Maxwell is last action hero for Leith men
HIBS cast off their Edinburgh derby disappointment to squeeze through to a Betfred Cup semi-final showdown with Celtic.
It took a penalty shootout to secure their passage, but the 5-4 victory will have at least eased some of the pressure on Easter Road boss Paul Heckingbottom.
Sunday’s defeat to city rivals Hearts had led to speculation the Englishman wasn’t long for his job. However, he may find himself with more time to turn Hibs’ poor league form around after securing progression to a last-four Hampden showdown with the cup holders.
Kilmarnock manager Angelo Alessio had made two changes from the side that lost 3-1 to Celtic on Sunday. Harvey St Clair made his first start for the club since joining on loan from Venezia and Chris Burke returned to the team.
Heckingbottom made three changes from the side that lost 2-1 to Hearts on Sunday. Jason Naismith was injured and his place at right-back went to Tom James. But the big news was that fans’ favourite Scott Allan was dropped to the bench as was Swiss striker Florian Kamberi.
Given Heckingbottom recently angered Hibs supporters by playing Allan out of position and then substituting him during a home draw with St Johnstone, this was a big call indeed.
In came Glenn Middleton and Chris Doidge — a £300,000 summer signing who has not exactly hit the ground running.
The first half was pretty much a non-event as the teams cancelled each out. It was to prove the story of the night with a penalty shoot-out looking likely from early on a poor game.
The only first-half incidents of note were a Stephen O’Donnell shot from the right that Hibs keeper Chris Maxwell turned round for a corner. At the other end, Stevie Mallan tried his luck from 25 yards after his spectacular derby goal against Hearts but his effort went wide.
Hibs gradually got a grip on the game and on-loan Rangers attacker Middleton injected some creativity with a fine move down the right but his delivery into the box was mopped up by Killie captain Gary Dicker.
As the game headed towards the break, the hosts had two half-hearted penalty appeals rightly turned down for challenges on St Clair.
Hibs were not creating much and when Lewis Stevenson played Middleton through after the break he was clearly offside as he clipped the ball past Killie keeper Laurentiu Branescu.
In a bid to change the course of this match, Alessio sent on Liam Millar for St Clair while Hibs put Allan and Oli Shaw on to replace Middleton and Daryl Horgan.
Within seconds, Shaw got on the end of a fine James cross from the right but Branescu tipped his effort over.
Eamonn Brophy then missed a chance when he saw Maxwell had raced off his line. But he watched in agony as his 25-yard effort landed on top of the net.
In extra-time, Allan picked out Doidge and his clever backheel allowed Shaw a glimpse at goal but he shanked his shot wide.
When Kirk Broadfoot quit Killie during the summer, he criticised Alessio’s training methods and said he went out running himself to improve his fitness. But it was the Rugby Park side that looked to have more energy in the second period of extra-time.
First Dom Thomas sent over a corner over the head of Maxwell. Stuart Findlay got a connection but could not hit the target.
Then Thomas ran the full length of the pitch before curling a shot beyond Maxwell but the ball rattled the goal frame.
There was late drama as Hibs defender Ryan Porteous was sent off for wiping out Liam Millar on the touchline. A mass shoving match ensued.
O’Donnell then headed a great chance wide from the resulting free-kick and penalties beckoned. In the shooutout, Maxwell proved the hero as he saved from Niko Hämäläinen to put Hibs through.
KILMARNOCK (4-2-3-1): Branescu; O’Donnell, Del Fabro, Findlay, Hamalainen; Dicker, Power; Burke (McKenzie 86), El Makrini (Thomas 94), St Clair (Millar 64); Brophy (Sow 89).
Subs not used: Koprivec, Bruce, Hendrie. Booked: Burke, McKenzie.
HIBERNIAN (4-2-3-1): Maxwell; James, Porteous, Hanlon, Stevenson; Vela, Hallberg (Newell 84); Horgan (Shaw 70), Mallan, Middleton (Allan 70); Doidge (Jackson 120). Sub not used: Marciano, Whittaker, Kamberi. Booked: Doidge, Allan, Vela. Sent off: Porteous. Man of the match: Harvey St Clair. Referee: Willie Collum. Attendance: 4,780.