Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Hibernian: Frustrated Hibs lose ground on top two

Published on Saturday 12 December 2009 11:11

A GOAL from Anthony Stokes earned Hibs a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park this afternoon.

Jim Jefferies' side had taken the lead eight minutes into the second-half, thanks to a goal from former Livingston and Dunfermline striker Mark Burchill.

But their lead lasted only six minutes before Irishman Stokes secured a valuable point for the Easter Road outfit, drilling low beyond Mark Brown.

Once again goalkeeper Graham Stack failed to recover in time from the back problem that saw him taken off as a substitute against Falkirk and miss out altogether against Motherwell so Yves Ma-Kalambay retained his place in the starting line-up.

John Hughes' side had their first real sight of goal in the eighth minute when they were awarded a free-jkick almost 25 yards out after Liam Miller had been brought down by Danny Invincibile.

It was a typical forward's challenge and Merouane Zemmama stepped up to hit the dead ball but could only curl his right-foot effort over Mark Brown's crossbar.

Colikn Nish and Anthony Stokes linked up well in the opening stages but when the former set the Irish striker free in 14 minutes, he could only fire a weak effort toward Brown that the Killie goalkeeper made easy work of.

The home side though, came closer three minutes later when Mehdi Taouil released Garry Hay and he whipped in a wonderful cross that made it to the back post where Kevin Kyle was lurking. The hitman was perfectly positioned for the downward header but Ma-Kalambay somehow got over to his left to push the effort away with lightning speed.

Slack passing was giving Hibs opportunities and it looked only a matter of time befre they would capitalise on the loose balls.

However it was Killie wh theatened again with just over 20 minutes gone, Kyle teeing up Invincibile on the angle and the Australian looked certain to open the scoring but was foiled once again by Ma-Kalambay, who spread himself well to block with his feet.

Stokes and Wotherspoon then carved the home defence open, the defender cutting a ball into the middle for Derek Riordan to have a go from, but his shot on the turn was again easy for Brown to deal with.

Just before half-time, Hibs could again have made the breakthrough, this time when a long ball from Wotherspoon fed Stokes through the middle. He, in turn, found Zemmama and the little Moroccan's tight crosswas simply begging to be put into the net but neither Nish or Riordan could get their head to it.

After the break though, Hibs fell behind when Jamie Hamill's ball into the box looked as though it would be claimed by Ma-Kalambay - only for the big keeper to fumble and allow it to spin back out into the box.

The Belgian was left to claim in vain for a foul as it was sent into the back of an empty net by Mark Burchill.

Seconds later Sol Bamba came close at the other end but his long-range effort was just inches wide of Brown's right-hand post.

It was only a matter of six minutes though before Hughes' men did level and Colin Nish had the last laugh as two Kilmarnock players tried to rile their former team-mates by stabbing the ball away from when he was trying to take a quick free-kick. The big striker though, managed to get a foot to it and take a quick free kick, sending the ball into the path of Stokes, who was lethal with a low drive on the angle to beat Brown.

Wotherspoon had to be alert again when Kevin Kyle rose to head down and towards the bottom left-hand corner of the net, the Hibs kid in the right place at the right time to clear off the line.

Hibs felt hard done by with 70 gone when Nish went down inder pressure from James Fowler in the box but refreree Steve Conroy waved away his claims, much to the striker's frustration.

Kilmarnock: Brown, Hay, Fowler, Wright, Ford, Bryson, Taouil, Invincibile, Kyle, Mamill, Burchill (Russell 82). Unused subs: Bell, Skelton, Owens, Flannigan, O'Leary, Kelly.

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, Hogg, Murray, Bamba, Wotherspoon, Miller, Rankin, Zemmama, Nish, Riordan, Stokes (Benjelloun 78). Unused subs: Flynn, Cregg, Stevenson, Thuicot, McCormack, Byrne.

Referee: Steve Conroy

Attendance: 5132