Hibernian 2 Kilmarnock 1: Wayward son Griffiths carries on with what he does best

Sunday 16 September 2012

LEIGH Griffiths seems at home in these parts.

Griffiths celebrates his winner with Eoin Doyle Photograph: SNS

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Chris Tait

The perception of the Hibernian striker tends to be split between that of a wayward youth with an aptitude for football and a footballer with a tendency to act waywardly, but around these parts he is certainly held in high esteem.

His 78 minutes against Kilmarnock yesterday showed why. Griffiths can straddle both the front and back pages of a newspaper in a way which leaves him vulnerable to anyone looking to hit him below the belt, but in front of goal the striker is almost without impunity. That he eventually hobbled out of this 2-1 win having been chiefly involved in both of Hibs' goals was unfortunate, but the stream of supporters that rushed to shake his hand as he circumnavigated the pitch indicated the level of affection for him at Easter Road.Signed on loan from Wolves again over the summer, the arrangement continues to be mutually beneficial. Griffiths had not long set down the Clydesdale Bank Player of the Month award for August before he was gainfully going in search of further plaudits. He claimed responsibility for Hibs' first goal against Kilmarnock after 14 minutes, but had been given a helpful hand by Kyle Letheren, the visitors' goalkeeper punching the striker's corner into his own net to allow Hibs to take the lead.If there was an element of good fortune in that then it is only because such a trait tends to favour players in form. "They've got good desire, the players, they've good togetherness as well," said Hibs manager Pat Fenlon.Griffiths was savouring another successful strike on the cusp of half-time, his penalty spinning into the net via the inside of a post. Referee Steven McLean had looked certain as he pointed to the spot when Paul Cairney tumbled in the box after running into Ryan O'Leary, but the reaction of the Kilmarnock players – Letheren was booked after seeking out the Hibs midfielder – suggested Cairney had been artful in winning the spot-kick."He ran straight into our player looking for a penalty," said Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels, who discussed the incident with McLean during half-time. "I'm not criticising the referee, but if the video evidence comes up I feel that player should be suspended. I don't like diving."Kilmarnock were denied retribution by poor finishing; a lack of cutting edge – exacerbated by injuries to key personnel – in the final third informing a somewhat modest start to the campaign. Indeed, Danny Racchi is now the club's joint top scorer with one.Cillian Sheridan, who joined this week after a spell in Bulgaria with CSKA Sofia, appears to offer a sharp point at the apex of their attack, but yesterday the Irishman jabbed at Hibs rather than filleted them.His first chance came early in the afternoon after Tim Clancy – perhaps forgetting temporarily he no longer serves Kilmarnock – presented the ball to his former side but when it was shuttled to Sheridan in the area his touch was heavy. He went even closer after 53 minutes when he nodded the ball past a post from Racchi's cross. Borja Perez had also been ponderous when he found himself clean through in the first half and Hibs goalkeeper Ben Williams was equal to Michael Nelson's header moments later.Racchi applied Kilmarnock's sole assured finish – planting the ball into an empty net after Williams failed to intercept James Dayton's cross – but Shiels lamented the fact such fortune did not persist for his side."Fair play to Hibs, they are getting the rub of the green, I just wish we could get some of it," he added.

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Hibernian 2 Kilmarnock 1: Wayward son Griffiths carries on with what he does best

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