Both teams were out of the traps quickly and the game was only a few minutes old when Kilmarnock goalkeeper Alan Combe was called into action to tip a dangerous inswinging corner from Riordan just over the net.

Riordan had been suspended for the Scottish Cup defeat and he quickly set about showing exactly why Hibs had struggled without him.

He sent a superb, speculative 25-yarder fizzing wide of the post before setting up Steven Whittaker for the shot but a slight deflection meant the effort fell off target.

But it was Kilmarnock who stunned their hosts by grabbing the opener after 19 minutes. Colin Nish surged into the box and threaded the ball into the path of Wales.

Gary Caldwell frantically tracked back to block but was too late to prevent Gary Wales despatching the ball into the top corner of the net.

Hibs could have been back on level terms quickly but Combe pulled off an impressive block to deny Abdessalam Benjelloun's thunderous shot.

But Kilmarnock were keen to add to their lead and Zbigniew Malkowski was called into action at the other end to block a Nish effort on the line.

Benjelloun then won Hibs a free-kick when he was tripped on the edge of the area only for Riordan to send the set-piece screaming just wide of the goal.

Killie were still looking dangerous and Wales was denied a brace shortly before the break by a timely block from the Hibs goalkeeper.

Hibs quickly set about trying to restore parity after the interval and Steven Fletcher set up Whittaker, who tried to lob the goalkeeper only to fire well over the crossbar instead.

Spurred into action, Kilmarnock had a chance of their own when Nish - desperate to add to his tally of just five goals this season - raced into the box.

But the big striker found himself sandwiched between two green jerseys and his shot lacked conviction.

Riordan was still Hibs' most dangerous player and he saw a shot blocked at the near post by Combe, with fans claiming his heels had been caught by Lindsay Wilson.

Undeterred, the youngster had another go with a long-range shot but, again, the goalkeeper was up to the task.

Desperate to the kill the game off, Nish had another go with a 20-yard drive but it was easily smothered by the Hibs goalkeeper.

Instead, it was Hibs who found the back of the net when Wilson gifted possession to Riordan, who twisted past the Australian before rifling into the roof of the net with 10 minutes to go.

There was worse to come for Killie when substitute Dalglish grabbed the winner for Hibs seven minutes later.

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