Hibernian were looking to go back to the top of the Premier League with victory at Rugby Park and they were confident with four-goal Didier Agathe in fantastic form.

The visitors could not have come into the game in more confidence after their impressive 5-1 mauling of Dundee and manager Alex McLeish was forced to make just one change with Martin McIntosh replacing Paul Fenwick, who was on international duty with Canada.

In contrast Kilmarnock were hoping to make it third time lucky after two defeats to the Old Firm and made three changes from the side which were unfortunate to have come away without at least a point from Parkhead on Sunday.

Kevin McGowne came in for the suspended Martin Baker, who was sent off in controversial circumstances against Celtic, while Alan Mahood and James Fowler made way for Christophe Cocard Ally Mitchell.

But despite the changes the home side made a promising start, but it was Hibernian who created the first half-chance in the eighth minute when Mixu Paatelainen got on the end of McIntosh's pump down field, but his centre was intercepted by goalkeeper Gordon Marshall with Agathe lurking ominously behind.

The home side responded within two minutes when Cocard teed the ball up for Gus MacPherson to try his luck from 22 yards but his effort flew just wide.

Once again this season the referee was thrust into the spotlight in the 12th minute when Peter Canero looked to have been blocked on his way to goal by Matthias Jack but Alan Freeland waved away protests much to the home crowd's disgust.

That reprieve seemed to spur the visitors and in the 16th minute Marshall pushed a fierce 22-yard drive from John O'Neil, after a pass from Russell Latapy, around the post.

Freeland produced his first yellow card of the match in the 27th minute and Hibernian midfielder Tom Smith was the culprit when he was slightly late with a tackle on Kilmarnock defender Frederic Dindeleux that left him writhing in agony.

McLeish had to be warned by the official for his protests on the touch-line, but some of the decisions were giving both sets of supporters plenty to get angry about in a quiet start to the game.

However, the home side almost gave their fans a goal in the 35th minute when Ally McCoist took Gary Holt's pass to the byline before driving a dangerous ball across the face of goal that McLaren fired into the side-netting.

Moments later and McCoist rose to meet Cocard's cross, but the veteran striker's powerful header sailed just over the Hibernian crossbar.

But they paid for the double miss in the 37th minute when Smith whipped a dangerous cross into the box and Paatelainen rose above Dindeleux to direct his header past Marshall.

Hibernian should have put the game out of sight in the 70th minute when Paatelainen threaded the ball through to O'Neil, who snatched at the shot when faced with the keeper and he sliced wildly off target.

Kilmarnock were becoming more and more desperate in search of the leveller as Hibernian began to tire towards the end and in the 78th minute Colgan pushed a long-range effort from Dargo just over.

Colgan again kept his side in front in the 82nd minute when he got across to his left to save a free-kick from Dindeleux from just outside the area.

Despite the home sides best efforts near the end the visitors dug deep to send the travelling fans back to Edinburgh with that top-of-the-table feeling.