Florian on the spot to get Hibs’ season up and running
Kilmarnock manager Stevie Clarke was livid after another controversial refereeing decision went against his side when a late Flo Kamberi penalty earned Hibs victory in an enthralling encounter. Clarke insists Kirk Broadfoot was actually fouled by Jamie Maclaren during the 78th-minute incident that led to John Beaton pointing to the spot. And, to make matters worse, the former Chelsea and Liverpool No.2, who has vowed to fight an SFA charge over comments made about Gary Dicker’s failed red card appeal, believes Broadfoot was also caught by Efe Ambrose in the host’s box in stoppage time. Kilmarnock came from two down to level before the break after Eamonn Brophy and Greg Stewart strikes cancelled out goals from Stevie Mallan and David Gray but Clarke was once again left feeling aggrieved. He said: “If you watch it back then you’ll see that Maclaren actually kicks Kirk on the back of the foot. How that can be a penalty I’m not sure. “There was also contact in the Hibs box on Kirk and I think if it’s a day for soft penalties then it should have been one each. “We should have got something from the game because we definitely deserved it. I was quietly fuming afterwards because we let a decent situation slip away from us. “It was a good free-kick from Stevie Mallan from another soft free-kick award and then we conceded from a corner but we responded with two really good team goals. “But events went against us and we feel really hard done by.” Hibs came out on top in April’s 5-3 goal-fest, and this was another thoroughly entertaining clash. Three goals inside the opening 26 minutes was not a bad start to trying to live up to the previous match. Hibs drew first blood as Mallan notched his seventh of the season and took his set-piece tally to four in the 12th minute. Martin Boyle was tripped by Aaron Tshibola just outside the area and former Barnsley playmaker Mallan swept a stunning curling shot away from Jamie MacDonald into the top corner of the net. Hibs doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute with a move direct from the training ground as the unmarked Gray bulleted a header past MacDonald from 12 yards out from Mallan’s corner. Kilmarnock’s hopes of dragging themselves back into the game were reinforced three minutes later when Clarke’s side reduced the deficit. Stewart found Stephen O’Donnell on the byeline and the Scotland right-back’s pass was turned past Adam Bogdan at the front post by Brophy. The travelling fans rose to celebrate and were back on their feet to see their team achieve parity two minutes before the break. Chris Burke fed Stewart on the edge of the area and the on-loan Birmingham City playmaker slid past Steven Whittaker before slamming a powerful left-footed rising drive past Bogdan from 20 yards. However, Kamberi notched the decisive strike as the game neared its end to hand Hibs their first Premiership win in four outings. Hibs manager Neil Lennon said: “Our penalty was a penalty. The defender is on the wrong side of Jamie and he’s come across him and been clever. “Jamie’s made a difference.”