Kilmarnock 3-1 Hibs: Supporters vent fury at manager after dismal cup defeat

If they were a Pakistani cricket team, Hibs would today undoubtedly be finding themselves subject to a full-scale betting inquiry into "spot fixing", scoring yet again in the eighth minute but finding themselves unable once more to end the match victorious.

Draws against Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hamilton had only added to the growing sense of despair which has enveloped the Edinburgh club in recent weeks, but this defeat at Rugby Park proved a setback too far for many of the travelling support.

They left Hughes in no doubt as to where they want to see him go, Hibs' record so far this season just one win in eight, miserable enough but paling somewhat when put into context of a mere eight victories in 2010.

Hailed a year ago, Yogi now finds himself the target for the boo-boys, the manager commenting as he took his seat for the post-match press conference that "it feels like being in the dock again". It was a joke, but few were laughing.

Hughes himself is probably aware he's becoming repetitive in both his defence of what has been happening and his assessment of why it has been thus. While he's probably right to claim his side haven't enjoyed the best of luck lately, there's little excuse when they've again created openings and failed to take them.

Luck should have little to do with it when opportunities such as those scorned in recent weeks have presented themselves while, in fact, Hughes' players failed to cash in on the little good fortune which has come their way in the past few weeks, referee Willie Collum pointing to the spot following a Sol Bamba lunge on Conor Sammon only to change his mind on the advice of his fellow officials.

Collum looked best placed to make the judgment, but took the word of fourth official Bobby Madden that Bamba had taken the ball.

Again Hibs had got off to a dream start through on-loan Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Grounds. The Englishman applied a cool finish, rifling the ball across Killie goalkeeper Cameron Bell and into the far corner of the net after being left in space by Liam Miller's astute pass.

But it was as much to do with the tenacity of John Rankin as the calm head of Grounds, the midfielder pouncing on the ball after Colin Nish had seen his effort blocked and twice trying his luck against a sea of blue and white shirts before winning it yet again for Miller to play in the left-back.

Edwin de Graaf had already had an effort ruled out for offside - quite correctly - by that stage and three minutes later Nish and Riordan combined to leave Rankin with only Bell to beat but the goalkeeper threw up his right hand to divert the ball for a corner.

Collum's change of heart, however, provided only a temporary stay of execution, Jamie Hamill following up to slot home after goalkeeper Mark Brown parried Sammon's shot, the goal reminiscent of Marco Paixao's equaliser for Hamilton at the weekend.

The power and pace of Sammon caused Bamba and Francis Dickoh problems, the two centre-halves being asked to cover the width of the pitch as full backs Michael Hart and Grounds pushed on but De Graaf, again, should have had Hibs ahead in the 55th minute, Riordan's shot breaking to the Dutchman who, for the third time in four matches, was left with an open goal only to slash his shot wide.

Nish saw a powerful header taken off the line only for Killie to race to the to the other end where Sammon left Craig Bryson with only Brown to beat, but the midfielder's first touch was poor, allowing the keeper to smother at his feet.

Tempers frayed with Hibs skipper Kevin McBride involved in a heated exchange with his bench during a brief break in play, before the Easter Road side paid the penalty of having Grounds too far up the pitch. His absence as Hibs surrendered possession in the middle of the park gave the pacy Harry Forrester plenty of space to run into, inviting a rash challenge from Dickoh who had rushed over to cover.

Collum had no second thoughts on this occasion as he pointed to the spot again, Hamill stepping up to drill the ball low and hard into Brown's right-hand corner.

Hibs' confidence was shot and David Silva was allowed to stroll forward to crack in a drive which appeared to nick a defender on the way through, Brown getting a hand to it but unable stop the ball hitting the back of his net again.

It was a miserable but, sadly, all too predictable ending, Paatelainen able to reflect on a "very exciting" football match although he correctly claimed Killie had deserved their win and place in today's quarter-final draw.

For Hughes, however, it was an all-too-familiar post mortem, the Hibs boss adamant his players had done enough, as in their previous two games against Caley and Accies to have won. He said: "If we had taken our chances at the right times then we could have been in the hat for the next round.

"We seem to be getting hit with a big stick all the time but what you have to do is show strength of character to come back and say ‘let's stick together.'"

There was, according to radio reports, little of that evident in the immediate aftermath with claims there had been some sort of bust-up within the away dressingroom and the tunnel area among Hughes' players, an accusation the manager was quick to dismiss.

He said: "The boys are hurting, they care. There was no punch-up.

"There were one or two raised voices and we soon put a stop to that but there were no fisticuffs."

Nevertheless, Hughes will be well aware he has a major fight on his hands, the next round the little matter of facing Celtic with 13 straight SPL wins and a 6-0 crushing of Caley last night.

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