Gent score the winnerSNS

At a glance

  • Hibs concede twice in last six minutes to miss out on league phase

  • Gent led on night after goalless draw in first leg

  • But Kerr and Passlack hit back before late collapse

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

Hibernian endured Conference League play-off heartbreak for a second successive year as Miguel Chaiwa's 91st-minute own goal gave KAA Gent victory to conclude a miserable night at the end of a depressing week for Scottish football.

With six minutes to go, Hibs were heading for victory and a place in the league phase for the first time ever.

David Gray's side had turned the tie around in the second half in Leith with a pair of excellent goals by Jason Kerr and Felix Passlack, after Josue Vergara's first-half effort had the Belgian visitors 1-0 in front on the night and on aggregate.

But a complete capitulation - not for the first time this week by a Scottish team, or for Hibs in recent years - saw Easter Road flip from joyous bedlam to sorrow in a matter of a few minutes.

Extra time looked the most likely outcome in this entertaining game - which Hibs utterly dominated for 30 minutes of the second half - after English defender Christian Burgess headed the visitors level from a corner in the 84th minute.

A needless one for Gray's side to give away, they were searching for a winner when Gent hit them on the counter in stoppage time.

Chaiwa - whose miserable night was compounded with a second yellow card in the 93rd-minute - was unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net when team-mate Kanayo Megwa allowed the ball to come across the face of goal.

It silenced the supporters who earlier were on their feet when boyhood fan Kerr levelled with a thumping header - minutes after Martin Boyle had his goal disallowed for handball - and the superb Passlack flashed Hibs in-front off a post.

At that point, fans were dreaming and digging out their passports for a first group campaign. Instead, they'll be shaking their heads again at another Hibs collapse.

Analysis: From scenes to scars in six minutes

Six minutes from scribbling their names in the history books, these Hibs players instead join a unwanted list of many players who have suffered, and badly, in the green and white.

It was all going so well. A sensational second-half performance had them on the brink of one of the best nights this club has seen in modern times. They were relentless in their pursuit of turning the tie in their favour for the first time.

Jamie McGrath and Martin Boyle were tremendous. The former set up Kerr, while the latter deserved a goal for his spearheading performance.

His substitution would have initially sent shivers down supporters spines, but any such concerns were forgotten of one minute later when Passlack had them jumping and hugging each other.

From that moment, it was a game of management. Fifteen minutes or so of control required, no chaos. Clearly, so much easier said than done.

It was a corner they never should have conceded. It was a counter attack that should never have been so easily executed. Small moments, fine margins, huge ramifications.

In the first-half, Nathan Lowe inexplicably blasted into the stands after bearing down on goal. That was after Gent had a goal of their own disallowed in the opening minutes for a foul on goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger.

Hibs have been here before, though. They've put their supporters through the wringer more times than they care to admit.

Gray called for history, a special night. Even when that – their dream – was unfolding, though, there was an air of inevitability about what was on the precipice.

This lot know pain like few others. But there seems to be something particularly scarring about this defeat.

What they said

'Hibs players gave everything' - Gray

Hibernian head coach David Gray: "It's really mixed emotions right now. Clearly disappointed and gutted for the players for what they put into the game.

"There's nothing I'm going to say after the game that will make the players feel better.

"First half, we were a wee bit passive, needed to be a wee bit more aggressive. Second half, I told them them to make sure they gave everything and have no regrets when they came off. Every player gave me that.

"You don't always get what you deserve in football and, unfortunately, it came down to two huge moments in the last five minutes of the game in both boxes - and we were on the wrong side of both."

What's next?

Hibs must rouse themselves to visit Dundee on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership (15:00 BST).

Player of the match

K. Wilson
6.33
6 J. Kerr
5.22
10 M. Boyle
5.19
25 F. Passlack
5.18
9 N. Lowe
5.13
17 J. McGrath
4.65
5 W. O'Hora
4.53
3 A. Mayor
4.41
21 J. Obita
4.27
27 K. Megwa
4.19
8 J. Mulligan
4.12
22 A. Šuto
4.12
1 R. Sallinger
4.06
14 M. Chaiwa
4.00
23 C. Wright
4.00
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