Kilmarnock ended 2024 on a sour note with an eighth red card of the season and defeat to Hibs at Easter Road.
Nectar Triantis bagged the game’s only goal in a contest that was more disjointed than perhaps expected given both sides went into the clash on good form.
Killie’s hopes of pickiung up anything from the game suffered a hit in the 63rd minute when Danny Armstrong saw a second yellow for a challenge on Jack Iredale as the two players looked to win a rebound after the keeper had palmed away a Fraser Murray strike.
Derek McInnes elected to name an unchanged starting line-up following their 4-0 Boxing Day victory over Aberdeen, although defender Robbie Deas returned from suspension to a place on the bench.
Both teams struggled to get a foot on the ball in the opening stages but Hibs should have opened the scoring on 11 minutes with the game’s first real effort. Martin Boyle was found in acres of space down the right flank and fired in an enticing ball that found Junior Hoilett at the back post only for the Canadian to fluff his lines and send the ball wide.
At the other end, both Bobby Wales and Kyle Vassell fired straight at Smith when well placed to properly test the keeper.
Just as the game needed a spark, Hibs took the lead. Nicky Cadden almost produced a spectacular finish at the back post with the hosts taking the lead from the resultant corner, which the winger whipped in with Triantis heading home his first goal for the club.
Killie came out the second half hoping to drag themselves back into the game and passed up their best chance five minutes after the restart when a whipped Armstrong delivery but Robbie Deas was unable to contol the ball after breaking the offside trap.
Hibs should have doubled their lead around the hour mark when Rocky Bushiri blasted over the bar from close range. McCrorie had made a smart save to palm away Lewis Miller’s fizzing strike with the rebound being played across goal but the defender blazed over from inside the six yard box.
The away side’s chances suffered a huge blow when they were on the receiving end of their eighth red card of the campaign on the 63 minute mark. Moments after picking up a first yellow, Armstrong put in a challenge on Iredale after Murray’s angled drive was parried by Jordan Smith.
From then on neither side looked particularly likely to find the net as Hibs saw out the game and picked up the three points.
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