Wright’s alarmed by Killie’s sloppy show
Tommy Wright fears Kilmarnock will suffer in the Premiership if a sloppy show like yesterday is repeated in the thick of their relegation battle.
The Rugby Park gaffer was relieved to book a quarter-final home tie against St Mirren.
Goals from Kyle Lafferty, Mitch Pinnock and Greg Kiltie seemed to put Killie on easy street.
But they lost their composure faced by a spirited second-half f ightback from League One Montrose who had been in action just 39 hours earlier.
Cammy Ballantyne grabbed a goal back and Killie No.1 Colin Doyle denied Aidan Quinn in a fraught finish.
Wright, whose men continue their survival scrap at home to Dundee United on Wednesday, said: “Not one of my players played to their maximum ability.
“There were too many mistakes and we need to improve on that.
“We gave them opportunities in one v ones. If you give that to Lawrence Shankland, Marc McNulty or Nicky Clark it might be a different story.
“We didn’t play as well as I’d have liked but the main thing is we are through to the next round.”
Lafferty netted the opener after only six minutes following good work by Kiltie and Chris Burke who lured Montrose keeper Allan Fleming out of goal.
It wasn’t an easy take but the striker buried his seventh goal for the club from 10 yards into the empty net.
In 24 minutes, Killie were 2- 0 ahead amid some confusion.
Burke’s inswinging corner was probably bound for the bottom corner even without brushing visiting defender Andrew Steeves and Killie midfielder Pinnock.
Wright claimed he “couldn’t care” who was credited with the second – just that it went in.
Montrose refused to cave in and boss Stewart Petrie was left lamenting missed opportunities.
Russell McLean prodded wide late in the first half then Lewis Milne had a glorious chance as the League One side rallied.
One of Zech Medley’s mixed-up moments put Milne clear through on Doyle but his dink didn’t work then Chris Mochrie miss- hit right in front of the Killie goal. The home side needed a cushion and got it in 61 minutes. Fleming was caught dwelling on the ball by Lafferty and Kiltie followed up to plunder his sixth of the season.
Montrose had two Cammy Ballantynes on the pitch in the second half as the on- loan St Johnstone version replaced injured Paul Watson.
But it was the defender by the same name who set up a nervy few moments with a consolation, converting McLean’s near-post cross on the slide.
It was the least Petrie’s exhausted troops deserved for their second-half efforts.