RORY’S FLASH & CHIPS
McKenzie gets praise for his 40-yard wonder goal
Lee McCulloch hailed Rory McKenzie after the Kilmarnock ace’s 40-yard chip wrecked St Johnstone’s birthday party.
The Saints were handing out the goody bags to youngsters before the game to mark their 132nd anniversary.
But McKenzie served up an early treat when he lobbed keeper Zander Clark from miles out and then Conor Sammon put the icing on the cake with a secondhalf clincher.
Caretaker boss McCulloch said: “It was great technique from Rory. He is getting better and better.
“He has a great attitude and he’s doing extra in training every day, watching his diet and working on his game.
“The goal shows how his confidence is growing. It was brilliant to see it going in, a great feeling.”
Delighted McCulloch watched his side boss the 90 minutes against strangely subdued Saints.
They were well on top and Sammon’s f irst goal in his second spell at the club – when Clark couldn’t get to grips with his header – ended the contest.
The on-loan Hearts man tortured Tommy Wright’s men coming off the flank while Kris Boyd led the line and Jordan Jones ran amok out wide.
McCulloch said: “I’m delighted with the way they bounced back from the kick in the teeth against Aberdeen last week. Conor was a real handful. If he keeps performing like that there will be no complaints.
“I’m just waiting for Kris to get the monkey off his back and get to 200 goals. He worked so hard here, as did the other 10 players, and showed great character.”
It took Killie just 12 minutes to grab the lead – but the only shock was it took that long.
Sammon set the stall out with a hooked effort into the hands of Clark in the first minute as the Rugby Park men got tore in from the off.
Kris Boyd, Jones and Gary Dicker had all gone close before McKenzie netted the opener with a bit of magic. The clearance from Clark wasn’t too clever but the Killie man was smart enough to take advantage of the keeper being off his line and brilliantly looped the ball over him from long range. Saints were stunned but they were lucky not to be further behind at the break. Sammon cut inside and forced Clark in to another diving save and the McDiarmid No.1 produced an even better stop soon after when he pawed out Sean Longstaff ’s fierce drive before getting back up to gather striker Boyd’s header after the ball was whipped back in. Saints were sleeping but Steven MacLean sparked them to life when he nodded over just before the interval. It wouldn’t have saved them from a tongue lashing from Wright but his men almost went two down soon after the restart when Killie sprung their conga set-piece routine from a corner and veteran Boyd broke from the line to get a header on target.
The whistle had gone for a shove but the home side did start to pile on some pressure at the other end.
However, Killie nabbed a second with 19 minutes to go – although they did get a helping hand from Clark.
Sammon leaped at the back post to meet a terrific deep cross from Jones but the keeper should have done better than let it squirm under him and into the net.
That knocked the stuffing right out of Saints.
It didn’t do McCulloch’s hopes of landing the Killie manager’s gig on a permanent basis any harm though.
He said: “I don’t know what will happen, I was just thinking about the St Johnstone game.
“I don’t know if it’s getting the management bug but I have loved it.
“It’s an honest group of players and I’ve enjoyed working with them. There’s been long days but I’m enjoying it.
“It doesn’t harm the chances when the boys play like that.
“I don’t really see it as having chances, I just want to see the boys playing well.”