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 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.

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
27 K. Megwa
4.33
22 A. Šuto
4.31
21 J. Obita
4.27
8 J. Mulligan
4.12
23 C. Wright
4.07
1 R. Sallinger
4.06
14 M. Chaiwa
4.00
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