Kilmarnock 1 Hibs 1
A last-minute penalty kick from Bruce Anderson denied Hibs a first league win of the season as we had to settle for a share of the spoils against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
For most of the game, we defended superbly against the hosts and deservedly led thanks to a stunning goal from Joe Newell.
Kilmarnock goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara thwarted us with a string of superb stops and Nectarios Triantis was denied by the woodwork before Anderson’s late suckerpunch snatched a point for the home side.
We went into the game making one change from the side that was held at home by Dundee a week prior as Triantis made his second debut for the Club.
The on-loan Sunderland man returned to the Club on deadline day, and he was put straight into the side at the expense of Nicky Cadden, who dropped to the bench.
We lined-up in a 4-3-3 formation with Triantis the deepest of the three midfielders and young Rudi Molotnikov pushed forward to play on the left of a front three.
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes made four changes to his starting XI following their midweek European exit with Anderson, Liam Polworth, David Watson and Corrie Ndaba coming into the side.
Ahead of kick-off both teams paid their respects following the sad passing of former Hibs player, Sol Bamba, with an impeccably observed minute's silence. We also wore black armbands during the game.
We would carve out the first opening of the game as Mykola Kuharevich brought out an early save from O’Hara with a shot from the edge of the box that the goalkeeper dealt with comfortably.
The opening exchanges were scrappy with very little football being played during a physical contest.
Killie’s Ndaba was a little fortunate to only see a yellow card for a high and late challenge on Lewis Miller after just eight minutes that could easily have been upgraded.
The hosts should have opened the scoring after 11 minutes only for skipper Kyle Vassell to miss a sitter. Danny Armstrong’s corner kick was flicked on at the front post to the striker who had the goal at his mercy before slicing a shot from point-blank range back across goal to a grateful Josef Bursik.
Kilmarnock had been looking to go direct as often as possible, getting the ball into our box early and fighting to get onto the end of it. When they did get the ball down and play a little, they carved out a couple of opportunities.
First, Matty Kennedy drove down the left flank, getting beyond Miller and hanging a cross up that Vassell headed just over the crossbar.
Then, Danny Armstrong had a go from the other flank, cutting inside onto his left foot and curling a shot just wide of the far post that Armstrong threw himself at hoping to redirect it toward goal, only to miss.
The advanced play of Kennedy and Armstrong on the flanks was pinning Miller and Jordan Obita back at times and the pair were unable to support our attack as much as they’d have hoped.
As the half-hour mark approached, we began to create opportunities for ourselves, and it took a stunning save low to his right from O’Hara to keep out Hyeokku Kwon’s first-time volley from the edge of the box.
We would finish the first half strongly and almost opened the scoring in spectacular fashion when Kuharevich attempted an audacious shot from just inside the Kilmarnock half that O’Hara only just managed to tip over his crossbar.
Despite being limited to few opportunities during the first half we were unfortunate not to be ahead going into the break thanks to the heroics of Killie goalkeeper, O’Hara.
The second half was only four minutes old when we broke the deadlock as Newell’s cross/shot looped over the head of O’Hara and into the back of the Kilmarnock net.
It certainly didn’t appear like the skipper meant it however they all count and his 11th goal for the Club was celebrated with gusto by the 1,200 Hibees behind that goal.
The home support was looking for a reaction from their team and saw them press for a quick response as they won a series of corners from which they went close through a David Watson volley that was deflected wide by Triantis.
The Australian midfielder had certainly justified David Gray’s faith in starting him this afternoon and he was a constant thorn in the Killie side, breaking up play and turning over possession.
On 62 minutes, a terrific delivery from Kwon on the left found the head of Marvin Ekpiteta only for the defender to nod it just wide of goal under pressure from Ndaba.
Seven minutes later and we almost had an early contender for Goal of the Season after Triantis drove forward, evaded several challenges before letting fly with a rising effort that had the beating of O’Hara but crashed back into play off the crossbar.
The game was beginning to get stretched going into the final 20 minutes and we had a real let off when Vassell latched onto a pass from Anderson before rolling Miller and shooting past Bursik only for his effort to strike the far post and be hooked clear.
Chasing the game, McInnes made five changes in quick succession as he threw on Jack Burroughs, Bobby Wales, Rory McKenzie, Innes Cameron and Fraser Murray hoping to swing the momentum into his side’s favour.
Yet, the hosts were struggling to create anything meaningful as we pushed for a second goal that would kill off the contest.
Kilmarnock keeper O’Hara had to be alert to push a Nicky Cadden shot on the angle round his post and it would prove to be a crucial save.
As the game entered the 90th minute, Anderson latched onto a through ball from Polworth and was bundled over inside the box by Obita. The striker dusted himself down and sent Bursik the wrong way from the spot to level.