Clarke focused on avoiding the drop

49

5 0

9 1

0

Possession Corners Offside

Fouls Cautions Sending- of fs

Don Robertson had 51

12 Shots on target 3 4 Shots off target 2

3 0

14 3

0

kilmarnock 3

Kilmarnock produced their best performance of the season to go third in the SPFL Premiership but boss Steve Clarke insisted his only thought just now is to avoid relegation.

Having finished in the top six last season and defeated champions Celtic the previous weekend, you would expect their targets to be higher, but Clarke will only look at other targets once his first one has been achieved.

If they continue to play like this then they will be safe from the drop in plenty of time.

The home side fell behind to Curtis Main’s 16th-minute goal and six minutes later Jamie Macdonald saved a penalty from Main after Stephen O’donnell fouled Aaron Taylor-sinclair inside the area. That single moment turned the game on its head.

Just six minutes before the break, Chris Burke equalised before Greg Stewart put the home side ahead in the 43rd minute.

Eamonn Brophy sealed the win in the 59th minute from the spot after Stewart was brought down by Liam Donnelly.

They could have won by more but Trevor Carson in the Motherwell goal pulled off some fine saves to keep the score down.

Clarke said: “I was disappointed to go behind. We started the game slowly. The big moment was Jamie’s penalty save. We then took control and played very well.

“We scored good goals and the performance in the second half was very pleasing. The players deserve the credit because they are a good group of lads and they never know when they are beaten.

“We had good performances all over the pitch but we have found a really good connection between Greg Stewart and Eamonn Brophy. They

REF WATCH:

two penalty calls and got both right. A decent performance from the whistler.