Five new faces, plenty of possession, no points: The last time Hibs hosted Kilmarnock on the opening day of the season

Hibs meet Kilmarnock on the opening day of the 2020/21 season – here’s how they fared last time the two teams met on day one of a new campaign

Guillaume Beuzelin holds off a challenge from Kilmarnock defender David Lilley

When Kilmarnock travelled to Edinburgh to face Hibs on the opening day of the 2004/05 SPL season, they were coming up against a side led by a young, ambitious former player making his management bow.

Tony Mowbray had been unveiled in May, taking over from predecessor Bobby Williamson, and had taken charge of two UEFA Intertoto Cup matches – a 1-1 draw at home to FK Vetra of Lithuania played in torrential rain, and the return leg which resulted in a 1-0 win for the hosts and Hibs’ meek exit from the competition.

Just 12 players were on the books, less than two weeks before the first leg. By the time the start of the league season rolled around, goalkeeper Simon Brown had arrived from Colchester United while left-back David Murphy (Middlesbrough), striker Sam Morrow (Ipswich Town), midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin (Le Havre) and attacker Dean Shiels (Arsenal) had all signed on.

Kevin Nicol (left), Garry O'Connor, and Tony Mowbray look on as Kilmarnock record a 1-0 win on the opning day of the 2004/05 season

Three of the new signings were handed debuts against Kilmarnock with Brown in goals, Murphy starting on the left of a back four that also included Steven Whittaker, Gary Caldwell, and Colin Murdock, and Beuzelin lining up in the midfield alongside Scott Brown, Grant Brebner (who was later replaced by Shiels) and Stephen Glass. Tam McManus and Garry O’Connor were named in attack and made way for Morrow and Derek Riordan midway through the second period.

Hibs dominated proceedings in the first half, but couldn’t find a way past Kilmarnock’s debutant goalkeeper Alan Combe, who foiled the Easter Road strikers time and time again.

Combe, who joined Hibs as goalkeeper coach around ten years later, saved well from O’Connor and Murdock in the opening exchanges before thwarting McManus twice.

After the restart, Kilmarnock were denied a penalty after what looked like a handball from Murdock in the area and although Hibs continued to pour forwards in search of the opener, it was the visitors who took the lead. Murdock was adjudged to have pulled back Killie substitute Craig Dargo with 20 minutes remaining and from the resulting free kick, Kris Boyd notched what turned out to be the winner from around 20 yards. Brown got a hand to the powerfully-struck shot but was unable to keep it out.

Combe then denied Morrow and Glass as Mowbray’s side sought an equaliser but Jim Jefferies’ side took the three points. Future Hibs player and coach Colin Nish was an unused sub for the Ayrshire side.

If Hibs prevail in the opening game of the 2020/21 campaign, it will be the first time the club has recorded an opening day victory against Killie since 1899 when strikes from Bernard Breslin and Andrew McGuigan and an own goal handed Hibs a 3-1 win.

Hibs will be hoping for a similar outcome when they host Alex Dyer’s men next month.