By Sean Saranczuk
April 27 2003

An injury time defensive clanger between Dundee United substitute Jim Lauchlan and goalkeeper Paul Gallacher gifted Hibs all three points in a 2-1 win at Tannadice. An injury time defensive clanger between Dundee United substitute Jim Lauchlan and goalkeeper Paul Gallacher gifted Hibs all three points in a 2-1 win at Tannadice.

With the game petering out for a draw, Lauchlan collided with Gallacher with no trouble looming and Hibs midfielder Ian Murray was left with a tap-in from a yard out.

The visitors had struck the woodwork twice in an entertaining first 45 minutes before David McCracken went up for a corner in the 32nd minute and was handily placed to shoot home from close range.

But McCracken turned sinner after the break when he conceded a 57th-minute penalty with a foul on Tom McManus which the Hibs striker slotted away before Lauchlan and Gallacher combined for the late gift to the Easter Road men.

Hibs began the game with a surge of inspiration and in the sixth minute they carved out the first chance of the game when wing-back Gary Smith swung a high cross from the right over to the back post where Janos Matyus headed back across goal.

Hibs' in-form striker McManus was unmarked only six yards out but somehow the Scotland Under-21 star mis-hit his shot over the crossbar.

The Edinburgh side were still the more impressive and their reward nearly came in the 16th minute when McManus drove a low free-kick in from the left and when Derek Lilley mis-kicked his clearance, Matyus crashed a close-range shot off the crossbar.

The confident visitors kept up the pressure and moments later McManus struck the post from a tight angle after a goalmouth scramble.

In the 21st minute United midfielder Charlie Miller made his first real impact on the game when his 25-yard shot was well saved at the expense of a corner by Hibs goalkeeper Nick Colgan.

As the first half wore on the game was evenly balanced but it seemed a goal was imminent and there was no surprise in the 32nd minute when the home side took the lead.

A Russell Latapy corner from the right reached Jim McIntyre at the back post and when the United striker headed down McCracken was on hand to hammer an unstoppable shot past Colgan from eight yards out but it all turned sour for United after the break.