THE two power cuts that delayed the conclusion of this match may have had Kilmarnock fans sweating given they held a two-goal lead at the time, but Greg Stewart knows that there would be a real period of darkness settling over the Ayrshire town if they fail to keep a hold of manager Steve Clarke.
The former West Brom boss has lit up Rugby Park, with this deserved victory temporarily elevating Killie into second place in the Premiership standings ahead of Rangers’ victory over Hearts yesterday.
Once power was restored, Stewart was the man who put the icing on this cakewalk against a woeful Hibernian outfit. A first-half double from Eamonn Brophy had them cruising, and the only thing that looked remotely likely to deny them victory was the absence of a decent electrician.
On-loan Birmingham City attacker Stewart is just praying that he is working under the man responsible for the stark change of fortunes at Kilmarnock for as long as possible.
“The gaffer’s been brilliant with me ever since I came in and I just hope that he stays,” Stewart said. “That’s the big worry - when you do well in football, someone will see it and the next thing you know they’re away.
“When you’re doing it in Scotland and a bigger club comes calling then what do you do? But I just hope that we can keep on doing what we’ve been doing up until now.”
The whole day was a farce from a Hibs point of view, with the three at the back that Neil Lennon started with being ripped apart down the flanks, before the scant momentum they were building after half-time when they switched to a back four halted by the pauses in play.
They will be relishing an early opportunity to make amends against St Mirren on Wednesday night.
“There’s nothing worse than having to wait seven or ten days to get back on to the park,” said Mark Milligan. “We have to take the positives from the second half and build on that because there’s no hiding from it, we are struggling at the minute.
“It’s going to take big men to get out of this. We are all good footballers, so we know we can turn it around, but I guess you find out the boys from the men at a time like this.”
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