Lichties’ birthday double as they shock leaders Killie
KILMARNOCK 0 ARBROATH 1 Dowds (85)
Championship leader Kilmarnock crashed to defeat after a lacklustre display against part-time Arbroath.
Afterwards Red Lichties boss Dick Campbell described the win as being in his top 10 victories as he closes in on 1,500 matches as a manager.
Campbell said: “My expectation level is to stay in the league and I felt we deserved to win the game. There effort was outstanding, their work rate was incredible.
“We are a hard unit to break down. Last week if we had won we would have been top of the league.”
It was the perfect birthday present for Campbell who turns 68 this week. It was also the first league clash between these two sides at Rugby Park for 32 years.
In fact, it was a birthday double for the Gayfield men with scorer Anton Dowds having turned 25 on Friday.
“I’m so happy for the fans and for the players. I’m 33 years as a manager and that’s in my top 10 wins, “added Campbell.
The Red Lichties, on a five-game unbeaten run in the Championship, carved open the first chance after nine minutes when Scott Stewart cut the ball back from the right into the path of Liam Henderson, but the midfielder scooped the ball just over from 18-yards.
Arbroath continued to press and after 11 minutes Joel Nouble walzed through only for Lee Hodson to block his goalbound effort.
Nouble, with no shortage of pace and skill, set up Stewart after 12
minutes, but he hooked his 16 yard effort wide.
Killie finally sprung to life one minute later when Oli Shaw ran on to a delightful ball from Liam Polworth, but keeper Derek Gaston raced out to make a magnificent save to push the ball wide.
Three minutes from the break Killie should have edged in front when Polworth burst down the left but there
was too much pace on his cross to Callum Hendry, unmarked in front ofgoal.
Arbroath continued to impress after the interval and in 55 minutes a Michael McKenna free-kick from the right picked out Colin Hamilton at the back post, but his header floated over.
On the hour mark substitute James Craigen sent Luke Donnelly racing forward, but his 20-yard curling effort was magnificently tipped over by Hemming.
After surviving Arbroath’s onslaught Killie had the best chance of the match when Polworth had a clear shot on goal 15 yards out, but Gaston produced an astonishing block.
Killie came close again in 76 minutes when Hodson swung the ball in from the right but Gaston produced another fabulous save from Scott Robinson’s diving header.
Three minutes later, at the other end, Arbroath were awarded a penalty when Hodson tripped Stewart, but Hemming brilliantly touched
McKenna’s spot kick round his right hand post.
Five minutes from time substitute Dowds, who had come on for Donnelly midway through the second half, headed the ball home from close range for the winner.
Killie boss Tommy Wright said: “We knew they were dangerous at set plays and we are not a big side, but overall we didn’t do enough and haven’t been good enough for a number of games at home.
“The free kick in the build up to the corner which led to the goal was a poor decision and to be honest I thought John Beaton didn’t give us much and the penalty was soft. He couldn’t wait to give it.”