Careless Killie still sweating about play-off

KILMARNOCK will need to take far greater care of a lead than they did in this breathless affair to have any chance of securing Premiership safety on Sunday. Ahead by 2-0 and 3-2, Tommy Wright’s men had to settle for a point that all but guarantees they will avoid automatic relegation given their huge goal difference advantage over Hamilton. However, the Rugby Park side are now favourites to end up in the play-off. Dodging that fate will require them to beat Accies at the weekend while hoping Ross County lose against Motherwell. Killie could have shifted the odds a little had they been able to build upon the advantage provided by a Kyle Lafferty double that raised his tally to 12 goals from 10 appearances. Instead, Jamie McGrath and Cammy MacPherson pulled St Mirren level. Greg Kiltie fired the home side back in front on 82 minutes, only for Collin Quaner’s quickfire equaliser to set the seal on an utterly compelling second half. Saints manager Jim Goodwin would have been delighted by the spirit his players showed just three days after losing to St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. For Wright, though, there is more stress ahead. ‘I have mixed emotions,’ said Wright. ‘We created more chances but we were naive twice to lose goals after scoring. We fell asleep and that cost us. ‘However, we are creating chances and that’s a positive going into the final game. ‘If we win and Ross County lose, then we stay up. ‘If that doesn’t happen then I think we will go into the play-off with confidence.’ Lafferty delivered a ninth minute opener in a crafty combination with another experienced performer. Chris Burke cleverly disguised a low corner, with Lafferty wheeling around his markers to connect with a hammered, angled finish that flew beyond Jak Alnwick. Killie threatened again 11 minutes before the break. Burke embarked on a quicksilver run, eluding Ilkay Durmus and Jake Doyle-Hayes before his shot was thwarted by Alnwick. The ball broke back for Mitch Pinnock, only for his drive to be blocked by a sliding Marcus Fraser. Lafferty took a tumble when he sought to follow up again and was booked for simulation by referee David Munro. Lafferty and Burke both had second-half chances before the former struck again. Credit has to go to the quality of the cross from left-back Calum Waters. Lafferty matched it with a clever glancing header into the corner of the net. Wright must have hoped that would ease some of the tension. As it was, St Mirren pulled one back within 60 seconds. Substitute Dylan Connolly broke down the right flank and cut the ball back for McGrath. His initial effort was blocked by Zeno Rossi, but the Irishman dispatched the rebound for his 17th goal of an impressive season. St Mirren levelled for the first time on 78 minutes. And in truly spectacular fashion. Henderson rolled the ball infield for MacPherson, another of those introduced off the bench. A superb, first-time strike from 22 yards swerved into the top corner. Kiltie provided a peach of his own by volleying Killie back in front from the edge of the box after a Burke corner was cleared. Again, though, Saints hit back immediately. Once more, Connolly got the better of Waters on the right. This time he delivered for substitute Quaner to net at the near post. Goodwin said: ‘Cammy MacPherson’s goal was the best of the night and it’s probably our goal of the season.’