Two goals from free kicks helped Hibs dump
Kilmarnock in an entertaining match at Easter Road.
Gary Caldwell and Kevin Thomson both curled home powerful strikes
from distance to put the home side two goals up at half time.
Derek Riordan added a 64th minute penalty after Garry O'Connor had
been fouled by Gordon Greer.
With two games to play before the SPL split, Hibs move up to seventh
spot -just three points behind Motherwell.
O'Connor was released by a Roland Edge pass after six minutes but the
Hibs striker could only tamely poke the ball at sprawling Killie keeper
Colin Meldrum.
The visitors then enjoyed a good spell and Craig Dargo was denied
from close range by brilliant reflex save by Daniel Andersson after Eric
Skora had left a trail of Hibs defenders behind him.
Dargo came close to scoring a strange goal soon after when Andersson
palmed his fierce shot that appeared to be going wide back towards his
own net but Mathias Doumbe made a spectacular sliding clearance off the
goal-line.
Gary Locke's 18th minute low cross flashed across the Hibs goalmouth
but the hesitant home defenders went unpunished as the ball went
narrowly wide.
Four minutes later the home side were in front when Caldwell curled a
wonderful 25-yard free kick into the top left-hand corner of Meldrum's
net.
Meldrum then had to gather a smart shot on the turn from Thomson and
race of his line to deny Riordan after the Hibs forward had dazzled the
Killie defence with his ball juggling skills.
Hibs doubled their lead in first half stoppage time when Thomson let
fly from a set-piece 30 yards out and this time the ball flew low into
the net with astonishing accuracy.
There was a buzz of anticipation from the crowd when Hibs were
awarded another free kick early in the second half but Caldwell's effort
went inches wide of the target.
Hibs were awarded a penalty in the 63rd minute when O'Connor was
bundled over by Greer when shaping to shoot.
Riordan stepped to the spot up to tuck away his 14th goal of the
season.
Skora had a curling shot well saved by the flying Andersson and the
keeper followed that up with a great block from Dargo, who shot at him
from point-blank rang
,
(Nish 54 mins) Greer,
Dindeleux, Hay, Fowler, Locke, Skora, Murray, (Naismith 76 mins) Boyd,
Dargo, (McDonald 78 mins) 
