HERO AND ZERO
Cummings hits glory goal before seeing red
THE crazy world of Jason Cummings hit new heights last night — or should that be plumbed new depths? — as the striker emerged as both hero and villain for Hibs at Tannadice.
His thunderbolt shot six minutes from half-time ultimately saw Neil Lennon’s men take a commanding nine-point lead at the top of the Championship.
But with Dundee United having already been reduced to ten men following Lewis Toshney’s firsthalf dismissal, what on earth was going through Cummings’ head when he contrived to get himself sent off for two quickfire and ridiculous yellow cards?
First, he slammed the ball down in anger at an offside decision. Then he gave referee Don Robertson no choice but to send him off when, inexplicably, he threw himself at David Gray’s cross and punched the ball into the net.
A bizarre, if profitable, night for Hibs also saw Lennon sent to the stand in the 90th minute for arguing with the official as a bad-tempered affair ended in more tension for the visitors than it should have.
But this will surely be a pivotal moment in the title race on a night when Cummings became the first Hibs player to score 20 or more goals in three consecutive seasons since the great Joe Baker in the 1950s.
There had already been a frantic start to the match when Hibs left-back Lewis Stevenson was first to try his luck with a long-range effort which fizzed past Cammy Bell’s post. John McGinn then flashed a snap volley into the side netting.
United’s response saw Scott Fraser try to dance his way into the box. Rather than forge ahead, however, he appeared to dive in an attempt to win a free-kick, and became Robertson’s first booking of many.
United defender Mark Durnan was then caught out with a weak header back to Bell, which allowed Cummings to nip in and intercept. From an acute angle, the striker attempted a cheeky lob but Bell blocked the effort.
Ray McKinnon’s hosts were granted an excellent opportunity in the 25th minute when Robertson penalised Gray for a foul on the edge of the box but the Hibs skipper blocked Alex Nicholl’s effort.
The home side suffered a massive blow in 32 minutes when Toshney was sent off. The midfielder, already booked for a barge on Andrew Shinnie, was deemed guilty of a lunge on the same player.
Sensing the chance to go for the jugular, the visitors needed little incentive to make the extra man count and went ahead seven minutes later.
Shinnie was the creator with a defence-splitting pass which landed nicely in the path of Cummings.
He controlled the ball with his chest before smashing an unstoppable left-foot volley high past Bell from 14 yards.
Hibs were always going to be the dominant force after the break but they struggled to find the killer goal.
An aggressive game which saw 12 yellow cards was then typified by a wrestling match between United centre-back William Edjenguele and Hibs striker Grant Holt in a 58th-minute flareup for which both were booked.
Ofir Marciano remained a spectator in the away goal, while the hosts desperately sought some much-needed inspiration.
Hibs should have had their second goal in the 66th minute but Martin Boyle scooped over the bar from 12 yards out.
Shinnie then saw his net-bound shot blocked by Frank van der Struijk before Cummings’ two moments of madness gave struggling United a foothold.
Turning from hero to villain, his slamming down of the ball was bad enough after an offside call from Robertson. Then, despite his team being in a commanding position, he took complete leave of his senses and punched the ball into the net from Gray’s cross.
Cummings sheepishly trudged off the pitch and his manager followed late on after encroaching from his technical area once too often — but Hibs held on for a crucial three points to aid their title bid.