Hibernian's talented young squad badly missed the guidance of Bobby Williamson after being taught a lesson by Kris Boyd at Rugby Park.

The 20-year-old seized on some schoolboy defending from the visitors to score two goals which condemned Partick Thistle to bottom spot in the Bank of Scotland Premier League while also enhancing his own hopes of forcing his way into Berti Vogts' Scotland squad.

For the managerless Edinburgh side, life started badly without Williamson, who this week left the club for a new career with Plymouth.

From the first whistle, the players he had left behind looked lost even with his assistants Gerry McCabe and Jim Clark in temporary charge.

Kilmarnock continued from last week's controversial defeat to champions Celtic with a flowing move which brought them a good opening in the 22nd minute.

Stephen Murray did well on the left before finding Craig Dargo and he teed Rhian Dodds up just outside the box but his shot was well saved by Daniel Andersson to his left.

The home side went ahead in the 28th minute, although questions will be asked about the desperately poor defending from Colin Murdock.

Freddie Dindeleux played the ball up to Boyd on the edge of the area and he comfortably turned away from the Hibernian man before driving a shot past the hand Andersson.

Riordan tried to revive his team-mates in the 35th minute when he ran on to Gary Caldwell's long ball and fired just wide of the far post from close range.

Hibernian had Steven Whittaker booked for a desperate foul on a flying Murray before Murdock made went close to making amends for his earlier blunder in the 37th minute.

Murray sent Boyd away down the left wing and he pulled the ball back from the touchline but the ball was bundled behind with Kilmarnock players queuing up.

The goalscorer fired just wide in the 40th minute before the Hibernian caretaker bosses were forced to make a change with Tom McManus replaced by Garry O'Connor after he failed to recover from an earlier challenge from Gordon Greer.

Andersson must have been taking advice from Murdock as his terrible mistake in the last minute of the half should have been punished by the home side.

He kicked a back-pass straight to Boyd but instead of firing into the empty net, from a tight angle, the Kilmarnock striker tried to pick out Dargo and he blasted the ball into the sidenetting.

The Hibernian goalkeeper made the perfect response on the stroke of half-time by saving Invincibile's shot with his legs after the Kilmarnock man had gone clean through on goal.

The visitors started the second half much more urgently after going in at the break fortunate to be still in the game.

Kevin Thomson tried to get Riordan away in the box but Garry Hay's challenge stopped him from testing Colin Meldrum.

The departing Kilmarnock goalkeeper was again saved of any work when O'Connor headed Kevin Nicol's cross over from nine yards.

O'Connor took his frustration out on James Fowler with a late challenge on him in the 61st minute which rightly earned him a yellow card.

Hibernian should have been in deep trouble in the 68th minute when the post saved them as Boyd crashed a header, from Skora's corner, against the post.

Murray continued to look impressive and his attempted chip was deflected wide in the 75th minute.

Kilmarnock were almost taught a lesson of their own for not killing off Hibernian when their opponents went close in the 76th minute.

Riordan found himself in plenty of room in the box and he unleashed a powerful drive which Meldrum did well to push away.

But a bad week for Hibernian was compounded in the 85th minute when Boyd latched on to Invincibile's through-ball and kept his head and balance to fire past Andersson.

Teams

Kilmarnock Meldrum, Fowler, Greer, Dindeleux, Hay, Invincibile, Dodds, Skora (McDonald 89), Murray (Canning 79), Boyd, Dargo (McSwegan 70).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Nish.

Booked: Boyd.

Goals: Boyd 28, 85.

Hibernian Andersson, Whittaker (Fletcher 77), Caldwell, Murdock, Edge, Scott Brown, Nicol, Thomson, Reid, McManus (O'Connor 39), Riordan.

Subs Not Used: Alistair Brown, Kane, Notman.

Booked: Whittaker, O'Connor.

Att: 4,886

Ref: C Murray (Scotland).