith side were given a lesson in finishing and finesse by Derek McInnes' men and there was a desperation not to allow a repeat to overshadow the day of nostalgia.

Within the first three minutes, though, they had taken the initiative. With seconds on the clock, Hibs broke quickly and midway into the St Johnstone half, Colin Nish turned inside and played the ball into Anthony Stokes, who obliged with the crisp one-two, allowing his strike partner to burst through on goal, where the onrushing Graeme Smith felled him.

Referee Alan Muir immediately pointed to the spot and while the keeper will consider himself lucky to have escaped with a yellow card, he couldn't prevent Hibs taking the lead. Stokes sent him the wrong way for his 17th goal of the season.

It was the ideal way to settle any jitters in a Hibs side which had not recorded a win in the previous four games and not taken a point from any of the past three. It was also a reminder to the visitors, should any be needed, that they were not going to offer such meek opposition this time around.

Missing the influence of Jody Morris in midfield, St Johnstone initially found it difficult to bed in with Kevin McBride, Liam Millar and Lewis Stevenson making it tough for them to pass their way through that area and, at the back, the height and presence of Kenny Deuchar and Cillian Sheridan was nullified by Sol Bamba and Chris Hogg.

The surprise was the lateness of the St Johnstone switches, with McInnes leaving it until the 79th minute to throw the more mobile and energetic Collin Samuel and Filipe Morais into the mix.

The tussle between Bamba and Deuchar in particular seemed to preoccupy the mind of the referee, with any kind of contact between the pair resulting in another stoppage of play. But St Johnstone did have a penalty claim in the 12th minute when Sheridan was grounded but this time the officials decided there was no infringement.

The guests were getting some snatches at goal but there was no real conviction behind the end product and while Deuchar forced saves from Graham Stack in the 14th and 34th minute, both efforts were weak.

In between, Derek Riordan had a shot saved and Hibs were threatening to grab a second as they broke with purpose and drive but too often chose the wrong option at the telltale moment, with Stokes in particular growing frustrated when team-mates failed to look up and pick him out in space. Nish was again through on goal just before the interval but this time his strike lacked venom.

But while St Johnstone did enjoy possession, Hibs remained the more likely and, even as the second half wore on, they seemed more alert to opportunities and more solid at the back. In the 70th minute, Dave Mackay had an effort but Hibs counter-attacked and only Smith prevented Riordan extending the lead. Nish and Riordan then combined three minutes later with Mackay getting across to block the shot into the side netting. But the goals just weren't coming, which was surprising given this pair's history and the fact they had netted 13 between them in the previous three meetings.

That was until Miller's handball served up a spot kick for Liam Craig to convert in the dying minutes. It was reward for the visitors who felt they'd had two legitimate claims ignored, after Murray Davidson was toppled in the 66th minute.

And they could have bettered that when Samuel and Morais sparked a breakaway in stoppage time but Chris Millar snatched at the finish and drove his angled shot across goal and just wide, while the dying seconds prompted another penalty appeal at the other end, for another handball. But again this was dismissed and the teams had to settle for a share of the points, which was probably what they deserved anyway.

MAN OF THE MATCH

For most of the match Sol Bamba looked at home dealing with the St Johnstone frontline of Kenny Deuchar and Cillian Sheridan and it was only when Samuel and Morais joined the fray that he wavered slightly.

QUICK FACT

Hibs have now taken just two points from 15 and have dropped to fourth in the SPL.

TALKING POINT

In a week when officials have come under scrutiny, Alan Muir did little to enhance their reputation. Neither manager wanted to have a real go at the referee afterwards but it was clear neither was happy.