Another week, another late sickener for Hibs.

Seemingly on course for a badly-needed second Premiership win of the season thanks to Lewis Miller's first-half header, David Gray's side conceded a late penalty which Sam Dalby duly converted to ensure a share of the spoils in controversial fashion at Easter Road.

Mykola Kukharevych was sent off in the aftermath of the lengthy VAR check which preceded the spot-kick, having been adjudged to have committed the costly foul for a shirt tug. It was another bitter blow for Hibs, at the end of what had been their best Premiership performance of the season so far. A dominant first period should have yielded more goals, and that it didn't eventually brought consequences. The stark reality is that they have again lost an advantageous position in the closing stages, but this felt harsh on Gray's side, who had otherwise hardly put a foot wrong. The result, though, keeps them bottom of the pile.

Improved performance, similar result

Make no mistake, Hibs really needed a win here. League placings aren't decided in the first week of November, especially when you've two games in hand on the two teams above you, but just one win from 10 league outings prior to this has understandably formed a dark cloud over Easter Road. The issues were familiar, the soundbites that followed about 'being clinical' and 'just keeping it tight' even more so. There was truth in them, and even as the weeks swept past without a win it still felt uncontroversial to say that this group was definitely capable of far more than results had shown The first-half was by some distance the best they've shown so far in the league, the only fault in it being that Hibs did not score more goals. They played with intensity, moved the ball well, got into the final third, and found the net when they were on top. But, as we've found ourselves saying so many times, it ultimately counts for nothing if you can't find a way to put points on the board, no matter how strong the feelings of injustice around the penalty. You fear that the psychological impact of these late body blows eventually takes too great a toll on this team, to the extent it overtakes any potential shown in performances. 12 points dropped in the final 15 minutes of matches, and 11 from the 87th minute onwards, is a damning statistic, and days like this will keep happening, one way or another, until Hibs find a way to put a stop to it.

VAR controversy

At this point, there cannot be many remaining plotlines via which Hibs do not win a game of football. There hadn't been a VAR kick to the teeth so far this season, and it arrived here at the worst possible moment. After a few viewings it looks harsh on Hibs. Yes, Kukharevych has a slight pull at Emmanuel Adegboyega, but it's so minimal that you're then opening up a can of worms over any sort of contact in the box at set-pieces, at which there's always constant grappling. Referee Colin Steven spent an awful long time at the monitor before giving it, but should he really have been called to it in the first place? It certainly did not look like he'd make a clear and obvious error by failing to spot it in real-time. Additionally, it doesn't actually affect the run of play as both players are away from the ball. That being said, those closing minutes were the only period of the game in which United offered any sort of sustained threat, and you could feel the anxiety creeping into Hibs' game with the succession of crosses that came before it. Perhaps they sensed a repeat of Tannadice a few weeks back, and Dalby was ice-cool in converting the penalty. Its award, though, will spark intense debate.

Midfield tweak has potential

The last time we saw a midfield three of Nectar Triantis, Joe Newell, and Kwon Hyeok-kyu was in the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock back in September, and it was a combination that showed some promise. You'll remember that game being scrappy and, to be honest, a bit sore on the eye, so this was a chance for a trio that looks good on paper to shows its worth on a day when the ball was always likely to spend a lot less time in the air.

With Triantis at the base, Newell and Kwon pushed slightly further forward as two number eights. The sound of the Hibs bench bellowing Newell to play higher against Ross County in midweek could almost be heard back in Leith, and it was a tactic that did yield relative success in an otherwise middling performance. Here, Hibs were able to sustain attacks for much longer than we've otherwise seen in the league this season, with Kwon and Newell's more aggressive positioning helping Gray's side win the ball back in more advanced positions with Triantis behind them as security. The Australian also mopped up his fair share of second balls, and all three used the ball well throughout.

Gray had previously tried several different players in the number 10 role, with no one really making it their own. It had been Hoilett these last few weeks, but this game showed why he's more effective starting from the left. Assuming they all stay fit, this could be Hibs' most effective midfield option moving forward.

Miller's moment

The Easter Road crowd seems to have less patience for Lewis Miller than any other player at the moment, and he's certainly had a difficult weeks searching for form, so this goal should do him some real good. Drifting in at the back post, the right-back did brilliantly to divert Jordan Obita's pinpoint cross beyond Jack Walton. His celebration didn't quite match the raw emotion that erupted following his first Australia goal against China last month, but you could see it meant a lot to Miller.

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There's plenty for the 24-year-old to improve upon, but he's certainly effective if you can get him into the box - especially with the Obita's potent delivery arriving from the opposite flank. Miller could've had a hat-trick in the first-half, and that he was able to crash the box so often was owed to Hibs' improved effectiveness in sustaining attacks. Miller got into similar positions regularly during the League Cup group matches when Hibs were dominating possession and territory, but we haven't seen it so much in the Premiership - until today. Hibs playing the game higher up the pitch allows the likes of Miller to get into attacking positions more often, and it delivered a well-worked goal here.