Dundee Utd 1 Hibernian 2

Last updated : 26 April 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Hibs stole the points against Dundee United following the most appalling mix-up in the final minute between Jim Lauchlan and Paul Gallacher.

With United seemingly on top and seeking the winner, the defender appeared to pass the ball through his keeper’s legs and give Ian Murray the gift of tapping the ball into the net.

Manager Ian McCall would have been absolutely furious to have seen his team waste so many chances in their battle against the drop and to lose in such ridiculous circumstances.

The visitors seemed to start making better use of a pitch which was in a disgraceful state for modern football as they hit the woodwork twice in the space of a minute.

Firstly from a corner Janos Matyus cracked the underside of the bar with a shot from only two yards.

The Tangerines desperately tried to clear the ball away but it was swung back into the path of Tom McManus who, with only the keeper to beat, drilled the ball off the outside of the post.

After their slow start, United came more into the game and it came as no surprise that the Terrors took the lead in the 32nd minute.

An arrowed corner from Russell Latapy was headed firstly by Derek Lilley then by Jim McIntyre down into the path of David McCracken and the centre-half smashed in a 12-yard volley off the post.

This gave United heart and Jamie Paterson’s knee almost doubled their lead five minutes later. From a curling Mark Wilson cross, the ball broke too high for the midfielder with his effort just whisking past the post.

Three minutes into the second period, the midfielder had an even better opportunity with a knockdown from Andrew Tod.

Somehow he contrived to dig the ball over the bar from four yards out with the goal at his mercy. And again three minutes later Paterson had another chance shooting just wide from ten yards.

Against the run of play in the 57th minute, McManus went to ground and a penalty was controversially awarded. The striker got up to send Gallacher the wrong way from the spot kick and then received a yellow card for imitating a lap dancer - a reference to the press allegations earlier in the week.

And then to that late disaster.