As they did on Wednesday Hibernian left it late this afternoon but still claimed three valuable points with a deserved victory over St Mirren at Easter Road. And again John Hughes' men had got off to the worst possible start when Sol Bamba put through his own goal in the early stages, but back came Hibernian and Liam Miller levelled on 32 minutes before an own goal from Jack Ross proved to the winner deep into time added.

Hughes made just one change to the side that defeated Celtic with Paul Hanlon dropping out to make way for the returning Sol Bamba. That meant there was no placing in the side for mid-week goal hero Daniel Galbraith, the youngster taking his place amongst the substitutes. Two of last weekend's goal heroes, Colin Nish and Anthony Stokes, got the game underway as Hibernian made a bright start to the match by winning a corner kick into the opening minute. Riordan's delivery from the set piece was to the front post and although Hogg made his presence felt, it was ultimately cleared by St Mirren.

The ball however was only knocked as far as Murray on the left and his cross back into the danger area was flicked on by Nish to Bamba - the big defender's header however lacked power and was comfortably held by Gallacher. St Mirren themselves won an early corner kick and they came close to making the breakthrough when Mehmet powerfully headed towards the far post only to be kept out by a great save from Smith who got down low to his left. Potter was fortunate to escape a yellow card when he clearly held back Stokes from racing through on goal, but referee Collum was content only to award the free kick to the Hibernian striker and not to take any action against the defender.

Easter Road was shocked on 8 minutes when St Mirren took the lead with Hibernian only having themselves to blame. Rankin first gave away possession cheaply in the midfield and when Robb played the ball between Smith and his defence, Sol Bamba, while attempting to cut the cross out, unfortunately succeeded only in diverted the ball into his own net. Not long after the restart Hibernian had a real let off when St Mirren should have doubled their lead. A deep cross was headed down by Higdon for Mehmet - with only the goalkeeper to beat the St Mirren striker fired inches wide of goal. The home side was given a shooting opportunity of their own when Stokes was taken down by Mair on the edge of the St Mirren penalty area, but the striker's free kick was straight into the defensive wall.

On 25 minutes Hibernian were incredibly unlucky not to level when a near post corner kick from Rankin caused an almighty stramash inside the visitor's six-yard box, with Stokes, Bamba and Hogg all connecting with the ball but unable to push it over the line. Then a good cross from Rankin on the right was headed behind by Nish as Hibernian pushed hard for an equaliser, but they were being repelled well by a resolute St Mirren defence led by Captain Potter. At the other end Mehmet and Higdon were proving a real handful for Hogg and Bamba with the Hibernian defensive partnership facing a real physical battle. Hibernian did deservedly pull level on 32 minutes when Rankin's looping cross was flicked by Nish into the path of Liam Miller and the midfielder coolly slotted the ball into the far corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

As half time approached Nish had a shot on the turn that was just over the top of Gallacher's goal before St Mirren won a corner kick at the other end after Higdon and Mehmet once more caused problems. A fantastic piece of skill from Wotherspoon saw him get beyond Barron on the right and his near post cross found Nish, who despite beating Gallacher, struck the woodwork with his rebound going just wide. That was the final piece of action in a frustrating first half for Hibernian. John Hughes will not have been pleased with the way his side capitulated at the opening goal but he will have been delighted with the fighting spirit shown by his men to get back on level terms.

Half Time: Hibernian 1 St Mirren 1

Neither manager made any changes during the interval and St Mirren got the action underway once more. Hibernian had the opening chance of the second period when Wotherspoon slipped the ball down the right to Stokes and he in turn gave it to Nish, but the striker's first time effort through a raft of bodies was over the top of Gallacher's goal.

St Mirren were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Hibernian penalty area on 53 minutes when Higdon was upended by Murray - the defender taking a knock in the process and required a fair bit of treatment. Robb took the free kick and his dipping, curling effort was just over the crossbar. A swift counter-attack from Hibernian almost carved out a goal when Nish slipped in Rankin, but the midfielder was always stretching to get there and his effort was straight at Gallacher. St Mirren made their first change on 58 minutes when Robb was replaced by Dorman.

Nish then headed wide at the end of a move that he started, the striker having won possession from Mehmet before Miller slipped the ball to McBride and then out to Stokes. The striker picked out Nish who had continued his run but his powerful header was just wide of goal. The visitors were making life difficult for Hibernian as the half wore on by defending in numbers and constantly harrying their opponents when in possession. St Mirren were getting as many black shirts as they could behind the ball whenever Hibernian broke forward but the Easter Road men did have a chance on 68 minutes when Stokes' deep cross was headed across goal by Murray and Mair had to hook the ball clear before Riordan could turn it into the net.

Hibernian were now putting St Mirren under a tremendous amount of pressure and Gallacher had to be at his best to keep out a stinging volley by Miller, the goalkeeper throwing himself down to his left to push the rasping shot around this post. On 74 minutes John Hughes made a change when he brought on Benjelloun for Stokes before St Mirren too made a substitution when Higdon was replaced by Loy. A corner from Rankin then caused panic in the St Mirren defence when it landed at the feet of Nish but the striker was unable to find his way past a sea of black shirts and the ball was somehow diverted wide for another corner kick. The home side continued to push hard for a winning goal and when Benjelloun put Riordan through in 82 minutes it looked as though there hard work would pay off - only for the striker to take a poor first touch that a allowed Mair to clock.

Time was fast running out for Hibernian who again went close when Nish headed Benjelloun's cross from the left wide of goal. The Hibernian onslaught was relentless at times, however the St Mirren defence were suborn in their approach, throwing anything and everything they could at the ball to keep the home side out. St Mirren could have snatched a dramatic late winner when a Dorman lob from the left cleared Smith but finished just wide of the post in the first of three additional minutes,

Hibernian have a habit of grabbing late goals these days - and today was no different as John Hughes men finally broke through the Buddies rear guard. Benjelloun spotted Ian Murray making a run into the penalty area on the left and slipped the ball to him, the full back clipped in a delightful ball that Ross could do little with other than turn it into his own net. It was another dramatic added-time winner for Hibernian with their persistence finally being rewarded, this Hibernian side again had to grind this result out - but they worked hard and got their just reward.

Hibernian: Smith, Hogg, Murray, Bamba, Wotherspoon, Miller, Rankin, McBride, Stokes, Riordan, Nish. Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Cregg, McCormack, Stevenson, Hanlon, Galbraith, Benjelloun.

St Mirren: Gallacher, Ross, Mair, Potter, Murray, Mehmet, Thomson, Higdon, Brady, Robb, Barron. Subs: Howard, Dorman, O'Donnell, Dargo, Loy, Burns, McLennan.

Report: Richard Payne