KILLIE GET THAT SINKING FEELING
Wright’s men hit rock bottom
ROSS COUNTY plunged Kilmarnock into a deepening crisis after delivering a devastating onetwo at the start of the second half.
With the sides locked at 1-1 following first-half goals from Killie striker Kyle Lafferty and County forward Billy Mckay, Staggies teenager Leo Hjelde and McKay, again, netted in the space of two minutes immediately after the restart to transform the face of the match.
Lafferty also claimed a double when he pulled a goal back from the penalty spot with 13 minutes remaining. But his contribution wasn’t enough to save Kilmarnock from dropping into bottom spot in the Premiership, a point adrift of Hamilton and four behind County.
Just to rub salt into the wound, Killie had defender Ross Millen red-carded in the dying moments.
Now Tommy Wright, who earned a reputation as something of a magician during his long tenure at St Johnstone, will have to pull another rabbit from the hat if he is to preserve top-flight football in Ayrshire.
After an unbroken run of 28 seasons dining at football’s top table, Kilmarnock are in grave danger of being forced to scrap in the Championship next season.
County, meanwhile, have boosted their survival prospects no end a fortnight after stunning Celtic at the Global Energy Stadium.
But the hosts paid a heavy price for slipshod defending when
Killie took the lead after 18 minutes with their first away goal since December 30 at Motherwell.
Lafferty’s initial shot struck a team-mate, but he was able to latch onto the rebound when no one succeeded in executing a clearance as the ball bobbled around the box.
Credit the Northern Ireland international with quick reflexes as he sent his left-foot shot from just inside the area past Ross Laidlaw.
County faced an immediate test of character while their opponents would presumably feed off the psychological benefit of ending a nine-week, five-match famine on the road.
Indeed, Kilmarnock’s stats since their most recent victory, at home to Hamilton on January 9, made grim reading prior to this match. A nightmare run of eight consecutive defeats was ended by a home draw with Dundee United last weekend.
After a shaky few minutes while gathering their thoughts, the County players responded positively — without putting the Killie goal under undue pressure until Blair Spittal produced a promising run after 36 minutes.
In the event, Kilmarnock escaped punishment when the midfielder’s shot from distance rose a foot or so over the crossbar.
But County were more deadly the next time they went in search of an equaliser just two minutes later.
Jason Naismith whipped over a cross from the right with pin-point accuracy and Mckay, from close range in the centre of the box, levelled with a right-foot shot.
Given that the sides enjoyed equal shares of possession in the first half, the interval score was a fair reflection of the overall play.
But the second period was a different story with County quickly gaining the upper hand to crush Kilmarnock’s hopes of easing their relegation fears.
Substitute Hjelde, on loan from Celtic, struck barely 90 seconds after the restart, swiftly followed by Mckay netting the third.
The Norwegian, who had replaced the injured Carl Tremarco midway through the first half, gathered a cross-field pass from Naismith and proceeded to beat Colin Doyle with a powerful shot across goal.
Killie didn’t have time to regroup and reorganise before Mckay increased the home side’s advantage in the 49th minute.
With the visiting defence all over the place, Jordan Tillson fed Mckay with a long through ball and the striker managed to take two touches before scoring with a half-volley from around 12 yards in the middle of the box.
The same player was denied what appeared at first sight to be a blatant penalty kick in the 65th minute when he was barged down by Brandon Haunstrup, who deliberately ran straight into Mckay.
However, referee Euan Anderson waved aside Mckay’s appeal — and the player later conceded that the official was likely correct as the offence probably took place outside the box.
But the hosts must have felt even more aggrieved at the time when Kilmarnock were the recipients of a fairly soft award after Greg Kiltie went to ground following a challenge by County skipper Keith Watson in the 77th minute.
But it presented Killie with a route back and Lafferty stepped up to the spot, giving Laidlaw no chance whatsoever with a power drive.
However, it wasn’t enough to spark a further comeback by Kilmarnock whose suffering intensified when Millen was forced to walk following a second booking.
He was deemed guilty of pushing the assistant referee out of the way to take a free-kick.
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Laidlaw; Donaldson, Watson, Iacovitti; Naismith, Lakin (Kelly 81), Tillson (Draper 81), Tremarco (Hjelde 22); Spittal (Paton 73); Mckay (Shaw 81), White.
Subs (not used): Hilton, Gardyne, Hylton, Charles-Cook. Booked: Tillson, Lakin. KILMARNOCK (4-4-2): Doyle; Millen, Broadfoot, Medley (Burke 65), Haunstrup; McKenzie (McGowan 46), Power, Dicker (Dabo 65), Pinnock (Kabamba 46); Kiltie (Tshibola 80), Lafferty.
Subs (not used): Rogers, Whitehall, Rossi, Waters. Booked: Millen, Lafferty. Sent off: Millen.
Referee: Euan Anderson.