Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin described the manner of the late collapse against Hibernian as “embarrassing”.
United rallied following Martin Boyle’s first-half opener for the hosts to lead after the interval through two goals from Ross Graham and substitute Max Watters, but the Leith side staged a dramatic comeback to score twice in four minutes.
Elie Youan tapped in the equaliser in the 89th minute before substitute Ante Suto marked a dream debut by heading home the winner to make it 3-2 in stoppage time.
The result leaves United facing an uphill battle in their bid to finish in the William Hill Premiership’s top six, with 11 points to make up on Falkirk.
And Goodwin struggled to contain his frustration when summing up his team’s display.
He said: “It’s very hard to analyse the game other than to talk about the embarrassment and the anger that I feel at this moment in time for the way that my team capitulated in the dying moments to give Hibs the three points.
“I don’t think anybody wants to hear me talking about the performance.
“Arguably it’s probably the best we’ve played for six or seven weeks but that’s irrelevant because we’ve dropped points yet again from a winning position.
“That’s what’s cost us in the league and that’s why we find ourselves in the position that we’re in.
“Defensively we’ve not been good enough. It’s impossible for the need to score two or three goals every week to win games of football.
“Sometimes you have to grind out results and win ugly and a 1-0 horrible win from time to time is a good result.
“It’s embarrassing, that’s what it is. It’s embarrassing.
“The backline that’s there, the defenders, the goalkeeper, somebody needs to take responsibility in those moments.
“That’s what good defenders do, they put their bodies on the line, they make sure that it’s them getting first contact on the header, someone willing to take responsibility in those situations.
“The first shot on target that Hibs have had ends up in the back of our necks.
“I think they’ve had three shots on target over the course of the game and all three of them have ended up in the back of our net. Defensively pathetic at times.”
Hibernian head coach David Gray was thrilled by the impact Suto and his January newcomers made.
Gray, who also handed full debuts to Munashe Garananga, Felix Passlack and Dane Scarlett, said: “Strikers want to score goals and there’s no better feeling than doing that.
“A perfect debut in terms of coming on and impacting the game and scoring the winner.
“So on a personal note for him, he’ll be really pleased with that. I’m obviously delighted with everyone.
“All the new players that came in, such a quick way of throwing into that situation.
“We’ll benefit from more time we get on the grass with them and that’s what I’m looking forward to this week.
“The pleasing thing is we found a way to win the game when we weren’t at our best and I know there’s a lot more to come.”
