An exasperated David Gray lamented “inconsistent” officiating after Hibernian were not awarded a stoppage-time penalty for shirt-tugging just minutes after Dundee United salvaged a 1-1 draw from a spot-kick given for the same offence.
Hibs looked to be on course to end a five-game run without a win as they led through Lewis Miller’s first-half header.
But for the fifth time in nine matches the embattled Edinburgh side let a lead slip in the closing stages as United levelled with a 90th-minute penalty from Sam Dalby after Mykola Kuharevich was shown a second yellow card for pulling the jersey of Emmanuel Adegoboyega as he tried to get on the end of a free-kick.
The decision was reached following a VAR review, with referee Colin Steven invited to go the monitor.
Despite being down to 10 men, Hibs thought they were about to be given the chance to go back in front in stoppage time when VAR checked for a penalty after United forward Dalby appeared to grab the shirt of Warren O’Hora, but this time Steven was not asked to go to the monitor.
“I think if the first one’s a penalty, the second one’s a penalty,” said Gray. “If I’m being really honest, I don’t think either of them are penalties. The thing that’s toughest to take here is the inconsistency.
“Clearly, you always run the risk when you grab a jersey, so I’d never condone it anyway. It’s stupid, it’s unprofessional, it’s lazy defending. But we were told that the player has to be able to effect the ball.
“I don’t think the player can effect the ball at all in the first one. The referee doesn’t give it, then he’s advised to go to the screen, so VAR intervenes. And then he doesn’t do it for the second one where O’Hora can actually head the ball.
“You can clearly see the centre-forward’s got his jersey, pulls it up over his back, and he doesn’t give the foul, so I’m a bit confused as to what is and what isn’t, and why he wasn’t asked even just to go over to the monitor.
“If you’re talking about consistency, he should have at least been asked to go and see it, purely on what he gave the first one for.”
Hibs remain bottom of the William Hill Premiership with no victories in their last six games, although they have now drawn their last three.
“I thought the players deserved to win,” said Gray. “They’d done enough to go and win the game.
“I didn’t feel that Dundee United were on top at all. I think it’s a decision that’s cost us the game, rather than an anxiousness around the place.”
United boss Jim Goodwin conceded Hibs were “the better team over the piece”. “They were very good, they came flying out of the traps, they had good control in the first half I felt,” he said.
“We haven’t played all that well and taken a point but I’m delighted with the character of the group. That’s numerous times we’ve come back. That’s the culture we’re trying to create in this squad.”
