Hibs rue late lapse in Paisley as St Mirren injury-time leveller extends winless run

Hibs were denied a first win in seven as St Mirren grabbed an injury-time equaliser to maintain their positive start to the Premiership campaign

Hibs defender Rocky Bushiri shows his frustration as St Mirren celebrate Lewis Jamieson's injury-time equaliser. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

There must have been a lingering sense of injustice following Saturday’s exit from the Viaplay Cup and the part VAR paid in that but rather than mope, Hibs turned up in Paisley determined to channel that disappointment effectively.

Albeit aided by a substandard showing from a St Mirren side who have shown themselves worthy of their third-place standing in the Premiership, the Leith side made a positive start to the contest, spraying the ball about and moving St Mirren around in their own half throughout most of the opening spell without getting the required end product.

Having left the action early at Hampden after a knock, Martin Boyle started this one on the bench as Hibs gaffer Nick Montgomery chose to go with Josh Campbell as one half of his strike pairing, alongside Dylan Vente.

Up against a St Mirren side who have only lost one game at home this season - defeated by Rangers last month - they needed to find a way to maintain that pressure and find a way beyond home keeper, Zach Hemming.

They did that in the 13th minute, when Jordan Obita broke down the left and picked out Vente. Aided by a slip by Alex Gogic, it was a composed square ball from the Dutchman and Campbell stroked his shot home.

A riveting game, where the usually disciplined and organised Paisley outfit initially struggled to find their rhythm as Hibs kept at them, there were plenty of turnovers and quick breaks as Hibs also displayed vulnerabilities. They were signposted when a wee injection of pace had allowed Stephen Robinson’s men to carve out a shot in the eighth minute as Marcus Fraser and Ryan Strain combined on the right and delivered the ball to a central area for a raking effort.

But it was only in the latter stages of the half where they began to find their usual form. And while there was intent in the way Hibs attacked, defensively they remained jittery.

The third meeting of the season for these sides, Robinson’s men won the league opener in a match that signalled their season’s ambition, but Hibs had managed to get the better of them in the more recent League Cup contest.

But the Paisley side have been pretty relentless this season and they were not for giving up.

Hibs continued to have chances and must have been kicking themselves after some 33rd minute penalty box pinball saw three or four shots blocked.

A few lapses in concentration and some Hibs sloppiness in several areas of the park almost allowed the home side to level before the interval. The guests remained unscathed but that gave St Mirren encouragement as they spent the final minutes of the half swarming the Hibs goal.

There was more end to end after the break but St Mirren were back in the fight. They levelled in the 53rd minute when VAR highlighted Obita felling Roger Taylor. Mark O’Hara converted.

Hibs regained the advantage in the 68th minute as Joe Newell netted a Vente cross. But St Mirren were not done and in stoppage time Elie Youan gave the ball away and Lewis Jamieson slammed in the equaliser to keep St Mirren flying high but make it seven games without a win for the Leith side.