'There were a lot of emotions': Boyle reacts to dream Hibs comeback

Socceroos winger Martin Boyle returned to the Scottish Premier League in style as he came off the bench to score a last-minute equaliser against arch-rivals Hearts in front of a full house at Easter Road.

Boyle's injury-time strike cancelled out Lawrence Shankland's early goal as the points were shared in another frantic Edinburgh Derby.

The 29-year-old only re-signed for the club on Saturday and was straight into the matchday squad following his exit from Saudi Arabian side Al Faisaly, who he signed for in January. 

Hibernian had originally only planned to parade Boyle before kick-off in Sunday's Edinburgh derby, but his paperwork was cleared just in time so he could feature in the matchday squad. 

“It has been a whirlwind few days, to be honest. I was trying to get the contract done and dusted, I haven’t trained with the squad so I have been trying to get to know everyone," Boyle told hibernianfc.co.uk.

"Then I was in the squad today, got a lovely reception and topped it off with a goal. You can’t write it, I am just delighted to be able to contribute to the squad and help the team get a well-deserved point on the day.

“I don’t actually know what happened with the goal to be honest, I just remember it hitting the back of the net and I just started running.

Luckily someone caught me because I would have just kept going. There were a lot of emotions running through me, it was a very special moment."

WATCH: Boyle, Sainsbury, Taggart & Duke all score

Boyle had not played for six weeks prior to his Hibs return but it did not take him long to re-open his account. 

Before departing in January, Boyle scored 14 goals in all competitions and finished as the club's top scorer and now he's looking to make his mark in the new season. 

Hibs manager Lee Johnson hailed Boyle's "Roy of the Rovers" return and admitted that he defied the wishes of the club's hierarchy to play the Socceroo. 

“It's Roy of the Rovers stuff, isn't it? If you wrote a comic book strip and he was the star of the show, I’m not sure you could write it better than that,” Johnson said.

“He’s buzzing, but the boys were buzzing as well when we told them yesterday (that he had signed).”

"There was a bit of deliberation about whether I should play him, from one particular key figure at the club who didn't think I should, but I will remind him gently - very, very gently - that that's my role!"