Kilmarnock 2 Hibernian 1

Saturday 21st December 2002
Scottish Premier League
Attendance:

Scorers:
Hibernian: Luna.
Kilmarnock: McSwegan, Fulton.

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotland on Sunday on Sunday 22nd December 2002

Tricky Fulton has wry riposte to Hibs' equaliser

THERE is always an added piquancy when a Jim Jefferies side plays Hibs, and the presence of former Hearts players, such as Steve Fulton and Gary McSwegan, merely added to the brew.

It is not whether Jefferies is particularly motivated to get one over on Hibs, though no-one could hold it against him, feeling he is still due retribution for his presence in that Hearts side on New Year’s Day, 1973. Yes, it was the 7-0 game whose 30th anniversary still breathes down his neck.

So maybe there was an added satisfaction in this late victory, and that it was Fulton who sealed it for him. It seemed to be just the answer for the midfielder who had got booked earlier for gesticulating at the Hibs support after McSwegan had put Kilmarnock into the lead just after the hour-mark. However, with three minutes to go, Fulton wisely chose to celebrate his goal with his team-mates, which sees Kilmarnock level with Hibs in the league.

Indeed, they would have felt aggrieved if they had not won the game after dominating the first hour, although it was a tortuous conclusion after they had let Hibs back into the game when Paco Luna grabbed an equaliser out of almost nothing in 82 minutes.

Meanwhile, there is no doubt Hibs fans bring with them this perception, and they had given Jefferies a boisterous welcome on return from his sojourn in Yorkshire when his side appeared at Easter Road earlier in the season and lost 2-0.

His previous visit had been as manager of the Hearts team who were beaten 6-2 in the Edinburgh derby, a fact that the visiting support were keen to remind him of yesterday.

For his opposite number Bobby Williamson, though, there was a fairly warm glow from both sets of fans. There is still a feel-good factor about what Williamson achieved at Kilmarnock and these qualities are becoming evident at Easter Road.

Jefferies, as much as anyone, would be aware of it, knowing he could not take a fillip for granted on last Sunday’s point against Celtic, as he was facing one of the tightest teams in the league. Outwith the Old Firm, no team have a better defensive record than Hibs. This is all the more remarkable considering their dismal start to the season when they conceded 18 of their 29 goals-against in their first seven games.

They lost six of those matches and alarming problems were evident in the way the defence fell apart in the opening game of the season at home against Aberdeen, despite leading at half-time.

It was in such disarray that the more fickle fans were calling for the return of Frank Sauzee, who had managed to win just one game during his tenure. However, Williamson switched to a back three with Paul Fenwick and Yannick Zambernardi attacking the ball, with Gary Smith sweeping behind them. That it has worked is evident from Smith’s form in particular. This has proved the former Aberdeen player’s best spell since joining Hibs.

His composure and distribution are complemented by the Corsican, a natural left-footed player. That the wing-back in front of him, Craig James, also favours his left, makes Hibs fairly unusual in the Premierleague with both players on that side of the pitch naturally suited to their positions.

Another bonus with the rearranged system is that it has released Ian Murray to play in his best position in midfield, where he has prospered, not just at club level as top scorer this season with six goals, but in Scotland’s under-21 side.

Having attacked Celtic with pace last time and reaped the reward, Kilmarnock set about Hibs in similar manner, trying to unsettle the Edinburgh side early on. Indeed, they caused more problems for Hibs than either of the Old Firm attacks had in recent matches.

It was not long then before Craig Dargo and Peter Canero were gesticulating at the referee’s assistant, feeling they had been unjustly pulled up for offside. After 25 minutes, they were even more aggrieved when a deft pass from Dargo put McSwegan behind Hibs wing-back James, and his ball inside found McLaren, unmarked having broken clear of Hibs’ backline. But again the flag was up.

Kilmarnock were beginning to get behind Hibs on both sides. In the 29th minute Canero streaked past Alen Orman to the by-line and McSwegan was there to meet his cross, out-jumping Zambernardi. But there was even more frustration as his powerful header cannoned the ball down, only for it to bounce up against the crossbar.

Kilmarnock maintained the pressure and a free-kick in 35 minutes on the lip of the box was wasted by an over-elaborate build-up which resulted in McLaren plopping it well over.

But five minutes before half-time, Jefferies must have felt his side had sneaked a deserved lead when from a short corner Alan Mahood whipped in a cross for McLaren to meet at the near-post, only for Nick Colgan to smother it at the foot of the upright. On the rare occasions Hibs did attack, they were caught on the counter, as Dargo put McLaren free on the right leaving Zambernardi trailing, but he wasted the opportunity with an inaccurate ball across the face of the goal as Dargo and McSwegan followed up.

The problem for Hibs is that their recently-resolute defence was not being protected by their midfield which was being bossed around by Kilmarnock and Fulton in particular. A wonderful shimmy in the 58th minute sent McLaren clear, but he flashed his shot too wide across Colgan.

Then in 63 minutes, Kilmarnock got their reward for their pressure when Dargo’s cutback was despatched by McSwegan crisply into the net.

Hibs came out to play and in 77 minutes John O’Neil had his head in his hands after squandering a perfect opportunity to draw level after substitute Derek Townsley had got round the back of the Kilmarnock defence in a similar manner to Dargo for a cutback. But a wonderful spring by Luna saw him head in the equaliser minutes later from a long, speculative cross by Murray.

However, any chance of another grievance for Jefferies was swept away after Fulton chested down a cross to thrash in the winner.

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