NO CARD LUCK STORIES HERE
Dyer’s 10 men dig deep again
Alex Dyer praised his calm and collected Killie players for being terrific once again with 10 men.
Stuart Findlay was sent packing on eight minutes for tripping Ross Stewart.
But there were no signs of panic f rom Dyer in the dugout, or his players on the park, as he orchestrated a deserved victory.
Kilmarnock called on the previous experience of losing Eamonn Brophy to a red card after 23 minutes of a home game against Hamilton in September with the score at 1-1.
Dyer’s men won that contest with a Nicke Kabamba goal and the big striker was instrumental again as the Rugby Park side brushed aside disappointing County.
Dyer, who claimed Killie will be appealing Findlay’s dismissal by Colin Steven, said: “I was quite calm when Stuart went off, to be honest, because I know what these players can do.
“We got a good result against Hamilton with 10 men and it was the same kind of game here. That was an excellent win and an excellent per formance. Our boys showed what we were all about in terms of team spirit and working hard.”
Killie coped admirably with the kind of early setback that can easily see teams fold.
A ball over the top landed Findlay in trouble and, as he sought to recover the ball, a swipe at Stewar t’s legs brought the striker down.
Charlie Lakin wasn’t able to heap further misery on the home side when firing the free-kick over the bar and K illie quick ly composed themselves.
Skipper Gary Dicker filled in the centre-back vacancy alongside Kirk Broadfoot and the home side stole into the lead at the other end within six minutes.
Mitchel l Pinnock provided a pinpoint cross from the left and Brophy peeled off to fire an unstoppable header down and past Ross Doohan.
With County rattled by the response to Killie suffering a personnel disadvantage, Brophy almost doubled the lead but Staggies keeper Doohan denied him.
County’s Ibrox loan ace Stephen Kelly was watched by his parent club’s director of football Ross Wilson and assistant Gary McAllister
from the stand as he played his part in getting his side get back into the game.
A clever short corner culminated in Kelly clipping over an inviting cross which was met by Tom Grivosti’s glancing header that helped him to the first Premiership goal of his career.
In the second per iod Doohan did well to save Broadfoot’s effort.
Dicker and Kabamba went close before the latter’s excellent run down the right opened up the home defence and played in Pinnock at the near post. Coll Donaldson’s clumsy challenge brought Pinnock down and whistler Steven awarded the penalty.
Kabamba stayed cool to stroke home his f ifth goal of the s e a son, s end ing Doohan the wrong way. And it was 10- man Killie who then struck again. Chris Burke took advantage of County backing off as he slammed the ball past Doohan into the roof of the net.