Hibs 2-1 Kilmarnock: Chris Hoggs limelight on comeback

The defender was back in the starting line-up for the first time since the end of August for the visit of the Rugby Park side and could probably not have wished for a worse start as Hibs fell behind after just 80 seconds.

However, he brushed off that early disappointment, settled into his rhythm at right-back and went on to score with two headers to hand his side a hard-fought three points. With his legs almost gone from under him, he was replaced to a standing ovation from the Hibs supporters with just over an hour gone and temporary management duo of Stevenson and Gareth Evans felt justified in bringing him back into the side, although he played in an unfamiliar role on the right of the defence.

Stevenson admitted that the returning Hogg had been disappointed not to have been able to prevent Killie's opener, but the stand-in boss was delighted with the contribution that his skipper made at the other end of the park.

He said: "It was a big decision to play him at right-back and he was a bit disappointed early on at the first goal because he was still getting settled into it but I thought that he responded magnificently and, at the end of the day, it was a real captain's contribution from him.

"He got us the two goals back and then at the hour when he ran out of legs and everything was feeling a bit tight, rather than risking an injury to him, we thought that it would be better to bring him off.

"We discussed everything with him before the game. With the group that was there we could have manoeuvred things differently but we thought that the personnel we had out there were the right ones for the game."

It was Hibs' first win on their home patch since March 6, a miserable run of nine games without a victory at Easter Road and Stevenson was delighted with the way that his side had reacted to losing the early goal.

He continued: "The boys were absolutely delighted with the result. It was a great three points for us in what was a really difficult game.

"We felt that we got off to a really bad start but after that we rallied really well and it was almost like a clean sheet for us because, after losing the goal so early, we then went 88 minutes without conceding.

"We had a couple of chances to sneak a third or a fourth at the end of the day, so everyone is delighted."

Hogg was brought back into the starting line-up at the expense of Francis Dickoh, and that decision was to prove pivotal in gaining victory.

It was former Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen's first trip back to Easter Road as manager of Kilmarnock and the Finn had warned his players before kick-off that the Hibs players would all be desperate to impress their temporary management team and that Hughes' departure could make them a more difficult proposition.

Whatever he said must have hit home because Killie raced out of the blocks and took the lead with less than a minute and a half on the clock.

Liam Kelly's cross into the box from the right caught Hogg flat-footed inside the box, allowing the ball to find its way through to David Silva in acres of space and he rattled it home from eight yards out.

Hibs should have levelled when David Wotherspoon, who was playing on the right-hand side in front of Hogg, floated in a beautiful ball for Colin Nish but the big striker got under the ball and could only send his header high over the bar.

Wotherspoon again tried to lift the Hibs support by going on a mazy run that saw him eventually get past three Killie defenders and stab the ball into the centre of the box for Derek Riordan but the striker couldn't get enough on his shot and that left Killie keeper Cammy Bell with a relatively simple save.

Killie twice came close to adding to their lead, first through Silva and then Connor Sammon but it was Hibs who levelled before the break when a dangerous corner from Riordan was met by the head of Hogg, the Hibs captain rising above everyone else in the box to head home, despite the best efforts of Craig Bryson on the goal-line.

His only other goal for the first team had come against Killie four years ago and, incredibly, the Easter Road side then got their noses in front just before the break when Hogg found himself in acres of space just outside the box and his looping header beat Bell all ends up

After the break, Nish tried to tee up Rankin for Hibs' third, but the little midfielder couldn't get his foot over the ball and hit it high over Bell's crossbar.

The Hibs defence looked a more settled unit in the second 45, having never played alongside one another this season, and Hanlon did well to block a decent shot from Sammon.

Killie came close to an equaliser on the hour when Hamill picked out Sammon with a high ball but Sol Bamba was wise to it and managed to get his head to it before the Killie player to send it behind for a corner that came to nothing. Brown hadn't had too much to do in the second half but showed great awareness in 79 minutes to push a pinpoint free-kick from Jamie Hamill around his left-hand post.

Nish could have sealed the win for Hibs with three minutes remaining, only for Mohamadou Sissoko to do enough to put him off his stride after being played in by Riordan.

Hibs midfielder Kevin McBride admitted that everyone in the dressing-room was relieved to be back on track and revealed that former manager John Hughes had called him before the game to wish his old side well.

And he insisted Hughes– who also managed him at Falkirk – would have been delighted to see Hibs end their home drought. McBride said: "I have spoken to him once or twice. He called me before the match to wish us all the best and he said he hoped we went out and got the win.

"There are no grudges, he's not that type of person. I don't want to dwell on the past but he was fantastic for me to work under and I am sure that a lot of the boys in the team will say the same thing.

"I think when this happens it just seems to be the way that the side then goes out and gets a win. It's massive for the club to get the win, and especially for the boys.

"We have worked hard over the last few weeks. There have been plenty of distractions, but we have kept our heads down and got on with it.

"After going a goal down on Saturday so early on, I thought that we showed great fight to go on and win the game.

"I don't think we could have asked for a worse start, if I am being honest, but we showed great spirit."