Killie’s Clarke is positively delighted, but Saints boss is not happy
By Mark Guidi
st johNstoNe 1
MacLean (43)
kiLmArNoCk 2
Findlay (10), Brophy (66)
Delighted Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke praised his players for responding positively to his criticism after last week’s 3-1 defeat against Aberdeen to deservedly winning this game thanks to goals from Stuart Findlay and Eamonn Brophy.
And Clarke has challenged his men to keep this going next weekend against Partick Thistle and end their home hoodoo and win at Rugby Park for the first time this season.
Clarke said: “It was a positive performance.
“After what I said last weekend, I knew I had the players with me this week, especially at training on Friday when the players had a real edge.
“Now we need to go and build on this and look to the next game.
sport@sundaypost.com
“It’s all about beating Partick Thistle and getting that first home win. We will go into the game with no fear.”
Tommy Wright’s team plans were turned upside down in the build-up to kick-off after a lunchtime road accident on the A9 delayed the traffic for more than one hour.
This meant Richard Foster, Chris Millar and Denny Johnstone were all removed from the squad.
Michael O’Halloran was removed from the starting line-up to go on the bench.
Wright was fuming with his players for the situation.
Before the game, he said: “I’ve absolutely no sympathy for my players.
“They should be leaving in plenty of time to get here. Inside, I’m not happy.”
Thankfully, for the Kilmarnock side, they were in Perth for their pre-match meal almost three hours ahead of the start of the game and their plans flowed nicely.
They took the lead in the 10th minute when Saints conceded a needless corner kick
when Scott Tanser was slack with a passback.
From the set-piece, Findlay rose above everyone else to power home a header from eight yards. It was his first goal in senior football.
From then on in there was little incident for the rest of the half until Steven MacLean equalised with a header from six yards out.
After the interval, Killie were in control and they scored in the 66th minute when good play from Stephen O’Donnell allowed him to slip in Brophy and he made no mistake from 12 yards for his first goal for the club.
Brophy should have doubled his tally moments later when Kris Boyd found him with a sublime reverse pass.
Brophy hesitated, however, although he did round the goalkeeper. But Zander Clark recovered to get a fingertip on the shot to put it away for a corner kick.
The home team pushed for a leveller and the closest they came was three minutes from the end when sub David Wotherspoon’s effort crashed off Jamie MacDonald’s left-hand post.
This defeat means Saints have won just one of their last seven outings.
Wright refused to speak at full-time and no one from the club attended the postmatch press conference.