Danny Invincibile marked his
return from injury with a brace for 10-man Kilmarnock in a thrilling 4-2
Clydesdale Bank Premier League win at Hibernian.
The Australian opened the scoring in the fifth minute
and Allan Russell doubled the visitors' lead.
Hibs midfielder Dean Shiels scored two penalties in a
five-minute spell, with Kilmarnock goalkeeper Alan Combe sent-off for
conceding the second, but Invincibile headed the away side back in front
before Garry Hay notched a fourth.
Kilmarnock were without the injured Frazer Wright as
the defender had a hamstring problem.
Donovan Simmonds dropped to the bench as midfielder
Mehdi Taouil and striker Danny Invincible returned from injury.
Kilmarnock made a bright start to the match and took
the lead as early as the fifth minute with a clinical finish from
Australian forward Danny Invincibile.
The striker, who had only just returned to the
startling eleven following injury, was picked out at the back post by
Jamie Hamill and he volleyed the ball past the hapless Yves Ma-Kalambay
from close range.
With Hibs still in shock at losing the opening goal,
the Rugby Park outfit pounced on their
opponents' vulnerability and doubled their lead in the 11th minute.
The goal came from a corner that Rob Jones was forced
to concede with Allan Russell about to connect with Hamill's dangerous
cross.
Ma-Kalambay flapped at Mehdi Taouil's set-piece at the
front post and the ball broke to Allan
Russell and he found the net with a left-footed shot from 10
yards.
Hibs defender David van Zanten became the first player
in the game to be booked when he went in with his studs showing in a rash
tackle on Gavin Skelton.
Hibs' plight worsened in the 28th minute when captain
Rob Jones was forced off injured and was replaced by Steven Thicot, with
the Frenchman fitting in at centre-half.
Kilmarnock had their own problems to deal with when
Manuel Pascali and Hamill suffered a clash of heads but both players were
able to continue after treatment.
The home side turned the game on its head with the
award of two penalties in a three-minute spell.
The first came in the 34th minute when referee Euan
Norris pointed to the spot after Dean Shiels was fouled.
The
midfielder brushed himself down before firing the ball high into the net.
Moments later, Colin Nish raced clear of the Kilmarnock
rearguard and was brought down by Alan Combe (right)
as he rounded the goalkeeper.
Alan Combe was given his
marching orders and Shiels found the net past substitute goalkeeper Damien
Rascle with the aid of the post.
Acknowledging his side had been reduced to 10 men,
Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies brought on pacey winger Willie Gibson for
striker Russell.
Gibson was in the thick of the action as
Invincibile headed the visitors back in front in the 47th minute.
The substitute chipped a teasing delivery to the back
post and the unmarked Australian powered a header past Ma-Kalambay from
just two yards.
Hibs tried to respond immediately through David van
Zanten but Rascle palmed the full-back's near-post shot wide after working
an opening with Shiels.
John Rankin thought he had levelled in the 64th minute
after cutting along the 18-yard line but his right-footed shot was pushed
away for a corner by Rascle.
With Hibs chasing the game, manager Paatelainen took
off defender Van Zanten for striker Derek Riordan, with the visitors happy
to sit on their narrow lead.
However, it was Kilmarnock who scored again through
Garry Hay in the 75th minute.
Gibson latched onto Thicot's slack pass to Bamba in the
centre-circle and raced down the left flank and into the box.
The ball fell for Hay as Gibson attempted to get round
Bamba and the left-back lashed a powerful shot low into the net from an
acute angle.
