Kilmarnock 1 Hibernian 0

Last updated : 09 August 2008 By Footymad Previewer
Kilmarnock opened their league account with a merited victory over a Hibs side lacking balance and confidence.

Injuries blighted Killie's campaign last season, but it was two knocks which ironically improved his team. Frazer Wright was an early replacement for Ryan O'Leary and he put in a commanding display at the back, while match-winner Jamie Hamill would not have been on the pitch but for a late injury to Simon Ford.

Jim Jefferies gave the home fans a boost pre-match by being able to name Alan Combe in goal, while Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen gave starts to two latest recruits Joe Keenan and Steven Thicot in central midfield.

Hibs had the first real chance of the match in the 17th minute thanks to a terrible mistake from Killie's Garry Hay. The full-back's underhit pass back went straight to Steven Fletcher, who squared to former Killie favourite Colin Nish, but the big striker shot weakly into Combe's arms.

Fletcher almost made the breakthrough on his own thanks to a beautiful overhead flick which befuddled his marker, but he couldn't get enough on his shot to beat Combe who made a good save.

Kilmarnock finished the first half strongly and their best efforts were a Mehdi Taouil 20-yard shot which Andy McNeil did well to tip over and a Frazer Wright volley which deflected wide.

Hibs substitute Filipe Morais had the first look at goal in a stuffy second half in the 73rd minute following a break from a Kilmarnock corner, but Combe parried well to his left.

A clash of heads a minute later proved a significant moment in the match as both Killie's Ford and Hibs' David van Zanten had to go off, but Hibs had no substitutes left and had to play on for 15 minutes with only ten men, while Ford's replacement Hamill fired Kilmarnock into the lead with ten minutes left.

David Fernandez held play up well on the edge of the Hibs box and allowed Hamill to support from midfield, before teeing him up to fire beyond Andrew McNeil and into the bottom right corner of the net.