JORDAN GETS A WRIGHT EARFUL
Jones back in the wars as Clarke’s troops move on up
JORDAN JONES took centre stage again as Killie enjoyed more home comforts to leapfrog Hearts into fifth place in the Premiership.
Goals either side of half-time by Kris Boyd and Lee Erwin saw Steve Clarke’s side make it eight matches unbeaten and stretched their undefeated run at Rugby Park to nine games.
It was Jones who grabbed all the headlines again. Clarke had launched a staunch defence of the Northern Irish winger and blasted Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes for calling him a diver.
Here, Jones won the penalty that Boyd converted in 30 minutes as the striker took his tally to 12 in 14 matches and 18 for the campaign.
It was an eventful night for Jones as he also got involved in a verbal spat with St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright then aimed a shush gesture at the Perth gaffer after defender Jason Kerr saw red for a professional foul on the wide man three minutes from the break.
Killie sprang out of the traps and in the opening 60 seconds Aaron Tshibola and Jones combined and the on-loan Aston Villa man flashed in a cross that just eluded Boyd and Erwin.
Jones then went on a fine solo run through the heart of the Saints defence but his effort was weak and easily gathered by Alan Mannus.
Saints’ Chris Kane shot over before Chris Millar was lucky not to be punished for a high boot on Gary Dicker, Sunday’s Old Firm ref Willie Collum deeming it only worthy of a warning.
Killie were awarded a penalty when Aaron Comrie lunged in on Jones. Boyd emphatically smashed in an effort from 12 yards that fizzed high into the net.
Comrie picked up a booking for upending Jones, which brought Wright to the edge of his technical area with Collum having to step in to separate the pair.
Minutes later an exasperated Wright made a diving motion as Jones hit the deck again, much to the annoyance of the home supporters. And when Kerr upended Jones as he burst clean through on goal at the edge of the box Collum showed a straight red card.
That was the signal for Wright to throw on Liam Gordon for hitman Kane after 44 minutes. Things almost went from bad to worse for Saints as Erwin rattled a drive off the post and Tshibola cracked home from 20 yards from the rebound. But the assistant’s flag was up for offside.
Wright brought on striker Denny Johnstone for Williams at the break.
It was one-way traffic towards the away goal and Erwin somehow got his angles all wrong when he latched on to a Jones cross but screwed wide from 10 yards when it looked easier to score.
However, he finally got the goal his play deserved when he curled a low drive past Mannus.
Stephen O’Donnell wasted a glorious chance to make it 3-0 in 83 minutes when he hammered the ball off the legs of Mannus when put through one-on-one with the Saints keeper.