Hibs Under-18s fight back from two goals down to earn draw against Dundee United

Connor Young ventures forward in a Hibs Under-18s attack at Gussie Park in the 2-2 draw with Dundee United Under-18s. Picture: Maurice Dougan

An Oscar MacIntyre header and a Connor Young penalty denied the hosts the points after goals in each half from Miller Thomson and Stuart Heenan set United on course for victory.

With Murray Aiken and Ethan Laidlaw with the first team, MacIntyre returned from injury to the left-wingback role with Josh McCulloch moving into midfield. Rudi Molotnikov was also handed a start by Gareth Evans.

Unlike the senior team Hibs started brightly just down the road from Dens Park, with Young and Molotnikov enjoying early sights of goal.

How the league table currently looks. Picture: rfcyouths

Young, who is now on nine goals in nine games, sent a 30-yard free kick narrowly over but United opened the scoring through Thomson.

Three Hibs players attacked the same ball and missed it, and Heenan on the overlap cut it back to Thomson, who finished past Murray Johnson at the near post on 34 minutes to give the Young Terrors a 1-0 lead at the break.

Hibs attempted to get back into the game in the second period, Jacob MacIntyre having two high and wide efforts from distance while Young continued to pose a threat.

Oscar MacIntyre then fired wide as Hibs continued to press for an equaliser but Heenan extended United’s lead with 22 minutes remaining. Following a long ball forward and a cross into the box Johnson pulled off a spectacular save from Lewis O’Donnell’s header but Heenan pounced on the rebound and slammed it into the roof of the net.

Evans introduced Freddie Wylie for Molotnikov with Robbie Hamilton pushed up front to support Young. Hamilton thought he’d scored with a header that looked to be over the line when Ruairidh Adams made the save but the referee wasn’t interested.

With ten minutes remaining, Hibs clawed their way back into the game. Young’s corner picked out Oscar MacIntyre and the wingback bulleted a powerful header past Adams to give Hibs hope as the clock ran down.

Young levelled the scoring from the penalty spot just minutes later, sending Adams the wrong way after the ‘keeper was perhaps harshly adjudged to have felled Hamilton in the area and although Hibs tried in vain for a winner, they had to be content with a point.

Hibs: Johnson, J MacIntyre, Blaney, Weir, Megwa, O MacIntyre, McCulloch, Hamilton, Zaid, Molotnikov, Young. Sub used: Wylie (for Molotnikov)