Andy Halliday admits two aspects of Hibs offside goal vs St Mirren absolutely baffled him

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Andy Halliday can’t believe that Hibs players celebrated the goal that was eventually chalked off for offside at the weekend against St Mirren.

And the former Hearts midfielder also questioned why the linesman did not raise his flag immediately and thus preventing the call going to VAR.

The incident happened in the 95th minute of stoppage time with Hibs 2-1 down and chasing a dramatic equaliser.

St Mirren were deservedly 2-0 up at half-time thanks to a Conor McMenamin brace but the home side managed to halve the deficit via Nicky Cadden’s late penalty.

Almost immediately after the restart, Cadden then blasted an effort goalwards which deflected off striker Dwight Gayle and into the net.

Easter Road erupted with relief but Gayle was stood well offside and eventually, after an unnecessarily lengthy VAR check, the goal was rightly disallowed.

• READ MORE: 11 Hibs players that could leave in January including Elie Youan and Martin Boyle

Flabbergasted Halliday on Hibs offside goal

But Halliday cannot fathom why it even went to VAR in the first place and called out the linesman who didn’t raise his flag.

The Motherwell man then claimed the Hibs players ‘had a cheek to celebrate’ and suggested they all would have known the goal would be ruled out.

Speaking on the latest Open Goal podcast, Halliday said: “Mate, see that offside goal, how has the linesman not given offside straight away there? How has that went to VAR? He is eight yards offside!

“But also, the players have a cheek to celebrate because surely they know? They may as well just all turned back because they know that’s offside, it’s blasted off the boy from six yards out. He’s miles offside.”

Where Hibs find themselves after St Mirren loss

The last thing under-fire boss David Gray needed was to see a dramatic equaliser, after being 2-0 down, chalked off five minutes into stoppage time.

Gray has won just one Premiership game as Hibs boss and as a result, the Leith outfit are rock bottom of the league.

The Easter Road legend has been given the full backing of the board however, and will get the international break to figure out how to stop the rut.

For the rest of November, Hibs face Dundee, Aberdeen and Motherwell – all of which very tough games that will likely test the board’s position on Gray further.