Hibernian 0 Kilmarnock 1: Hosts discover familiar habits waiting at home

Monday 23 April 2012

This should have been the match that Hibernian used to dispel any lingering thoughts pertaining to the nasty business of relegation.

Hibernian were unable to find a way through Kilmarnock's defence yesterday. Picture: SNS Hibernian0 Kilmarnock1

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SIMON BUCKLAND at EASTER ROAD

Instead they put it right back on the agenda. The peculiar double of potentially winning the William Hill Scottish Cup and dropping down to the first division remains on after a home defeat by Kilmarnock. It was an apologetic display from a Hibs team who too easily feel sorry for themselves during games.

It is true that Kilmarnock's goal, which came a minute before half-time through Dean Shiels' penalty, came against the run of play, but it is no less correct to say that Hibs were unable to generate much of a second-half riposte. The gap over Dunfermline Athletic remains six points and may already be enough to ensure league survival due to a superior goal difference, but it doesn't yet feel like it.Hibs have won only once in the league at Easter Road this season, and that was against St Johnstone back in September. They could argue that is still once more than Dunfermline have managed at East End Park, but they should still be aiming higher than to best the bottom club by such a narrow margin. If Hibs win the Scottish Cup it will a season to remember, but huge segments of it have been entirely forgettable.However, Pat Fenlon, the Hibs manager, remained defiant after their defeat yesterday. "We've just got to make sure we get over the line," he said. "We said at the start the important thing is to stay in the league. How we do it I'm not too fussed to be honest. We always make hard work of it, that's the way it is at the moment, but we just have to make sure we get there in the end. It was always going to be difficult. People got carried away by the cup semi-final result, it doesn't mean anything."Leigh Griffiths collected a yellow card after eight minutes for diving following a Michael Nelson challenge. The other side of Griffiths is a player with quick feet and a scoring instinct, his crisp strike from the edge of the area forcing Cammy Bell's first save. The booking, disputed by Fenlon who confronted referee Craig Thomson after the match, means Griffiths will be suspended for Hibs' final home match of the season, against Dunfermline.Ryan O'Leary, in his first game since damaging a cruciate knee ligament in August, recovered his own mistake on 32 minutes, the Kilmarnock defender losing the ball to Garry O'Connor but racing back to block a Griffiths shot from the same move. James Dayton then became the latest player to be accused of simulation but this time Thomson was unconvinced, despite Pa Kujabi's protests. The pair continued the debate to such an extent the referee ordered them to make an unconvincing peace.Hibs probably deserved a half-time lead, and James McPake almost gave them it with a header wide. Instead, in a manner which probably sums up their season, they found themselves behind before the break. Liam Kelly turned Jorge Claros sharply inside the penalty area and was brought down to earn Kilmarnock a spot-kick, the limited Hibs complaints indicating it was a fair enough verdict. Dean Shiels calmly stroked the ball beyond Mark Brown."Liam bought the decision," said Kenny Shiels, the Kilmarnock manager. "At half-time, once ahead, we just said 'kill it' and slowed the tempo. I'm full of beans at winning here."The home side then lost O'Connor to a foot injury straight after the restart, with Roy O'Donovan replacing him. There was a more serious-looking injury for Kilmarnock's Danny Racchi just before the hour mark as he was carried off following a collision with Claros that resulted in a broken nose.Hibs needed to regain the momentum they had built in the first half, but were denied a spot-kick of their own when their claim that Dayton had handled inside the area was rejected by Thomson. Griffiths forced Bell into a save from a free-kick, yet there was too little sustained pressure on the Kilmarnock goalkeeper's goal. It said something about Hibs that Kilmarnock seemed more motivated to finish seventh than the home team did about staying up.

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Hibernian 0 Kilmarnock 1: Hosts discover familiar habits waiting at home

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