Hibernian moved off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership with a 1-1 draw at St Mirren, earning Marink Reedijk his first point as manager while leaving him waiting for a first victory. A late breakthrough offered the visitors an opportunity to turn an encouraging performance into three points, but their advantage disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived.
Marko Ivezic put Hibs ahead in the 78th minute before Jason Kerr’s own goal restored equality five minutes later. Raphael Sallinger then made an important late save to prevent an evening of modest progress from ending in another defeat.
For Reedijk, the result carried two meanings. His opening sequence of three league losses had ended, and Hibernian had improved their position. Yet surrendering a lead so close to the finish ensured relief came with frustration.
A Difficult Starting Point for Reedijk
Hibs arrived in Paisley needing something tangible from their new manager’s work. Defeats against Falkirk, Dundee United and Celtic had left them bottom with seven points from ten league matches.
That position made every opportunity to collect points significant. Performances could offer encouragement, but the table required results, particularly after a run that had provided little reward.
Reedijk retained most of the team selected against Celtic, making one starting change. Nicky Cadden replaced Thibault Klidje, receiving his first start of the season and an opportunity to influence the attack.
The decision suggested continuity rather than extensive reconstruction. Keeping ten starters gave familiar combinations another chance to develop, although selection alone could not guarantee a sharper performance.
Hibs needed to combine competitive energy with better execution. Their evening would eventually demonstrate both the value of persistence and the cost of failing to turn promising situations into sufficient chances.
A First Half Short on Fluency
St Mirren also made one change, introducing Chris Mochrie for Ismeal Kabia. Mochrie became involved early, delivering a cross from the left that offered Luke Thomas a possible opening, only for Thomas to slip before shooting.
It was an early indication that promising positions would not necessarily produce clear attempts. Neither team established the attacking rhythm required to make the first half consistently threatening.
Mochrie was booked for fouling Kerr, with Josh Mulligan subsequently receiving a yellow card. The interval arrived without a goal and with limited evidence that either attack had found a reliable route through.
For Hibs, staying level preserved the opportunity to build on their work. For St Mirren, defensive resistance had prevented the visitors from establishing an advantage.
The tactical challenge was straightforward to identify, even if difficult to solve: possession needed to produce movement that unsettled defenders, followed by a pass or finish accurate enough to exploit the resulting space.
Newell Sees an Opening After the Restart
The second half offered Hibernian an early opportunity when Jacob Chapman’s loose clearance reached Joe Newell outside the penalty area.
Newell attempted to punish the goalkeeper immediately, striking first time from distance. His effort travelled narrowly wide, allowing St Mirren to escape an uncomfortable situation.
The chance highlighted the importance of recognising opportunities before a defence resets. A goalkeeper caught away from an ideal position can be vulnerable, but a quick attempt still requires considerable accuracy.
Newell’s decision was understandable; the execution fell just short.
Such incidents can become disproportionately important in a match containing few clear openings. A goal at that stage would have given Hibs considerably longer to manage their advantage, while forcing St Mirren to reconsider their approach.
Instead, the score remained unchanged. Hibernian had identified a moment of vulnerability without converting it into the breakthrough their position demanded.
Elding Cannot Supply the Finishing Touch
Owen Elding also threatened as Hibs searched for greater attacking effectiveness. Henry Fieldson intervened to divert his header over the crossbar, preventing a dangerous attempt from reaching its intended destination.
Alex Gogic was later booked for bringing Elding down, another indication of the difficulties the forward could create.
However, Elding could not capitalise when a cleared corner reached him near the edge of the penalty area. His shot went over, leaving Hibernian still searching for their opening goal.
These moments illustrated a distinction that matters when evaluating attacking performances. Reaching useful positions is encouraging, but the final action determines whether that work changes the scoreboard.
Hibs were finding situations from which they could threaten. They were not yet completing them effectively enough.
That does not establish a permanent weakness or predict future results. It does explain why their efforts in Paisley had produced so little reward before the closing stages.
Ivezic Finally Converts the Pressure
The breakthrough came from a corner rather than a flowing move through open play. Cadden delivered from the left, St Mirren failed to clear decisively, and Ivezic forced the loose ball home.
With only 12 minutes of normal time remaining, Hibernian suddenly had a valuable lead.
Cadden’s involvement rewarded his inclusion, while Ivezic supplied the alertness needed inside a crowded penalty area. The finish depended on reacting to an unsettled situation rather than waiting for a clean opportunity.
For a team struggling for results, the appearance of a goal matters less than its practical effect. Hibs had something to protect and a realistic opportunity to claim their first victory under Reedijk.
Yet scoring also changed their responsibilities. Continuing to compete for possession remained important, but defensive concentration now carried immediate consequences. St Mirren needed only one successful response to remove the advantage.
St Mirren Respond Through Their Substitutes
The hosts reacted with greater urgency. Jake Young and Samuel Ramos, introduced for Eseosa Sule and Mochrie respectively, became involved in an opportunity that could have produced a swift equaliser.
Young created space on the left and sent a low ball across goal. Ramos reached the opportunity but could not convert from close range.
For Hibernian, that escape was a warning. Their lead had not removed St Mirren’s ability to threaten, and the home side were finding more dangerous positions.
Substitutions can alter a contest through fresh movement and different decisions, but their effectiveness still depends on execution. Here, the combination created the opening without delivering the finish.
The miss also demonstrated how quickly the match had changed. A contest that had struggled to generate clear chances was becoming increasingly urgent, with Hibs defending a narrow advantage and St Mirren committing more purposefully to their response.
Kerr’s Own Goal Restores Equality
St Mirren equalised in the 83rd minute following another corner. Killian Phillips supplied the delivery, Paul Nsio helped force the ball towards goal, and the decisive touch was recorded as a Kerr own goal.
The official attribution matters. Nsio played an important part in the sequence, but the equaliser belonged on the scoresheet as an own goal.
For Hibernian, the setback was painful because so little time had passed since their breakthrough. Their opportunity to close out the match had become another test of resilience.
Both goals also underlined the importance of defending beyond the initial delivery. Corners can remain dangerous after the first contact, particularly when the ball falls into congested areas.
That is a general tactical lesson rather than a complete explanation of individual responsibility. Assessing exactly what went wrong would require examining positioning, communication and each player’s available options.
Sallinger Protects the Point
St Mirren continued searching for a winner after drawing level. Phillips delivered another dangerous ball, this time finding Calvin Ramsay, whose attempt went over.
Young subsequently forced Sallinger into an important save, ensuring Hibernian preserved their share of the points.
That intervention gave the goalkeeper a decisive role in the result. Hibs had been close to winning, but they also needed protection against losing.
For the hosts, the late opportunities offered grounds for frustration despite their recovery. Their response had generated enough danger to threaten more than an equaliser.
The closing sequence therefore complicated any simple verdict. Hibernian could regret surrendering the lead, while St Mirren could regret failing to complete their comeback.
Neither perspective cancels the other. The final score reflected an evening when both teams had opportunities to improve their outcome and neither supplied the last successful finish.
Progress That Still Requires More
Reedijk regarded the performance as deserving of victory, highlighting his players’ commitment, intensity and willingness to recover possession higher up the pitch. St Mirren manager Craig McLeish was more satisfied with the point than his team’s overall attacking display, while welcoming their response to conceding.
Those assessments reveal different priorities. Hibernian wanted their work rewarded with a first win under their new manager. St Mirren needed a way to compete effectively on an evening when their football lacked fluency.
For Hibs, moving off the bottom was a concrete improvement. Treating it as proof of a lasting recovery, however, would go beyond the available evidence.
The next step is to repeat the competitive elements while improving chance conversion and protecting narrow leads. A single draw cannot resolve those demands.
Paisley gave Reedijk his first foothold. It also showed how much remains between stopping a losing run and building a winning one.
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