Hibernian 1 Dundee Utd 0

December 30th 2000
Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 10,197

Scorers:
Hibernian: Latapy (pen).

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotland on Sunday on Sunday 31st December 2000

Better Latapy than never

What was rapidly turning into a winter of discontent for Hibs took a twist worthy of a Shakespearean drama when a lifeline was thrown their way six minutes into injury time and they were awarded a penalty.

Dundee United had valiantly thwarted everything Hibs could throw at them and looked like securing only their second point away from home all season when Mathias Jack tumbled over at a challenge from Craig Easton .

As referee Alan Freeland pointed to the spot, he was engulfed in a swathe of tangerine as incensed United players encircled him, seething at what they saw as an injustice.

Easton and Jason de Vos were among those booked before Russell Latapy placed the ball while Alan Combe, who had done so much to defy Hibs all afternoon, was psyching himself up, swinging on the crossbar facing the Hibs crowd who barracked him mercilessly.

It was hardly difficult for Latapy to maintain some semblance of cool in the freezing conditions and as ever he calmly stepped up to slide the ball to his left as Combe dived the other way.

It was delight for Hibs and despair for United as the final whistle was blown and Jack exited like the villian of the piece, hightailing it for safety down the tunnel pursued by United players. An embittered Combe, gesticulating in disgust as he made his way to the dressing room, could not restrain himself and thrust his face into the linesman’s as he left the pitch.

Whether it was a lunge with the head, a dispersal of phlegm or he was merely mouthing off, Combe was called to the referee’s room and received a red card.

Meanwhile, an aggrieved Alex Smith just managed to restrain himself, United’s bitterness compounded by Jack not giving the ball back to United after Jim Lauchlan had gone down injured and, from the resulting move, Hibs won the corner that led to the penalty.

However, the United manager said: "I felt we should have got the ball back to start with. That situation has to be clarified. I prefer not to get the ball back and the referee stop the game. It is accepted by the public the ball should go back to the team in possession. Then my team were adamant there was no penalty and Mathias Jack came into the back of Craig Easton.

"I was amazed - just as I was at four minutes being added on to the three shown on the board."

No matter - when you are down, you rarely get the breaks and, with the penalty, United’s hope of securing only their second point away from home all season evaporated.

Smith’s counterpart Alex McLeish extended sympathy to United for their resolute performance, but added a new slant.

"Our players felt that Jim Lauchlan had been using his experience going down injured and the referee noted this, adding another three minutes on and then somebody had a kick at Mathias Jack at the corner.."

However, all in, Hibs had generally dominated throughout, albeit in uninspired fashion.

What had perhaps been niggling away at their confidence was the fact they had picked up only one point in their last two games away at Ibrox and Tynecastle when three should have been a minimum. Thus their usual fluidity, so evident as recently as Tuesday’s derby, was absent throughout the first half. There was a flatness about Alex McLeish’s side and the usually vociferous home support were becalmed in the biting cold while the sandy pitch tended to disrupt Hibs’ passing game.

A few bobbles here and there and the kick-up of spray seemed to diminish Russell Latapy’s appetite in particular as he held back in a deeper position than usual before pushing up in the latter stages of the half when Hibs finally began to open up.

However, United were keeping it very tight with Danny Griffin in particular a bridge between the central defence and midfield. With little or no space between them, United moved up and down the park effectively as a unit. Meanwhile, up front, Steven Thompson and Derek Lilley’s priority seemed to be closing down Hibs build-up from the back, rather than looking for an opening themselves. Indeed, United’s first real effort at goal came two minutes before half-time when David Partridge moved up to shoot from 25 yards out, but Nick Colgan had it adequately covered.

Meanwhile, it was not surprising that John O’Neil looked Hibs’ liveliest player, having missed the derby and seen his replacement, Lyndon Andrews, distinguish himself.

A snap shot after four minutes had Alan Combe scrambling at his near post and again, just on the half hour, he stretched the goalkeeper with another effort from a similar position on the left after Ulrik Laursen found him in space.

The Dane himself had Hibs’ clearest opportunity to open the scoring in 31 minutes, but it fell to his wrong foot as he chopped at it. As Hibs upped the ante in the second half, it was Combe who defied them with a magnificent save from a point blank header off David Zitelli and then by flinging himself at Latapy’s feet.

It looked as Hibs were to be frustrated again until the explosive finale which casts a whole new light on their New Year as they remain secure in second place for the time being, a Christmas gift McLeish would have accepted at the start of the season.

The Teams:

Hibernian: Colgan, Lovell, G Smith, Fenwick, Laursen, Sauzee, Jack, J O’Neil, Latapy, Zitelli, Paatelainen.

Dundee Utd: Combe, McCunnie, Lauchlan, De Vos, Partridge, Easton, Miller, Griffin, Aljofree, Thompson, Lilley.

Tale from the Terracing - Fatty's View

Thank you Hibs fans - the chant's of 'Fatty, Fatty, Fatty, Fatty' were just wonderful - it's just a pity they were aimed at Charlie Miller of Dundee Utd.

As for the game, well we've definately played better and not picked up full points (the last match against Hearts is a case in point). However, this game will be remembered for the finish.

Already deep into injury time and Utd taking every possible opportunity to waste time and run out the clock, Jim Lauchlan of Dundee Utd went down injured on the edge of the Utd box. Utd goalkeeper Alan Combe then kicked the ball out to get attention for Lauchlan.

On the restart Matty Jack throws the ball to a Hibs player and Hibs play on and win a corner. The Utd defenders are furious - goalkeeper Combe in particular - but the referee is powerless to do anything as Hibs have not broken any rules.

The corner comes over and the ref then blows his whistle - full time?, a free kick to Utd?, no a PENALTY to Hibs. Why a penalty was awarded I'm not quite sure and I don't think many of the people at the game could believe it either.

Russell then steps up and scores from the spot, the ref blows for full time as Utd restart and the Utd players (understandably) go berserk at the ref. Goalkeeper Combe was sent off in the tunnel and a number of other Utd players were cautioned.

So Hibs got out of jail, but they must play better against Dundee on Tuesday or they will be punished.

Anyway have a good New Year, and 2000 will be remebered for two things - Hibs 6 Hearts 2 and the day the Hibs fans sang 'Fatty, Fatty, Fatty, Fatty'.

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