LET there be light. That was the plea from everyone of a Kilmarnock persuasion as two power failures almost cost them a deserved three points against Hibernian at Rugby Park.

Twice in the second half the floodlights conked out, delaying the action for around 15 minutes on each occasion with Killie two up and cruising towards a win that was to put them second. In the end, the game was eventually played to its conclusion, much to the disappointment of the sizeable Hibs support, with the lights firmly put out on any notion of a comeback from the visitors. The only disappointment from a reporter’s point of view was that the outstanding Alan Power wasn’t among the goals.

As it was, two first half strikes from Eamonn Brophy on his return from injury and a late clincher from Greg Stewart made the difference on the day, with the scoreline an accurate reflection on the play.

Hibs, who were woeful, are now without a win since demolishing Hamilton by six goals to nil, picking up just two points from their last 18.

“The biggest disappointment of the day was the lights not going back out again," sighed Hibs assistant manager Garry Parker.

“All of it was disappointing though from start to finish. Not good enough.

“We could have taken off anybody at half-time and they couldn’t have complained. In the second half it got a little bit better maybe, but still not good enough.

“Are they lacking confidence? I don’t know, you’d have to ask them. They are good players in their own right, but they aren’t doing it at the moment.

“We started the second half a bit better but the lights going out was no excuse. We could have been out there all day and not scored a goal. It was terrible, shocking.”

Hibs were caught cold just six minutes in as a quick throw-in from Jordan Jones released Stewart in behind, where he got through Ryan Porteus’s challenge far too easily before laying the ball on perfectly for the arriving Brophy to sidefoot past Adam Bogdan.

The early flurry of activity died down a little, but Stewart got the home fans going as he took Mark Milligan to the cleaners, turning the Australian inside out three times before his low cut-back was blocked away.

Referee Craig Thomson had been quiet by his usual standards, but he got in on the action half an hour in as he awarded a spot-kick to the home side. To be fair to the whistler, he got it spot on.

Jones burst past a couple of weak challenges before his run was brought to a halt by the outstretched foot of Darren McGregor. Thomson immediately pointed to the spot, and Brophy was only too happy to step up and sidefoot his second goal of the game right up the middle.

Hibs could only blame themselves for the desperate quality of their defending. The back three that manager Neil Lennon set up with left his side exposed on the flanks, where Stewart and Jones were running riot. Whittaker in particular was struggling to get any sort of handle on Jones from right wing-back, and it was no surprise to see him replaced at the break.

McGregor was also hooked, with Darryl Horgan and Oli Shaw coming on as Lennon went to a back four.

Still, it looked as though it would take divine intervention for Hibs to salvage anything from the game, but they almost got it when the first power cut left Rugby Park in complete darkness seven minutes after the restart. All that could be seen were the day-glow strips of the visitors, prompting referee Thomson to eventually order the players from the pitch before the announcement that light was going to gradually be restored drawing boos from the hopeful Hibs support.

After around quarter of an hour, the players re-emerged into that light, and to be fair to Hibs, they looked a little sharper in their new shape.

A great ball to the back post by Miquel Nelom found Shaw, but he clipped the outside of the post with his free header when he really should have been dragging his team back into the contest.

The Hibs fans were soon celebrating though as the lights went out for a second time on 68 minutes, and we went through the whole rigmarole again as power was eventually restored for a second time.

When take three got underway, Horgan started to influence the play, but Kilmarnock were always looking dangerous on the break, and they finally settled it when Chris Burke played in Stewart to race through and clip over Bogdan. Lights out.

“I think the stoppages actually disrupted us a little bit more than Hibs because they were chasing the game and had nothing to lose, whereas we couldn’t find a proper rhythm in the second half which we had in the first,” said Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke. “It was nice to get the third one, but we should have had it earlier.

"We only think about the next game against Livingston here, hopefully they will sort the problem with the lights and we can all have a nice early night instead of going on and on and on.”