THE CHAMPIONSHIP
AFTER “Square-go-gate”, call this “All-square-gate”.
On a day Hibs could have taken a huge stride towards the Championship title, they stumbled again. Typically, they did so in controversial circumstances.
John McGinn’s first-half stunner gave the promotion chasers a deserved lead.
But Kallum Higginbotham equalised from the penalty spot after a handball award – described as “harsh” by Hibees gaffer Neil Lennon.
Lenny was visibly frustrated in the aftermath, throwing an item of clothing to the ground in his technical area.
Then he took to the field at full-time and appeared to brandish an imaginary trophy at Dunfermline fans he accused of giving him stick.
It was a fittingly crazy end to an absolutely bonkers week.
But Lennon reckoned it should have ended with a Hibs victory.
He said: “It should have been out of sight. It’s another step closer to the title but we are dragging it out. It’s frustrating, but we will keep going.
“Whether it was a penalty or not is debatable. Lewis was a yard away and maybe his arm is in an unnatural position, but it was harsh.”
On his trophy gesture to the home fans at full-time, he added: “They were giving me pelters so I was just laughing at them.”
The pre-kick-off loss of Paul Hanlon after a failed fitness test could have been characterised as a blow for Lennon’s side.
But the way Hibs exploded into life put paid to any such notion.
The Championship leaders claimed a deserved lead early – and it was an absolute stunner.
McGinn is deadly from long range. He has proved that on many occasions. He did it again here, collecting a desperate Dunfermline clearance 40 yards out before skipping past the sluggish Paul McMullan and firing a laser-guided 30-yarder into the bottom-left corner.
Dunfermline are not blessed with anyone anywhere nearly as talented as McGinn. But through sheer effort and discipline they began to trade blows with Hibs.
Early in the second-half, the Pars finally made their mark. Their equaliser came courtesy of Higginbotham’s penalty, awarded after a Michael Moffat shot appeared to hit Lewis Stevenson’s hand.
Hibs were incensed, and the game suddenly became hard-edged.
Amid the madness, Moffat almost grabbed a winner, but saw a pointblank effort stopped by Ofir Marciano.