CLARKE ON SONG IN NORTH
Supporters salute manager as Killie secure Rugby Park replay
IT IS not quite time to erect a statue of Steve Clarke in the town centre of Kilmarnock, but how supporters of the Rugby Park side must be proud of their manager.
They sung his name almost constantly in Aberdeen as they watched their team acquit themselves incredibly well in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup at the home of the side who have been second-best in the country in the last three seasons.
These two teams will go again in the replay on Tuesday, March 13. There could not have been a starker contrast between two sets of supporters at full-time. The home support booed. They expect the Dons to reach Hampden for the fifth time in two seasons but must appreciate that their side are in for a mammoth challenge when they travel to Ayrshire.
It is just five months since Clarke took over Kilmarnock, bottom of the league with just three points from their opening eight fixtures. Their following cheered at the end, singing Clarke’s name as they filtered out of the stadium before the long journey home.
It was a peculiar setting at Pittodrie. The inclement weather had hampered the water supply to the south stand and so it was 75 per cent empty, with displaced home supporters distributed elsewhere in the stadium.
The away section of the South Stand remained open, however, and 1,368 boisterous Kilmarnock supporters were packed into the area.
Typically when a player sprints down the wing on that side of the pitch, the fans rise in expectation. But it was just swathes of red and yellow seats behind Graeme Shinnie as he opened the scoring after nine minutes.
So often crucial to Aberdeen’s performances when playing in the middle of the park, the Aberdeen captain was at left-back in the absence of the suspended Andrew Considine.
Shinnie played a one-two with Ryan Christie before cutting into the inside-left channel. His cross-cum-shot was delicious, in between defence and goalkeeper, and it sneaked its way into the bottom corner of the net.
It was terrible goalkeeping from Jamie MacDonald, who probably could have cut it out rather than hope it drifted wide.
A trundling 35-yard effort from Kenny McLean was then smothered by MacDonald and the goalkeeper did well under pressure from Adam Rooney to flap away Niall McGinn’s inswinging corner.
Aberdeen were the team dictating the rhythm of play, but Kilmarnock might have had a penalty after 21 minutes.
Eamonn Brophy burst into the left side of the Dons box, with Christie keeping pace. As the forward looked to dink in a cross when he reached the goal-line, he fell backwards, seemingly due to a tug on his shoulder from Christie. Brophy was booked for his protests to referee Steven McLean.
Aberdeen came again. When Alan Power attempted a professional foul in the middle of the pitch on McGinn, the ball spun away to Stevie May and advantage was played. May switched it to Christie who cut inside, laying it off to Rooney.
It looked a certain goal when the potent striker pulled his right leg back 12 yards from goal, but he was denied by a perfect Rory McKenzie tackle.
Kris Boyd is enjoying something of an Indian summer in his career under Clarke, but Kari Arnason’s disciplined marking of the forward largely mitigated his effect in the opening half. However, as the break approached, the visitors came into things.
Power broke away from Shinnie and teed up Brophy, but his effort was blocked.
Kirk Broadfoot then rose highest to meet McKenzie’s corner and goalkeeper Freddie Woodman