PAUL DALGLISH scored his first goal for Hibernian, as he came on as a late substitute to secure a dramatic last-gasp win to move them past Kilmarnock into fourth place in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague. On the night Celtic wrapped up the title, two goals in the last ten minutes from Derek Riordan and Dalglish snatched the points away from Kilmarnock, who had led after Gary Wales’s nineteenth-minute goal.

Hibernian and Kilmarnock headed into the game knowing the winners would have a great chance of finishing fourth this season, with a possible ticket to the Uefa Cup up for grabs. But Hibernian were also keen to bounce back quickly after their thrashing at the hands of Heart of Midlothian in the semi-final of the Tennent’s Scottish Cup at the weekend.

Both teams looked lively from the outset but it was Hibernian who almost drew first blood when a dangerous inswinging corner from Riordan forced Alan Combe, the goalkeeper, to tip the ball over his crossbar. Riordan was threatened again when he unleashed a spectacular effort from 25 yards, which fell across the face of goal and just wide of target, and he then burst through the middle before turning provider and setting up Steven Whittaker for the shot but his effort deflected wide of the post.

But it was Kilmarnock who took the lead. Colin Nish surged into the box and threaded the ball into the path of Wales. Gary Caldwell frantically tracked back but was too late to prevent Wales firing the ball into the top corner.

Hibernian could have been level again quickly but Combe pulled off an impressive block to deny Abdessalam Benjelloun’s thunderous shot.

Benjelloun then won Hibernian a free-kick when he was tripped on the edge of the area only for Riordan to send the set-piece screaming just wide of the goal. It was impossible to predict who was most likely to find the back of the net when Wales was denied a brace when his long-range effort was blocked by the Hibernian goalkeeper.

Hibernian quickly set about trying to restore parity after the interval and Steven Fletcher set up Whittaker, who tried to lob the goalkeeper only to fire well over the crossbar. Spurred into action, Kilmarnock had a chance of their own when Nish — desperate to add to his tally of just five goals this season — raced into the box. But the big striker found himself sandwiched between two players and his shot lacked conviction.

Riordan was still Hibernian’s most dangerous player and he saw a shot blocked at the near post by Combe, with fans claiming his heels had been caught by Lindsay Wilson. Undeterred, he had another go with a long-range shot but the goalkeeper was up to the task.

Nish had another go with a 20-yard drive but it was easily smothered by the Hibernian goalkeeper. Instead, it was Hibernian who found the back of the net when Wilson gifted possession to Riordan, who twisted past the Australian before rifling into the roof of the net with ten minutes to go.

There was worse to come for Killie when Dalglish grabbed the winner seven minutes later.

HIBERNIAN: Z Malkowski, J Shields (sub: P Dalglish, 82min), G Caldwell, C Hogg, D Murphy, S Whittaker, O Konde, K Thomson, S Fletcher (sub: A Konte, 81), D Riordan, A Benjelloun (sub: S Lynch, 90). Substitutes: S Brown, J McCluskey, L Stevenson, D Smith.

KILMARNOCK: A Combe, L Wilson, S Ford, F Wright, G Hay, D Invincibile, J Fowler, A Johnston (sub: G McDonald, 71), S Naismith, C Nish, G Wales (sub: P Leven, 86). Substitutes: G Smith, G Greer, P Di Giacomo, R Campbell, C Bell. Booked: Fowler, Naismith, Hay.

Referee: C Murray