Hibs ended 2013 in some style with an emphatic 3-0 win over on-form Kilmarnock at Easter Road this afternoon, despite being denied two clear cut penalty claims in the first half.
The Rugby Park outfit arrived in the capital in confident mood after their 4-0 win at Tynecastle on Boxing Day, but goals from Paul Hanlon, Paul Cairney and Lewis Stevenson brought them back down to earth.
Before the game, both sets of players were joined by the U20 squad for a minute’s silence in tribute to David Paul which was impeccably observed by both sets of supporters. The Paul family watched from the director’s box alongside Hibs owner Sir Tom Farmer.
Manager Terry Butcher kept faith with the same XI who beat Ross County in the Highlands just three days ago.
Hibs started the game brightly and Lewis Stevenson set up James Collins but the striker’s effort flew over the bar before Jason Cummings long range shot was well saved by Craig Samson.
The former St Mirren keeper then reacting brilliantly to claw away a looping Collins header as Hibs piled on the pressure which eventually paid off in the 13th minute when Paul Hanlon lost marker Jackson Irvine to powerfully head home a Paul Cairney corner kick.
Six minutes later Stevenson went close with a snap shot then Hibs almost doubled their lead when Scott Robertson connected with a Jordon Forster cross only to head the ball against the crossbar before Collins sent the rebound inches wide.
Ben Williams then did well to save a shot from Kris Boyd before Michael Gardyne missed a good chance and fired wide soon after.
For the second home game in a row, Hibs were denied a stonewall penalty when Cairney nutmegged Jeroen Tesselaar before being caught by the defender’s arm as he went past. Unbelievably Referee William Collum awarded a corner to the fury of the home supporters.
Six minutes later Hibs had another appeal for a penalty kick waved away when Collins was bundled over inside the area by Tesselaar and Collum was booed off the park at half time.
Stevenson went close again after the break with a well struck effort from the just outside the box which was deflected past the pose although once again, the referee failed to notice and awarded a goal kick.
Collum then infuriated the Kilmarnock fans by turning a blind eye when a Boyd header struck Michael Nelson’s arm inside the box.
On 66 minutes Collins turned Manuel Pascali inside the Kilmarnock penalty area however his low cross flew across the face of goal with no takers.
With fifteen minutes left, Hibs added a second when Cairney curled a tremendous left foot shot into the bottom corner of the net for his first goal of the season. Stevenson again went close before Robertson sent a low drive into the side netting.
In time added on Hibs grabbed a third goal when Collins found Stevenson with a cross field pass and the midfielder smashed a left foot drive into the far corner of the net from edge of the penalty area.
Hibs remain in seventh, one point behind St Johnstone who hammered Dundee United 3-0 in Perth.
Hibs: Williams, McGivern, Hanlon, Nelson, Robertson, Craig, Cairney (Tudur Jones 86′), Collins, Stevenson, Forster, Cummings (Handling 72′).Substitutes not used: Murdoch, Maybury, Stanton, Zoubir, Caldwell
Kilmarnock: Samson, Tesselaar, Irvine, Boyd, Johnston, Clohessy, McKenzie, Gardyne (Winchester 59′), Slater, Pascali, Ashcroft.Substitutes not used: Raguero, Nicholson, Clingan, Gros, McKeown, Muirhead.
Referee: William Collum.
Attendance 9638
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
