Hibee history: Good Evans completes great late fightback

AN INJURY-TIME goal from Gareth Evans capped a magnificent comeback for Hibs at Easter Road as they defeated bottom-placed St Mirren.

Things appeared bleak for the Edinburgh club when they fell 3-1 behind midway through the second half but they fought back superbly to snatch a dramatic 4-3 victory.

With Keith Houchen, Mickey Weir, Neil Cooper, Graham Mitchell and Joe Tortolano missing through suspension and injury, Alex Miller replaced them with Calum Milne, Danny Lennon, Billy Findlay, Paul Wright and David Fellinger.

St Mirren also made changes from the side which had lost to Celtic in the Scottish Cup days earlier with Campbell Money, Paul Lambert, Fraser Wishart and Alan Irvine all being recalled.

Hibs got off to a glorious start with a goal from the penalty spot in just eight minutes – an award surrounded in controversy as Saints keeper Money hauled down Wright in the box.

It should have brought a red card but referee Don McVicar produced only the yellow, much to Money's relief. But he could do nothing to prevent Wright blasting the spot-kick high into the net.

Hibs were in total command but were shocked in 17 minutes when a Thomas Strickroth pass found Paul Kinnaird all alone on the right-hand side of Andy Goram's area.

The winger looked up and rifled an angled shot into the far corner of the net as Tommy McIntyre stood still, obviously believing the Saints player to be offside.

It was now Saints' turn to have the upper hand and disaster struck for Hibs with 38 minutes on the clock when Brian Martin scored a goal to rival any of the 1990/91 season.

There appeared little danger as the big defender picked up the ball in the centre circle but, with the Hibs players standing off, he strode forward to unleash a ferocious right-foot shot which left Goram helpless.

After the break things went from bad to worse for Hibs when a Kinnaird cross was deflected into the path of Torfason and he tapped in from six-yards.

The sparsely-populated Easter Road terraces quickly began to empty but the flow towards the exits was halted in 66 minutes with a stunning goal from Hunter.

Neil Orr's corner was kicked off the line by Lambert and scrambled away for another corner which Hunter met perfectly with his right foot to volley into the roof of the net from 16 yards.

When Wright scored his second goal of the game eight minutes from time, it appeared that both sides would happily settle for a point apiece.

But 90 seconds over the regulation period, Evans hit a dramatic winner to complete a highly-memorable comeback.

Hibs: Goram, Miller, Milne, Hamilton, McIntyre, Hunter, Lennon, Wright, Findlay, Fellinger, McGinlay. Subs: Evans, Orr.

St Mirren: Money, Wishart, Black, Lambert, Victor, McWhirter, Martin, Strickroth, Irvine, Torfason, Kinnaird. Subs: Hutchison, Shaw.