Opportunity knocked . . . and Kilmarnock stay top
Killie maintained their fourpoint lead at the top of the Championship despite a heroic performance in goal by Dunfermline’s Jakub Stolarczyk.
Killie head coach Derek Mcinnes said: “At this stage of the season the result overrides everything, but to put in such a strong performance says everything about the lads.
“We spoke about the importance of looking after our own business, not to be looking at others for favours, because when that is the case the job doesn’t get done.
“We need to deal with what we deal with which today was a lot of tension in the game, but that didn’t show in the performance.
“We spoke about the opportunity that was there, to enjoy this time and where we are, and to work towards being successful this season. That was another step towards that.
“We still have work to do. We need to replicate something similar to today in the remaining games.”
Killie, unbeaten in their last eight Championship matches since losing in the Ayrshire derby in early February, made a stirring start when Blair Alston let fly from 30 yards, but his long-range effort was sensationally turned over by Pars keeper Stolarczyk.
Killie, on a run of five successive home league games, continued to mount incessant early pressure and after seven minutes striker Kyle Lafferty laid the ball back into the path of Alston, but he hooked his leftfoot shot wide of the mark.
Three minutes later Stolarczyk spilled a Lafferty header, but Brad Lyons, following up, smashed his angled shot against the underside of the crossbar.
The Pars, with just one defeat in their last five league outings, created their first opening in 21 minutes when Steven Lawless cut the ball back into the path of Kevin O’hara, but he whipped his first-time volley wide.
Killie restored their dominance and deservedly went in front in 26 minutes when Fraser Murray crossed for Alston to knock on to Lafferty, who
burst in from the left to drill the ball low into the net from eight yards.
The Pars, without a win in their last five away days since late January, rarely threatened and Killie continued to dictate play after the break and in 51 minutes Stephen Mcginn curled a 15-yard shot just over. Three minutes later, Lafferty set up Oli Shaw but his crisp effort was pushed to his right by Stolarczyk. Lafferty was unlucky not to double his tally in 55 minutes when his low 18-yard effort drifted past.
Shaw was next to test the overworked Pars’ keeper in 57 minutes, who made a terrific double save from the striker.
Stolarczyk pulled off another incredible save in 62 minutes from a Mcginn shot from 22 yards out. And a few minutes later produced an even better stop from Shaw.
Killie finally got their second in 76 minutes when Shaw powered a header home from a Murray corner from the right.
Pars boss John Hughes said: “There was only one winner today and that was Kilmarnock. It is baffling, one minute we are right up there, but and there is no consistency to our performance. Kilmarnock thoroughly deserved their victory.”