HIBERNIAN manager Neil Lennon took aim at Rugby Park’s artificial pitch after his side surrendered a two-goal lead away to Kilmarnock.
Lennon, who was banished from the sidelines during the draw, labelled the plastic surface a hazard for opposing teams and said it was easy to see why the Ayrshire side came into the match on a seven-game winning streak at home.
Hibs capitalised on a lacklustre start by Killie with goals from Florian Kamberi after 30 seconds and Ryan Porteous on nine minutes, but their manager said they could not get fully up to speed because of the plastic surface.
Lennon said: “If we’d have lost this would have sounded like sour grapes so I’m glad we’ve come away with a point, but the fact is the pitch is abysmal. I can understand why Kilmarnock have won seven in a row here. It’s impossible to play football on it.
“It’s dangerous and players are losing their balance, slipping and falling over. It’s dry, they really should water it but they won’t because it’s a disadvantage to them.”
Martin Boyle and Jamie MacLaren both failed to extend the away side’s lead and Lennon admitted his side could have had the three points sewn up before half-time.
“We could’ve been home and hosed by half-time and then we had to weather a really dramatic storm, if you want to call it that, in the second half. We didn’t match them physically and I thought we were a little bit passive for my liking. Against Kilmarnock here you probably need that third goal, and (Jordan) Jones has scored a wondergoal that gave them a psychological lift.”
Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke on the other hand praised the way his side recovered and said they proved they were the better of the two teams. “At half-time I told them the best team was losing 2-0 and they should go out and do something about it in the second half and I thought they did,” he said. I think we’ve shown since I’ve been at the club that the spirit is good.”
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