Can’t help but Laff when big Kyle’s around
on game day there’s a switch, he’s on it and it’s business.
“When each game becomes bigger than the last one, the bigger the performance. He can be so important for us in the run-in with his experience.”
Killie didn’t look like a side with
Premiership ambitions during a dire opening 20 minutes. McInnes was left sweating when Lafferty went down clutching his back after a collision with Tunji Akinola.
To his gaffer’s relief however, the striker dusted himself down and got back to his feet – and just as well for the hosts.
Within seconds of Lafferty ambling back onto to the pitch he got on the wrong side of Akinola as a huge punt from keeper Zach
Hemming threatened to soar past Thistle’s static backline.
Akinola had no option but to drag Lafferty back but all that did was hand the Killie talisman 10 yards of space and a stationary bal l with which he expertly whipped home his stunning free-kick opener in 22 minutes.
Thistle wasted a big chance two minutes before the interval as Rangers loan kid Juan Alegria sent a header wide from just five yards out as he leapt on Scott Tiffoney’s vicious back-post corner. If the Firhill men finished the first half the stronger, they could not have made a worse start to the second.
There was just 18 seconds on the clock when Rory McKenzie lofted a perfect diagonal bal l over Akinola for Lafferty, who needed one touch before rifling past Jamie Sneddon.
It took the crossbar to deny Ash Taylor’s header as Killie looked to turn the screw but instead they were left hanging on as Murray bundled home with three minutes left from Kyle Turner’s corner.
That sent a wave of panic and alarm sweeping round Rugby Park but to Thistle’s frustration there was no miracle escape.
Jags boss Ian McCall, who was without eight players, said: “If we can kick on and make the play-offs would could have five or six fresh players coming in at that point.
“I thought we were very unlucky to be 1- 0 down at half-time and losing a goal after 30 seconds of the second half killed us.”