Killie struggle to get out first Greer as rotten Rugby Park run lives on
Lee McCulloch admits his side can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves as Kilmarnock’s home hoodoo keeps them at foot of the Premiership.
Gordon Greer’s early error allowed Faissal El Bakhtaoui to strike and even though the stopper made amends with the leveller, it wasn’t enough to end Killie’s five- game streak without a Rugby Park victory.
And whi le it was another f rustrat ing result for ga f fer McCul loch, he bel ieves it ’ s important to take the positives from their second-half display.
He said: “If I was brutally honest, I’d say that was two points lost.
“Over the course of the game we were the better team but an individual mistake at the start cost us again. But that will happen if we try to play a certain way.
“The biggest thing is how we react to it and we showed great character to react to the mistake. In the second half we were the better team.”
It started so brightly for the Dark Blues when veteran Greer tripped over the ball inside his own 18-yard box. While El Bakhtaoui couldn’t take advantage straight away, he managed to supply Roarie Deacon on the right.
He crossed to the far post, where Scott Allan knocked the ball back into the path of AJ Leitch-Smith.
Jamie MacDonald did superbly to keep out the midfielder’s shot but El Bakhtaoui was on hand to fire home the loose ball from six yards.
Killie responded with a Lee Erwin free-kick which beat the wall but was well held by Scott Bain. The big striker should have levelled in the ninth minute when he was sent clean through by Dean Hawkshaw but shot straight at the keeper.
The home side kept plugging away and, five minutes later, Jordan Jones fired just wide of Bain’s right-hand post from a Rory McKenzie cross.
Cammy Kerr was booked for a foul on Jones as the crowd’s frustration became increasingly evident.
Jones’ mazy runs offered hope and he set up a chance for Adam Frizzell that forced a brave block from Kevin Holt to keep it out.
Mark O’Hara replaced Allan eight minutes after the restart and almost
doubled the lead with a 20-yarder which missed the target by inches.
Calum Waters was then lucky that ref Bobby Madden only flashed the yellow card for a shocking, late lunge on Jack Hendry.
Dees boss Neil McCann felt he deserved red but luck and decisions were going Killie’s way.
Just four minutes later the introduction of Kris Boyd had an instant effect when he headed Jones’ corner into the path of Greer, who drove home.
Dundee should have scored in their next attack and would have if El Bakhtaoui had squared to unmarked Deacon instead of going for glory and seeing his shot deflected behind.
Boyd should have won it at the death when Erwin’s cross found him unmarked but he scuffed his shot wide of the mark.
McCann was fuming about the decision not to send off Waters with his side temporarily down to 10 men.
He said: “It could have been a red. The fourth official said, ‘He mistimed it.’ It was like a car crash.
“I’m more upset about a stupid rule. I was under the impression that if the player is booked then you don’t need to leave the pitch. I asked why Jack had to go off and he said: ‘If it takes too long then he goes off.’
“The guy’s just been smashed in the middle of the pitch and we’re getting punished because it takes him a wee bit longer to recover! It’s ridiculous.”