Hibs advanced to the FA Trophy quarter finals today after struggling past St Andrews at the Hibs ground.
McManus spared Hibernians’ blushes as his late goal earned Mark Miller’s side a hard-fought win over spirited St Andrews.
There is now substance to the Hibernians’ recovery as they have back-to-back wins for the first time this season but the Paolities exhibited all the all the old failings of recent times.
Some incisive attacking play by the first division side repeatedly exposed Hibs’ makeshift central defensive pairing of Jonathan Pearson and Adrian Pulis as Mark Miller’s choices were limited in defence with the departing Zoran Levniac and Matt Clare not available for this match.
St Andrews paraded their latest signing from Senglea Athletic, Morgan Onuorah. The Nigerian, who was deployed as a lone striker, cut a lonely figure up front starved of any decent service from his team-mates.
Hibs went ahead after 29 minutes thanks to Andrew Cohen. The nippy striker picked up the ball 25 metres from and crashed his way past two defenders before unleashing a fierce effort from an angle just outside the box that found the top of St. Andrews net.
The Paolities’ joy was short-lived though as St Andrews fought back and were level a minute later. The Hibs skipper Mario Muscat parried Nicky Vella Petroni’s effort into the path of Faisal Anakua who side-footed into the empty net.
Mark Miller’s men regrouped and re-asserted some control on the match, with Herrera continuing to pull the strings for them.
On 53 minutes, the Hibernians’ fans sprang to their feet when Mark Gauci flashed in to meet Herrera’s goal but his angled drive flew across the face of goal.
The ‘home’ side’s growing territorial dominance finally told 14 minutes from time when McManus fired them 2-1 ahead with a perfect lob after he had been put through by the excellent Cohen.
But once again St Andrews battled back bravely and on 79 minutes it was all-square again when Michael Valenzia thundered a powerful free-kick straight at the wall but the ball fell invitingly to the midfielder who sent a rasping shot into the back of the net.
With seven minutes left for the end of normal time and as extra time loomed McManus spared Hibernians’ blushes when he popped up with the deciding move, rising to head home from a cross by Herrera.