Kilmarnock ended a long wait for a win over Hibernian with a vital 1-0 victory at Easter Road on Wednesday. George Stanger's goal five minutes before half-time secured the club's first Scottish Premiership win of the season, lifting them to 12th place with five points from seven games. The win, which moved them up the standings, was built on a solid defensive display, a welcome change after they had conceded 14 goals in their opening five matches.
Neil McCann praised his team's spirit after the final whistle. "I don't think I can ask anything more of that team down there proper unity, proper togetherness and a proper will to see that out," the Kilmarnock manager said. The result halted a six-match home losing streak for Hibs and was Killie's first league win against them since a 1-0 victory in November 2022.
The statistics underlined the significance of the result. Kilmarnock had only won one of their previous 17 Premiership meetings with Hibernian, and they had not won at Easter Road in the league since May 2014. The win also ended a three-game run without a league goal for the Ayrshire side. The team will now look to build on this momentum in their fixtures, starting with a difficult trip to face second-placed Rangers on 10 October.
Hibernian boss David Gray acknowledged the pressure after a fifth straight home defeat. "I've been here during difficult times and I've been here during good times and you can't just say it's brilliant when things are going well and then not expect a bit of criticism when things aren't," he said.
For Kilmarnock, the victory provides a key boost. The team's recent form now reads one win, three draws and one loss from their last five outings, and they will hope key performers can maintain their fitness as tracked on the injuries page.
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