FAST AND FURIOUS
Boyd scores the quickest goal in Premiership history but Killie’s unhappy fans still hit boos
Kris Boyd started it with the Premiership’s quickest ever goal.
But it was Kilmarnock kid Sean Longstaff who finished it with a late winner for Lee Clark’s side. The Rugby Park outfit led Ross County after just 10.2 seconds as Boyd entered the record books. And after going behind just 11 minutes later to Christopher Routis and Alex Schalk goals, Killie staged a stunning secondhalf fightback. Gary Dicker levelled it at 2-2 before on- loan Newcastle midfielder Longstaff sealed a first top-f light win since December 3 in the 90th minute. This was a bizarre game of football though. After Killie’s rapid star t they were BOOED by the home support in the first half. Ross County had the game in the palm of their hands at 2-1 but threw it away by becoming complacent, allowing an under-pressure Clark to bag a precious win. His No. 2 Lee McCulloch said: “The second half was the best we’ve played all season. We got off to a great start and were then all over the place for 15 minutes. “But we regained our composure and were brilliant in the second half. It was hard for the boys at 2-1 down and the fans were on their backs. “But it’s a learning curve for them. They need to deal with it
if they want to play for a big club.”
Killie couldn’t have dreamed of a better start as Dicker’s header somehow beat County’s defence to put Boyd in on goal.
And as keeper Scott Fox advanced the big striker used all of his experience to cleverly lob the ball over him into an empty net.
The Staggies were shellshocked and it should have been the perfect platform for Clark’s team to build on.
Instead, County stamped their authority all over the first half. So much so that 11 minutes later they were in front.
Despite Boyd’s strike Kilmarnock looked bereft of confidence against a County side who knocked the ball about the way you should on an artificial surface and deservedly led at the interval.
First Routis took his tally to three goals in two games with a controlled finish past Freddie Woodman after Schalk found him.
Then Schalk sniffed out a goal after Kenny van der Weg’s header from a Ryan Dow corner crashed off the bar.
The little Dutchman was causing problems with his pace and, together with Liam Boyce and Dow, made County a potent threat.
As for Clark his side were under real pressure. And one of his January signings, Karleigh Osborne, already has his work cut out to win over the Killie diehards.
After giving away a last- gasp penalty with a stupid tackle that sent them out of the Scottish Cup to Hamilton, his nightmare start to life in Ayrshire continued.
Booked early on for a handball, he looked vulnerable against Dow. And after getting a warning from referee Barry Cook for clattering into the back of the striker midway through the half, Clark had to hook the ex-Plymouth defender.
But it wasn’t just him. There were jeers from the stands throughout a first 45 minutes that had started so brightly.
To Killie’s credit, they improved immeasurably in the second half. They may have lacked genuine quality at times but at least they were grafting.
And they were level after an hour following a flurry of pressure that saw Boyd denied twice by Staggies keeper Scott Fox. County failed to clear their lines from the resultant corner and Dicker swept Boyd’s knock-down home.
Killie deserved it for the way they came out after the interval, looking like a side that didn’t miss star turn Souleymane Coulibaly who left for Egypt last week. Even hard-to-please punters saw encouraging signs in the likes of young defenders Iain Wilson and on-loan Celtic starlet Kristoffer Ajer.
And just as a draw looked certain, subs Jordan Jones and Nathan Tyson pressed County’s defence to tee up Longstaff who buried it beyond Fox.
McCulloch said: “Ajer was different class. At 18 he’s a pleasure to work with.
“If he keeps going the way he is now I see no reason why he won’t go on to play for Celtic in the future. His attitude is terrific and that’s great for the young boys at this club to see. He has given everyone here a lift.”