Kilmarnock 0 Hibernian 1

August 16th 2000
Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 8,672

Scorers:
Hibernian: Paatelainen.

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotsman on Thursday 17th August 2000

Hibs go top with perfect finish

Hibs hauled themselves gleefully up to the top of the SPL table last night, with a performance less pretty than pragmatic. An excellent result at Kilmarnock was achieved through application and concentration, attributes that already show an advance on the promise of last season. With Rangers and Celtic both inactive due to postponements, Hibs took the chance to reclaim the top spot, a place earned by sweat rather than inspiration on this occasion.

Mixu Paatelainen repaid his manager's faith with a first-half goal, a characteristic close-range header. Throughout, the Finn was the finest example of Hibs' willingness to battle for the points. He'll take some shifting from the starting eleven. "It was tough, we had to dig deep," their manager, Alex McLeish, said. "Since the first game against Hearts I've seen a bit of steel in these players. They showed that resilience in the later stages, although I thought we started poorly. "We can't complain about coming away from a place as tough as this with a win. " Now I just want the players to enjoy being at the top, not feel too much pressure. "

"It's hard to see how we lost the three points here tonight," home manager Bobby Williamson said, after his side had enjoyed the bulk of the chances. "But credit to Hibs, they took their chance. " and kept possession well in the second-half to knock a bit of the steam out of us. "

McLeish declined to give us a first look at David Zitelli, the French striker not making the 16-man squad. Kilmarnock had a more important absentee, the Ian Durrant-shaped gap in their midfield looking significant. at the outset. Without him, Kilmarnock's attacking style was vigorous but bereft of a certain imagination. They went at Hibs enthusiastically enough early on, but down predictable channels.

Matthaus Jack, the Hibs midfield enforcer, to use a polite description, was fortunate not to be penalised when he hauled Ally McCoist back in the 13th minute, and McCoist was out of luck again seven minutes later, when a smart turn opened up space ahead of him on the edge of the Hibs area, only for Christophe Cocard to wander offside.

The escape at least invigorated Hibs, John O'Neil forcing Gordon Marshall into a save with an ambitious left-foot shot.

As McLeish's players began to string sequences of passes across the centre of the field, they drew applause from those travelling fans who have come to appreciate the value of possession, however innocuous. Too often, though, the play was punctuated by some clumsy tackling, much of which seemed to go unpunished, to the disbelief of the Kilmarnock fans. Tom Smith was booked for an awkward challenge on Freddie Dindeleux, and McLeish himself was given a talking-to by referee Alan Freeland after some over-zealous touchline commentary.

Just as the game was succumbing to scrappiness, Hibs conjured up a goal in the 37th minute, as much the result of quickness of thought as execution. Tom Smith, Russell Latapy and Didier Agathe worked a quick free-kick out by the right corner. of the Kilmarnock half. With the Kilmarnock defenders out of position, Smith's cross was perfect for Paatelainen to head down past the sprawling Marshall.

Kilmarnock should really have been level before half time. Their best chance fell to a defender, Dindeleux, whose control let him down when a corner from the left dropped invitingly at his feet six yards out. The chance was lost and Dindeleux kicked the upright in anguish. Peter Canero then had the home supporters on their feet with a curling right-foot shot that looked about to find the top corner, but instead went a foot wide.

Franck Sauzee started the second period with a gesture to his team-mates that stressed the need for concentration, no doubt mindful of Hibs' costly habit last season of surrendering leads. It proved effective.

Agathe looked inclined to increase Hibs' advantage at the start of the second half, driving in a powerful low shot that Marshall blocked but had no chance of holding. O'Neil couldn't quite exploit the chance from the rebound, his shot being charged down.

The second-half performance showed the advances made by McLeish's team, protecting protect a valuable lead against a team that kept up the pressure, albeit without a significant change of approach. Franck Sauzee was leading Hibs by example, an impeccable tackle on Canero ending a dangerous surge, with timing that was positively Italian.

Up front, Paatelainen wasdoing a sterling job as theconsummate target-man. One dummied interchange with O'Neil came straight out of the Cole-Yorke manual, and deserved better than a hasty half-shot from O'Neil. 's weaker right foot.

Kilmarnock were accumulating hard-luck stories. Ally Mitchell flopped earthwards after a challenge from Martin McIntosh on the edge of the Hibs box, and the supporters again bayed for a penalty. or at least a free-kick. Nothing doing.

Craig Dargo replaced McCoist and his first contribution was a rising shot that Nick Colgan had to tip over the crossbar. Dindeleux curled a free-kick around the wall, but Colgan was there to parry.

If there was a frantic air about some of Hibs' defending in the later stages, it was understandable.

Eight goals in the last two games had made a point about their attacking exuberance; now they were able to claim some overdue resilience.

The Teams:

Hibernian:
Colgan; G Smith, McIntosh, Sauzee; Laursen, T Smith, Jack, Latapy, O'Neil; Paatelainen, Agathe (Lehmann 70).

Kilmarnock:
Marshall, MacPherson (Wright 76), McGowne, Dindeleux, Hessey, Mitchell (Mahood 72), Holt, Canero, Cocard, McCoist (Dargo 72), McLaren..

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