Kilmarnock boss Kenny Shiels pleased to end winless run
Last updated on .From the section Football
Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels was pleased for his players after getting a first win since he took charge of the club in March.
A comprehensive 4-1 win against Hibs gave Shiels his first victory as manager since Mixu Paatelainen left to take charge of Finland in March.
"It's not my first win, it's the team's first win," said Shiels.
"They're the ones that won the match and hopefully I made a contribution along with Jimmy Nicholl."
Paul Heffernan's strike gave Killie an early lead but Garry O'Connor's clever lob for Hibernian levelled before Killie were back in front when Paul Hanlon diverted a James Dayton cross into his own net before the interval.
James Dayton curled in an free kick and Heffernan volleyed in his second from close range on 71 minutes to complete a miserable day for the Edinburgh visitors and Shiels was delighted that his players put on a show for the home fans.
"Of course I'm happy," said Shiels.
"It doesn't always show on my face because your feelings are from within, but I thought it was a very, very good performance by the team."
Kilmarnock's performance was full of slick passing and clinical finishing, moving the Ayrshire team in to fourth place in the table on goal difference.
Just over 4,000 passed through the gates at Rugby Park to witness the victory, but Shiels is confident more fans will return if his players continue to produce exciting, entertaining football.
"Persistence is omnipotent and it's important that when we make mistakes - which we did for their equaliser - we play it out from the back," said Shiels.
"If you revert to going long, then it defeats the principle of how we play, because a football team must have a personality.
"It must have expression and intelligence - and we carried all three today.
"We've made mistakes - last week against Blackburn we were punished, but the players showed courage - they took the ball everywhere on the pitch, and that's what we're about.
"That's the product we're trying to create for the paying public."
