Motivated By Defeat

The disappointment felt by the Kilmarnock players on Sunday could be the inspiration they need to make sure they get back to the national stadium again and push past Hibs to end up 4th in the SPL. Defender Frazer Wright was part of the team which suffered the 5-1 defeat by Hibs and believes the Killie have it in them to put the result behind them and look to the future. Wright said: "It's always good to make it to Hampden and play in a national final. We just need to sure if we are back next time that we win. We're in the top six (five points behind Hearts in fourth) and we just need to try and finish as high as we can. Hearts seem to be in a bit of a freefall at the moment. We have a game in hand on them and play them in a couple of weeks, so if we can win that then it will be tight."

Wright was disappointed with the way Killie fell behind to Rob Jones' first-half header. It wasn't until the second half that things really started to go wrong for the Ayrshire side. Abdessalam Benjelloun and Steven Fletcher extended Hibs lead before Gordon Greer headed Killie a lifeline. Former Stranraer defender Wright said: "It was their first corner and they (Jones) scored from it. It was something we talked about, not conceding from set-pieces. I thought maybe if we managed to get a second goal we might have had a chance but then they go up the park and score a fourth and fifth and that was it - curtains. That always happens if you are chasing a game, there is a chance you will get caught out. They just seemed to score with every chance they had."

Hibs boss John Collins wants to encourage the 30,000 Hibs fans who celebrated at Hampden to have another day of glory soon. After winning their first trophy since 1991, the Hibees face Dunfermline in the Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-finals on April 15. The players have to make sure they build on the cup win and not rest on their laurels. Collins said: "It was a great feeling for me and the players to look up and see the smiling faces and them singing and dancing. That is what it is all about, the punters come and they make the game special, without the fans it would not be the game it is. Sixteen years is a long time so fingers crossed it is not that long again."