Benji hits the spot as Hibs beat Kilmarnock

Hibs sit two points off the top of the SPL after a late penalty from Abdessalam Benjelloun gave them the three points against Kilmarnock at Easter Road.

Despite a scrappy game in which both sides offered little in the final third, Benjelloun’s goal with only seven minutes remaining leaves the capital side just one point behind Celtic after their draw at home to Motherwell, and two points behind leaders Rangers.

Kilmarnock came close to opening the scoring in the fourth minute when Ryan O’Leary was denied by the post before Conor Sammon’s rebounded effort was saved by the keeper Graham Stack.

Hibs striker Derek Riordan, who looked back to his pre-Celtic best, came close eight minutes later when a powerful strike from a Merouane Zemmama cross sailed narrowly passed Mark Brown’s post.

Riordan threatened again after eighteen minutes, leaving Danny Invincible helpless on the left before hitting another strong left footed strike into the side netting. Moments later Anthony Stokes had the chance to open the scoring finding himself through on goal, but the strikers attempted chip was easily dealt with by Brown.

Despite the early chances, the first half was characterised by its lack of real of dynamism as both sides failed to provide the spark to open the scoring. The most threatening strikes of the first half hour were long-range efforts, and despite some terrific skill from Zemmama and Riordan on the wings for the home side, both teams looked unlikely to produce anything in the box.

Killie’s Jamie Hamill came close after his long range effort in the thirty seventh minute narrowly missed Graham Stack’s goal, and Hibs’ Benjelloun was unlucky not to make contact with a deflected Zemmama cross a minute later when the Moraccan winger fired a ball in from the right.

Zemmama proved a consistent threat on the right wing, and the Killie defence, particularly Gary Hay, looked ill-equipped to deal with the pacey 26 year-old.

A speculative strike from the visitors' James Fowler with five minutes left in the half came close, but his twenty yard effort sailed left of Graham Stack’s goal in a move indicative of the lack of goal mouth action in the first 45 minutes.

Hibs came out livelier in the second half, and looked keen to apply more pressure with the quick passing that has become a regular sight at Easter Road since John Hughes’ return to the club.

Zemmama continued to pose a threat on the right, and would have been through on Brown’s goal had it not been for some precise defending from the away side.

The Easter Road men did have the ball in the net after sixty seven minutes from a Benjelloun header, but Souleymane Bamba was judged to have fouled keeper Mark Brown as he attempted to deal with the incoming Riordan corner.

Riordan again looked to opening the scoring again five minutes later. A Zemmama cross deflected off a Kilmarnock defender before falling to the waiting Riordan, whose powerful shot brought out a terrific reaction save from former Celtic teammate Brown.

Another long-range effort from the striker curled only slightly over the bar in the seventy seventh minute, as Hibs asserted their control over the game and looked much more likely to score.

Kilmarnock could have been reduced to ten men shortly after when O’Leary brought down Colin Nish. Despite his being the last man, referee Craig Thomson was content to only award the free kick.

Hibs finally found the breakthrough in the eighty fourth minute when Benjelloun was brought down by Gavin Skelton in the box. The Hibs striker stood up to take the resulting pentalty himself and coolly hit the ball to Brown’s left.

Killie looked to up their own tempo in order to find an equaliser, but offered very little in the way of real threats to Hibs’ back four. The home side were only denied a second goal when Brown saved a strong Zemmama shot from the right.

Despite the scrappy nature of the game, Hibs will be happy to walk away with the three points that sees them take a comfortable third place. Although Hughes will face a different game next week when the Leith side visit Rangers, the manager’s ability to grind out results in games such as these is what has made his side strong contenders for third place, and given them some hope ahead of their first visit to Ibrox under their new manager.