THERE are still another nine games to play and 27 points up for grabs for both Hibernian and Falkirk in the Ladbrokes Championship this season.
But surely Hibs, even with their well-known propensity to foul things up just when glory seems assured, can't squander their chance to win the second tier title and promotion back to the top flight now.
This narrow 1-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice, a result achieved courtesy of a first-half Jason Cummings strike, sent them nine points ahead of their nearest rivals at the top of the table and 10 ahead of their opponents. It is a commanding position to be in entering the run-in.
Ray McKinnon’s side still has a game in hand. But their failure to trouble the league leaders to any significant degree at home last night suggested the play-offs will provide their best chance to securing a place back in the Premiership.
United certainly pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages following a moment of absolute madness by scorer Cummings – who deliberately handled the ball into the opposition net despite having earlier been cautioned – but they never looked like netting all evening.
Neil Lennon, the Hibs manager, was in a highly agitated state on the touchline all evening and was sent off by referee Don Robertson in the closing stages after protesting a little bit too volubly about one of his decisions. But he was a very contented man after a richly-deserved and important win.
Lennon wasn’t the only man in Dundee to meet with the match official’s disapproval. There were no fewer than 11 yellow and two red cards shown during the course of an often niggly 90 minutes.
Around a couple of dozen United supporters in the Eddie Thompson Stand staged a protest in the tenth minute and called for chairman Stephen Thompson to leave. They held up banners and chanted “we want Thompson out”.
But their sentiments were clearly not shared by all of their fellow supporters as they were jeered and whistled by many of those around them. Perhaps holding the demonstration in such an important fixture against the league leaders wasn’t the best idea.
United were dealt a huge blow in the 32nd minute when Lewis Toshney was ordered off for a second bookable offence. That the midfielder, who was returning to action after a month out with a hamstring injury, didn’t complain about his fate told its own story. His two challenges on Andrew Shinnie were poor and deserved to be punished.
Shinnie dusted himself down and had a hand in the opening goal seven minutes later. He linked well with Grant Holt before supplying Cummings as his team mate advanced into the box.
The striker controlled the ball with his chest before rifling a left foot volley into the roof of the net. It was the 21-year-old’s 20th goal of the 2016/17 campaign and was one of the best.
Leanne Dempster, the Hibs chief executive, warned supporters they faced being banned from Easter Road if they were caught using pyrotechnics at games earlier this week. But her words clearly fell on deaf ears.
A smoke cannister was launched out of The Shed after the visitors edged in front. After similar incidents in the cup wins over Hearts and Ayr this is clearly becoming something of a problem for the Scottish Cup holders.
Both Martin Boyle and Shinnie had chances to sew up the three points in the second half. The former snatched at a shot in front of goal in the 66th minute despite having time and the latter had his attempt blocked on the line by Mark Durnan.
Cummings looked as if he had secured the victory with his second goal in the 75th minute after turning a David Gray cross into the net. But Robertson correctly ruled the forward had handled it and sent him off for a second bookable offence.
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