Lee left craving home comfort as jittery Killie throw away two-goal cushion

Lee McCulloch admits taking a two-goal lead spooked Killie as his side squandered a golden chance to end their home hoodoo.

The Rugby Park boss was the picture of frustration after his players capitulated despite surging ahead through a Louis Longridge own goal and Lee Erwin strike.

Giannis Skondras triggered a fightback with 18 minutes left before Ali Crawford’s last-gasp penalty extended Kilmarnock’s dismal run of just nine Premiership wins in their last 42 matches.

And McCulloch insists they only have themselves to blame for failing to land some home comforts with only one point to show from a possible 12 in Ayrshire this season. He said: “When we went two goals up there was a sense of nervousness for some reason. We were comfortable up until then. When you go two up you should get your chest out and pass the ball quicker than we did.

“There’s a sense of frustration because in any game anywhere in the world, if you go two goals up then you’ve got to see the game out. It’s about game management and it’s disappointing.

“The positive is gaining a point but if you go two goals ahead then you should be winning the game. We got a point and we didn’t have any points before the game so that’s a positive.

“It’s our first point on the board and it’s now four home games in a row in the league so obviously our home record isn’t too

good. It’s something we will need to address – we have already looked at it and we know the stats. It’s something we need to address pretty quickly.

“We haven’t played that badly. We’ve played better this season and didn’t get anything but that’s football.”

Killie surged ahead in the third minute when Dominic Thomas’ low free-kick was deflected goalwards by Longridge before Hamilton keeper Gary Woods flapped the ball into his own net.

Accies’ awful start didn’t get any better when Skondras earned a 10th-minute booking for a crude block on Jordan Jones as the Englishman went through the gears.

Killie should have been two up eight minutes later when Adam Frizzell slid a pass through for Kris Boyd only for the striker to drag a shot inches wide.

There was little on show to encourage Hamilton who were suffering without a recognised striker after Rakish Bingham was posted missing from their line-up.

A lack of craft in the final third was proving a problem although Dougie Imrie did send an effort over before Killie keeper Jamie MacDonald brilliantly beat away a volley from Longridge.

Boyd then limped off with a hamstring strain to be replaced by Erwin before Iain Wilson’s terrific interception prevented Crawford levelling before the break.

And what should have been Killie’s killer second arrived in the 58th minute as sub Erwin was sent clear by Frizzell before clipping a delightful effort over the head of Woods from the edge of the box.

There was a credible suggestion of offside about the build-up but the striker wasn’t going to argue after bagging his first league goal since arriving in Ayrshire this summer.

Accies’ revival began when Skondras met Scott McCann’s cross flush on the volley from 16 yards and it was no surprise when Hamilton levelled with two minutes left.

Crawford inadvertently found Greg Docherty inside the area after trying to kick the ball off Jones who refused to retreat the 10 yards and Steven Smith needlessly tripped the midfielder.

Crawford rattled home the penalty and Canning insists his men deserved to make it seven points from their last three games.

The Accies boss said: “I’m proud of the way they kept going but I felt we were the better team in the first half.

“We passed the ball well and it was disappointing to be 1- 0 down at the break. I said if we didn’t concede again we could win. Then at 2- 0 you think it’s going to be difficult but the fighting spirit was great.”