KILLIE COMEBACK HITS DRAW NERVE
Gaffer Clarke doesn’t spare troops after poor first 45 PREMIERSHIP LIVE
STEVE CLARKE refused to spare his Kilmarnock players from criticism despite grasping a point from the jaws of defeat.
The Rugby Park manager told his troops they might well have made it three wins in a row had they performed for 90 minutes not just 45.
Critical of lame first-half display and shoddy defending at two set-pieces, Clarke had meted out some choice words at the interval.
His anger had the desired effect as Kris Boyd capped a stirring revival from two goals down with a late equaliser to maintain the feelgood factor under his manager.
The visitors had looked almost down and out in the Highlands by the break with County leading through Chris Routis and Jason Naismith goals.
But Eamonn Brophy’s fourth hit in three games sparked the recovery and Boyd’s trademark leveller killed County hopes of drawing level with their opponents in the table.
Clarke, however, would have been happier with 90 minutes of work and maximum points.
The Killie boss said: “The character shown in the second half is encouraging but I would like to see that effort and endeavour from the first minute.
“If we had done we might have been going home with three points. But from the position we were in you have to credit the players for their second-half performance. It has turned out to be a good point.”
Even at 2-0 down Clarke always believed his side could recover.
He said: “You are never dead and buried. The first half was a nothing game. There wasn’t a lot happening.
“We lost Gordon Greer to injury and then immediately lost a goal to a setplay which we didn’t defend well.
“Then we gave a soft free-kick away and conceded a second from a setplay which is disappointing. Normally we defend these well.
“We lost concentration and it would have been easy for the players at half-time to say, ‘We have come four and a half hours up the road after a couple of good wins – regroup and go again Saturday’.
“But we had a little chat at half-time and I asked the players for a little bit more – certainly two of the front three. I was pleased with Kris Boyd the whole game.
“I thought Jordan Jones and Eamonn Brophy had to do a bit more. In the second half they did and we got a foothold in the game. And with a striker like Kris you can always have a chance of a late goal.”
County have a natural talent of their own in recent signing Chris Eagles and the 32-year-old Englishman was prominent in a positive start.
The attacker fired wide in three minutes and sparked a lovely rapidpassing move soon after that ended with Jamie Lindsay firing well wide.
Killie’s first attacking foray in 16 minutes saw Boyd feed a weighted pass to Brophy whose shot drew a full-stretch dive from Scott Fox.
A thigh strain for Greer brought an early change for Killie, replaced by former Staggies stalwart Scott Boyd.
County were ahead on the half hour when an Eagles corner swept through the crowded penalty area and found Routis sneaking in at the back and he placed a powerful side-foot volley past Jamie MacDonald from 12 yards.
Five minutes before the break a Naismith head-flick, from an Eagles free-kick, was brilliantly timed as it soared past MacDonald into the net.
Killie’s Stuart Findlay became their second player to limp off before the break, replaced by Greg Taylor.
They were back in the contest in 61 minutes when Brophy unleashed a 25-yard rocket into the County net.
The Staggies brought on Ryan Dow and Billy Mckay but the momentum was with Killie. Youssef Mulumbu sent a 20-yard shot goalward with a flailing County leg only just diverting it over.
Still they came. Boyd had a penalty shout waved away five minutes from the end after falling clumsily under Marcus Fraser’s attentions.
But his moment came three minutes from the end as he rose to meet Chris Burke’s cross with a close-range header that deflected past Fox.
A disappointed Owen Coyle felt his players paid the price for taking their foot off the gas after the break.
The County boss said: “Kilmarnock have been carrying a bit of luck and with the deflection for their second goal that served them well tonight.
“Some of the football from us in the first half was outstanding and we certainly deserved to be well in front, there’s no doubt about that.
“The frustration for me was we never passed it in the second half to the same level we did in the first.
“There are a lot of aspects to be pleased about in the first half but a number of aspects from the second half need to be worked on.
“But we got the job for a reason. There’s a lot of work to be done.” ANDREW DALLAS didn’t put a foot wrong all night and controlled a fair and clean contest with ease. A strong, composed display from the whistler.