Anger, relief, devastation, elation. Tuesday evening at Easter Road was defined by emotions.

It began with banners and chants aimed in no uncertain terms towards the directors' box, and ended with the moment of the season so far. Neither of those will cancel out the other in the eyes of a long-suffering support, but it's funny how football works. At the centre of it all, again, was David Gray. The Hibs head coach is not an easy man to read; he is stoic and gives little away in public. But Monday's pre-match press conference was the first time there was a hint of, not quite despair, but weariness about him.

Gray the professional insisted after last night's game that the only thing on his mind after Aberdeen took the lead in the 96th minute was urging his team to throw caution to the wind. But he's not a robot, and the potential ramifications of that goal could not have failed to cross his mind. After all, when that Hampden header hit the back of the Rangers net eight years ago, I'm not convinced Gray's first thought would have been about keeping things tight for the next few minutes. If there was finally despair in his eyes, it would have been fleeting.

Hibs have developed a habit of bringing outlandish scenarios into reality at the moment, but this time the far-fetched finale fell in their favour. If Gray hides his feelings well, then Rocky Bushiri is his polar opposite. The big centre-back is as heart-on-sleeve as they come, and it's fitting that his first Hibs goal would be of the emotionally-charged variety. You could see how much it meant to him, and to every single one of his team-mates.

Vindication has been in short supply for Gray in his brief tenure. But last night he could hold forth the evidence for his repeated insistence that this team have not thrown in the towel on him. He's said it, the players have said, but fans only really believe it when it's unfolding in front of their eyes. At last, a glimmer of hope that this team may just be ready for a battle after all. Make no mistake, they are currently in the thick of one. 

It would be unfair to make it all about spirit when there were some impressive performers in Hibs jerseys. Elie Youan walked away with the man of the match award after sending a timely reminder of how threatening he can be. Nicky Cadden's equalising free-kick was of the highest quality. Bushiri, before his goal, marshalled Kevin Nisbet so well he was hauled off at half-time. This was a much-improved performance that made the league's second-best side look ordinary for long spells.

It would, however, be premature to call it a turning point. That only comes with victories. Hibs will know that despite the euphoria of Bushiri's leveller, they were once again mere seconds from throwing all their good work down the drain in the final seconds. Sheer force of will got in the way this time, but the real challenge is to stop putting themselves in these positions in the first place.

Miraculous escapes like last night won't happen very often.

Sometimes the old cliches ring true - that's why they've been around for so long - but Tuesday must act as a springboard for better things. It cannot be allowed to simply fizzle out into nothing. With that in mind, Saturday at Fir Park takes on even greater significance. Momentum has eluded Hibs 14 games into a dreary campaign, but this is a significant opportunity to change that pattern.

Motherwell came to Easter Road and took three points very recently in a game, like so many of late, where Hibs felt they should have take more. Lose, and it'll be as if Rocky's 96th-minute heroics never happened. Harsh, yes, but that's where Hibs find themselves.

At some point prior to this morning, probably in the wee hours, it might just have occurred to Gray that he will once more have some difficult choices to make for it. He had no option but to drop Josef Bursik last night. None at all. The on-loan Club Brugge goalkeeper needed removing from the firing line, his confidence clearly in the gutter. It's been one error too many from Bursik, and it opened the door for Jordan Smith to make a first league appearance anywhere for over three years.

Smith, at least, can point to ring rust for his shakiness, but regardless of who was wearing the gloves, the bottom line is Hibs could not rely on their goalkeeper, again. Does Gray persist with Smith in the hope he can play his way into form? Or does Bursik come straight back into the fold? The former feels more likely, as it's unfair to write Smith off completely given how little football he has played in the last few seasons.

Read more:

Hibs need more from him, though. They need more from everyone, still. At least, now, though, they've given themselves something to cling to - a fight and desire. It's the very minimum paying supporters expect, and failures are much more forgivable when it's evident. That's not to say Hibs have given themselves much leeway by getting a draw, however hard-earned it was. 

The pressure is still very much on. Last night, though, at least for a while, people at Easter Road had fun watching Hibs. And they weren't sitting in the away end.