Second-half goals by Hibernian substitute Ivan Sproule and striker Steven Fletcher gave the Leith side victory over Kilmarnock in their Bank of Scotland Premier League clash at Rugby Park.

The Irishman came on at the interval for Ross Campbell and five minutes later rifled an unstoppable shot from the edge of the Killie box past keeper Alan Combe.

And with four minutes remaining, after home striker Gary Wales had been sent off after receiving his second yellow card, the visitors made sure of the points when Fletcher drove home a Lewis Stevenson cut-back from 10 yards out.

It was deserved victory in the end for John Collins' side although the match never came to life until the second half.

The SPL's experiment with live televised football on a Monday night certainly appeared to affect the attendance at Rugby Park, with only 4,963 turning up.

And the fans, as well as the viewers, would not have been impressed with the first 45 minutes.

In a tepid start, the Easter Road side did manage to force a couple of corners but the Ayrshire men defended stoutly, with defender Frazer Wright coping well with the aerial presence of Hibs' giant stopper Rob Jones.

There was a general inertia about proceedings but in the 14th minute Killie midfielder Steven Naismith sent debutant Momo Sylla down the left in what looked like a promising move.

But the former Leicester City player's cross into the penalty area was easily mopped up by the visiting defence with no Killie players in the vicinity.

However, in the 19th minute Wales came close when he hammered a shot from 20 yards against the post, Hibs keeper Andrew McNeil grateful to see the ball rebound straight back into his arms as he lay prostrate on the floor.

As the visitors struggled to cope with the first spell of pressure they were put under, Killie were spurred on to press for the opener.

But gradually the Leith side began to string some passes together and threaten the home goal. In the 39th minute, as the home defence slept for the first time, Jones was allowed to latch on to a David Murphy free-kick and head the ball into a packed penalty area.

Dean Shiels pounced as the Killie defence hesitated but, with a goal almost certain, he slammed his right-footed shot from six yards high over the bar. That incident summed up a dire first period.

The second-half, however, was a vast improvement. Hibs manager John Collins brought on Guillaume Beuzelin and Sproule for Thomson and Campbell at the interval in an attempt to spark his side into life and five minutes into the second half they combined to give Hibs the lead.

A fluid four-man move which started with Murphy in the left-back position quickly travelled through Shiels to Beuzelin.

When the Frenchman laid the ball off to Sproule 20 yards from goal the Ulsterman took a touch then rifled his shot past Combe before rushing to take the acclaim of the Hibs fans behind the goal.

Then, seconds after Killie substitute Colin Nish replaced Danny Invincibile, Fletcher headed just wide from a Lewis Stevenson cross with Combe flapping at fresh air.

On the hour mark, as the Easter Road side moved through the gears, Fletcher missed another opportunity with his head from just 10 yards out after Combe had parried a Sproule drive into his path. It was another good chance wasted. But there was the feeling that more would come their way.

With Killie desperate to get back level, Naismith ended a mazy run by drilling a right-footed shot from 25 yards inches past the post.

But in the 74th minute the home side's task was made all the more difficult when Wales was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for an attempted kick at Hibees substitute Steven Whittaker, who had replaced Shiels.

Three minutes earlier the former Jambo was cautioned for a hand ball then walked after referee Charlie Richmond adjudged his two-footed lunge at the Hibs player on the half-way line to be worthy of a second yellow.

In the 86th minute the visitors made sure of the three points when Fletcher smartly converted a Stevenson cut-back from 10 yards out.

It was an impressive goal with which to seal the win.

Teams

Kilmarnock Combe, Grant Murray, Hay, Frazer Wright, Ford,Fowler, Naismith, Johnston (Leven 79),Syila (Stephen Murray 65), Invincibile (Nish 52), Wales.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Dodds, Adams, Campbell.

Sent Off: Wales (75).

Booked: Naismith, Wales, Nish.

Hibernian McNeil, McCann, Murphy, Jones, Fletcher,Campbell (Beuzelin 46), Scott Brown, Thomson (Sproule 46),Hogg, Shiels (Whittaker 66), Stevenson.

Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Martis, Glass, Benjelloun.

Booked: Jones, Murphy, Stevenson, Scott Brown, McCann.

Goals: Sproule 51, Fletcher 87.

Att: 4,963

Ref: C Richmond (Scotland).