Ross County 1-1 Hibs: match report and player ratings as late penalty sees visitors throw away points

Hibs had to settle for just a point from their trip to Ross County after Jordan Smith was the hero in the first half for saving a penalty then conceded one late on to allow the hosts to snatch a 1-1 draw.

The match survived a 9:45am pitch inspection and the pitch showed why with both goalmouth areas in particular looking more like a ploughed field than a playing surface.

The opening stages saw the visitors testing the County defence with some crosses from the wide channels that were comfortably dealt with before Jordan Smith was called into action for the first save of the game on 20 minutes when Jordan White snatched at shot from inside the box after Hibs failed to clear but the English keeper got down to make an easy enough save. He had to make a much bigger save just five minutes later though as a ball into the box was flicked on at the near post by James Brown and it might have crept into the far corner had Smith not got down to block it at the last minute.

The game was then halted and a VAR check seemingly caught everyone inside the stadium by surprise, referee David Dickinson instructed to go to the monitor and look at a potential handball and the decision was given, penalty to County. Jordan White stepped up in front of the travelling Hibs fan but his penalty was tame and Smith got down low to his left to save and hold.

That penalty save seemed to breathe a bit of life into the Hibees and they started moving the ball about with more pace and intent. They were more direct on the break too and created a good opportunity when Martin Boyle got 1 on 1 with centre back Akeel Wright and created space for a shot from the edge of the box but in the end it was well wide.

The noticeable shift up the gears was rewarded on the 41st minute with a goal from their first shot on target after good build up play saw Dwight Gayle back heel the ball to Dylan Levitt who beat Jordan Amissah with a composed finish from 18 yards. A deserved lead for the visitors who had looked far more dangerous in the 10 minutes after the penalty save but there was till time for one more big chance as the County defenders this time failed to clear another dangerous cross and it came to Nicky Cadden in space at the back post but he could only hit the side netting.

They started the second half at a similar pace and Josh Campbell had a half chance when he had space for a shot from 20 yards but fired well wide. Both keepers were spectators for the next 25 minutes as the tempo died down and neither side was causing the other much threat till Hibs hit the visitors on the break after shutting down a promising attack and moving it to Boyle at the top end whose driving shot from outside the box forced Amissah into a decent block.

Hibs looked like they were going to see this game out for a hard fought but ultimately deserved three points right up till the 84th minute but a simple through ball was well measured and Smith, the hero of the first half, came flying off his line and took out substitute Ronan Hale to see the hosts awarded a second spot kick. Hale himself stepped up the time and sent Smith the wrong way to level the scores.

In the end it’s a game Hibs should have won and will feel disappointed to be leaving with just a point.