Three first-half goals secured victory
for Kilmarnock over Hibernian.
Colin Nish opened the scoring with a surging run and shot that beat
Scott Brown in the Hibs goal.
Craig Dargo added a second, latching onto Nish's flick to beat Brown
from 10 yards, before Nish made it three with a powerful header from
close range.
Hibs pulled a goal back in the second half when Dene Shiels beat Alan
Combe on the rebound after Steven Dobbie's shot had been saved.
The first chance of the game fell to Hibs but Derek Riordan's subtle
flick fell wide of the target.
Hibs had had slightly the better of the opening stages but it was
Kilmarnock who took the lead in the 20th minute.
Glass was robbed of possession in the middle of the park by Stephen
Murray whose pass was collected by Colin
Nish and the striker surged into the box before slotting past
goalkeeper Simon Brown from just outside the six-yard box.
Danny Invincibile could have added to the scoreline shortly
afterwards following an impressive run into the box, but he fired across
the face of goal and wide.
Peter Leven then flighted a cross to Invincibile on the six-yard
line, but his header was held by Brown before the onrushing Nish could
connect.
The visitors' keeper did well to smother the ball at the feet of Gary
McDonald after he had played a one-two with Craig Dargo but he was
helpless as Killie made it 2-0.
McDonald played the ball into the box and Nish provided a slight
flick to set up Dargo, who beat Brown from 10 yards.
Two minutes later, Kilmarnock were celebrating again when Nish met an
Invincibile cross to bullet home a superb header from close range.
Into the second half, Dargo collected a Nish header 10 yards out and
and tried his luck with a shot that was sliced by Gary Caldwell and
almost found the back of his own net.
Hibs pulled a goal back in the 69th minute. Steven Dobbie went on an
impressive, surging run which took him past several players before
pulling the trigger, only to see his effort blocked by goalkeeper Alan
Combe.
But the ball broke kindly to Dene Shiels, who reacted quickly to ram
home the rebound from close range.
Hibs battled for a further goal but it was not forthcoming and Killie
claimed the points
Kilmarnock: Combe, Greer
,
Leven, Lilley,
Dindeleux, Ford, Murray (Hay 78), Invincibile, McDonald, Dargo (Naismith
78), Nish.
Subs Not Used: Smith, Fowler, Locke, Joly, Canning.
Attendance: 5,959
