Football: ALEX'S MEN CAN'T KILL KILLIE

BOTH teams went into this match lacking in confidence and both will feel disappointed with their performance at Rugby Park.

Neither keeper was seriously tested as the two team's defences coped easily with lacklustre attacks.

Hibs manager Alex McLeish looked to have set his stall out for goals as he started David Zitelli alongside Tam McManus and Craig Brewster but they got no change from Killie's back three of Chris Ennis, Kevin McGowne and Jesus Sanjuan.

McLeish's side, a comfortable third in the table last season, are now struggling to justify their reputation as the best team in Scotland outside of the Old Firm.

Even after Ennis hobbled off in the second half, the visitors could not stretch the makeshift defence.

The first chance of the match didn't arrive until the 31st minute when Gordon Marshall comfortably tipped McManus' header over the bar following Zitelli's corner.

Hibs were enjoying the better possession and Killie's only threat came from Ally Mitchell's long-range bombs, but he must have American blood in him as he never got close to the target.

Both sides looked to have their best chances from set pieces, with Killie's McGowne and Chris Boyd, making his first SPL start, passing up chances after being set up by Sanjuan's free-kick.

Hibs had eight corners in the first half as they forced Killie back, but the home side stood up well to the pressure.

The visitors had a shout for a penalty in the 38th minute when Grant Brebner went down under pressure from Mikael Pizzo but the referee waved away the players' protests.

The visiting fans were screaming again for a spot-kick five minutes after the break when Gordon Marshall appeared to misjudge Ian Murray's through ball and clattered into McManus.

But referee Tom Brown adjudged he had made sufficient contact with the ball to keep the challenge legal.

Killie manager Bobby Williamson switched to a more attacking formation when Ennis was forced off after a challenge by Alan Orman and brought on Jamie Fowler.

It was Hibs who almost capitalised as Zitelli found space on the left but could only win a corner.

From the resulting kick, the ball broke again to the Frenchman and his drive went through a forest of legs before being blocked on the line by Mitchell.

The introduction of Fowler injected some much needed pace into the home attack and they came close after 57 minutes.

Pizzo held the ball on the edge of the box before feeding Jerome Vareille, whose turn and shot sailed narrowly past the angle.

Hibs thought they had taken the lead in bizarre circumstances on the threequarter mark.

Sanjuan threw himself to clear McManus' dangerous cross but succeeded only in heading the ball past the stranded Marshall into his own net.

But to his relief, he saw the linesman's flag go up for offside.

Kilmarnock created a good chance ten minutes from time when substitute Paul Di Giacomo pulled the ball back from the byline to Boyd, but the youngster couldn't turn his shot goalward.

The Killie coaching staff will be happier with the point, especially considering the youthfulness of the team and the clean sheet, which stopped the recent rot.

Hibs manager Alex McLeish, however, will see this as two points dropped.

He will be particularly disappointed by his team's lack of firepower - especially considering their attacking line-up.MAN OF THE MATCH JESUS SANJUAN

Solid at the back.

KILMARNOCK: Marshall 6, Innes 7 (Fowler 6), SANJUAN 7, McGowne 6, Canero 7, Pizzo 5 (McDonald 5), Mahood 6, Mitchell 6, Baker 6, Boyd 6, Vareille 5 (Di Giacomo 5).

HIBERNIAN: Colgan 6, Smith 6, Fenwick 7, Laursen 7, Murray 6, Brebner 7, Jack 6 (Townsley 4), Orman 6, Zitelli 6, Brewster 5 (Smart 4), McManus 6 (Andrews 4).

MANAGER RATINGS: Williamson 6; McLeish 5. REFEREE: T Brown 6.

Copyright 2001 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.