Hibernian defender Rocky Bushiri scored his fourth goal of the season to salvage a point in a 1-1 home draw with St Mirren in the William Hill Premiership.
The Buddies went ahead through a goal from their own centre-back Miguel Freckleton just after the hour.
But 25-year-old DR Congo international Bushiri – who had never scored a senior goal until last November – popped up to net from close range in the 70th minute as the visitors had to settle for a third consecutive league draw.
The result left Hibs third and Saints 10th in the fledgling Premiership although the two sides are separated by just two points in a congested section of the table.
Easter Road boss David Gray made five changes after his side’s valiant effort in their agonising Conference League defeat by Legia Warsaw in Poland on Thursday, with Miguel Chaiwa and Thibault Klidje given their first league starts for the club.
Saints manager Stephen Robinson sent out the same XI that started the 1-1 draw at home to Rangers a week earlier.
Following a minute’s applause in memory of the late former Hibs chairman Rod Petrie, the visitors threatened early on when Jonah Ayunga got in behind the home defence but his low angled shot across goal was tipped behind by Jordan Smith
At the other end, Junior Hoilett fired against the bar in the sixth minute after Martin Boyle’s cutback found him eight yards out.
Boyle then had a low angled shot blocked by Shamal George from just outside the six-yard box before Nicky Cadden’s inswinging cross from the right just eluded Boyle and Bushiri at the back post.
Saints forward Ayunga fizzed an effort just over from the edge of the box, and the visitors were then forced into a 26th-minute change when Killian Phillips went off to be replaced by Richard King.
The visitors started the second half well, with Ayunga seeing a close-range effort deflected behind. And they made the breakthrough in the 61st minute when Freckleton beat the offside trap to ghost in unmarked and bundle Declan John’s free-kick beyond Smith from six yards out.
Gray responded immediately by sending Kieron Bowie, Josh Mulligan and Jamie McGrath on for Hoilett, Chris Cadden and Boyle.
The equaliser came in the 70th minute when Klidje glanced McGrath’s corner towards goal and Bushiri darted in at the back post to make sure it crossed the line.
Jayden Richardson almost edged Saints back in front 10 minutes later but his lob over Smith was cleared off the line by Grant Hanley, while Hibs were aggrieved not to be awarded a stoppage-time penalty when Richardson appeared to block a Klidje effort with a raised arm.
