A SPARKLING second-half performance by Kilmarnock gave them a victory over Hibs in an entertaining match which featured two goals of rare quality, including an Archie Gemmill-type dribble and shot from Steven Naismith which proved to be the winner. The pity was that only 6,299 fans attended at Rugby Park, but they surely enjoyed an engrossing encounter between two well-matched teams who were separated only by a moment of genius. Which is perhaps how it should be in football.

The first half was interesting rather than exciting, especially for home fans. Hibs were clearly the better team and that neat passing play of theirs threatened to dismantle Kilmarnock at times. The home side, for their part, rarely posed any serious worry up front. Indeed, it is difficult to recall a direct shot on goal from Kilmarnock in the first period.

As they had done last week against Aberdeen, Hibs had all the early chances but again showed a lack of composure up front. Chris Killen, for instance, should have done much better than shoot straight at Graeme Smith when he was put clear through in the box after 20 minutes.

In what was not a dirty game, referee Mike McCurry booked Michael Stewart early on for a trip on Danny Invincibile. Allan Johnston, Colin Nish and Killen also had their names taken later, but none were cautioned for thuggery. There was also an outstanding piece of sportsmanship from Steven Fletcher, who put the ball out of play in the 27th minute to allow attention to the injured Naismith, rather than take advantage of an attacking position.

Scott Brown and Stewart were the controlling factor in Hibs' midfield, and from the former's pinpoint pass, David Murphy should have scored after 29 minutes, but the wing-back's effort did not overly trouble Smith.

Two minutes later, Hibs took a deserved lead. Clever build-up play allowed Dean Shiels some space on the left of the box and he took full advantage, cutting in and advancing on Smith. As the goalkeeper spread-eagled himself in textbook fashion, Shiels reacted in a way that cannot be learned in any manual, feinting to one side then dinking the ball over Smith for a classy opener.

Five minutes later, Hibs thought they had gone further ahead. After Smith comfortably saved a Stewart free-kick, Murphy raced down the wing and sent in a cross which Fletcher headed home only to see the assistant referee's flag for a definite offside.

The giant Rob Jones was in imperious form in defence, and the big fish from Grimsby was also causing plenty havoc in the opposition box, as Kilmarnock were reduced to digging in.

If the first half had belonged to Hibs, the second went clearly in favour of Kilmarnock. The verbal roasting they were given by Jim Jefferies can only be imagined, but the treatment obviously worked as the home side raced into attack and equalised within two minutes of the re-start.

The effective veteran Allan Johnston got a grip on midfield and it was his ball which released Gordon Greer on the right wing. His low, hard cross was perfectly placed to allow Colin Nish to sidefoot home the equaliser from just inside the six-yard box, Simon Brown being left with no chance. How different things might have been had Hibs equalised two minutes later when Fletcher somehow managed to miss a contender for sitter of the season, rising unchallenged to head the ball wide of an open goal.

Nish almost put Kilmarnock ahead in the 54th minute, but his firm volley from 20 yards out went just wide. Both managers made changes, and Tony Mowbray's adjustment to Hibs almost paid immediate dividends. Ivan Sproule came on for Shiels just after the hour mark and within minutes the speedy Northern Irishman had raced clear of the Kilmarnock defence. His shot was parried away by the diving Smith, and Sproule could only strike the rebound wide.

It was end-to-end stuff now, Nish just failing to connect with Johnston's fierce cross before Sproule raced to the other end and forced another save from Smith. Johnston himself had a go after 70 minutes, his shot deflecting off Hogg's head and going only just over the bar.

Then came Naismith's stunner. There looked to be little danger as he collected the ball on the right-hand edge of the area with plenty of green and white bodies between him and goal, but the winger twinkletoed his way past three defenders in the same number of yards and shot underneath Brown for a quite superb poetry-in-motion goal.

As Hibs poured forward, Kilmarnock looked ready to score on the break on several occasions, and only good backtracking by Hogg and Steven Whittaker in particular preserved the scoreline.

At the end, Kilmarnock probably just about deserved their victory on the balance of play in the second half, but how Hibs miss someone up front with a cool head and an eye for goal.

Sandy Ferguson's Match Pic's are - Here