SUMMIT SPECIAL
Kilmarnock rediscover form and return to their lofty perch in the table
LAST time the good people of Rugby Park chanted ‘We Shall Not Be Moved’ into the rarefied air at the summit of the Ladbrokes Premiership, it took less than three days for them to tumble off the top thanks to a 5-1 hosing at Parkhead.
Their latest spell at the head of proceedings will probably be even shorter, with both Celtic and Rangers in action this afternoon and within a victory of skipping back in front. Who would dream of denying those long-suffering followers of this resurgent, purposeful, organised club the sheer pleasure of seeing their team ahead of the Old Firm for the second time in a season, though?
The home fans’ songs in the closing stages of this win about staying put in pole position and stopping Celtic winning Ten In A Row couldn’t help but raise a smile. Striker Greg Stewart admits that even the players can’t stop laughing and joking about being the team to be shot at. Again.
These are glorious times in a corner of Ayrshire that has been crying out for something to feel good about.
It is, of course, a story told almost as often as The Nativity these days, but anyone present that day in late September of last year when Ross County won 2-0 at Rugby Park to seal the fate of Lee McCulloch and keep Killie pinned to the foot of the league could never have predicted this.
It is more like The Resurrection than The Nativity. And at the centre of it is the man introduced by the PA announcer yesterday afternoon as ‘Sir’ Steve Clarke.
This was exactly what he needed after the disappointment of seeing his normally well-drilled team fold so unexpectedly at Celtic, who, it is worth detailing at the risk of being a killjoy, are only a point behind with three games in hand.
Killie weren’t quite on song in the first half and needed goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann to keep them on level terms.
However, the second period was a delight to witness. They overpowered Dundee, who fell apart under relentless pressure, and could have scored six or seven.
As it was, a Kirk Broadfoot effort, an own goal from Genseric Kusunga and a late strike from Stewart rendered Kenny Miller’s stoppage-time effort for the visitors nothing more than a consolation.
Clarke was thrilled by that return to form after the interval. Less impressed, it seems, by the boy who reads out the teams conferring a knighthood on him.
‘That was just the daft presenter who gets carried away at times,’ smiled the manager. ‘If I could be critical as a coach, we were too open in the first half. Once the game opened up properly for us, we played some terrific stuff.
‘The first half was a little bit open. They had too many chances and, second half, we put that right, defended well.
‘Being top of the league isn’t important, though. That we have 34 points from 18 games is important. Our points per game is good.’
Jordan Jones was an influential figure on the left wing from the off, stinging the hands of goalkeeper Jack Hamilton with an early shot.
The usual defensive organisation from Clarke’s side was missing at times, though. A warning was signalled after 19 minutes when visiting captain Miller beat the offside trap to move onto a free-kick from Glen Kamara — only to see his first-time effort skid wide.
On the half hour, it was the brilliance of
Bachmann that denied the Dens Park side from snatching the lead. Martin Woods put in a corner from the right, Kusunga nodded it on and it took a magnificent reaction save from Bachmann to deny Andy Boyle at the back post.
Stewart squandered a golden chance to move Killie in front moments later when firing straight at the advancing Hamilton when left one-on-one by a sliderule pass from Gary Dicker, but the second period was considerably more straightforward.
The opener from Broadfoot was an unholy mess. A corner from Stewart sparked off merry mayhem, Hamilton pawing the ball off the line at one stage, and it finally made its way to the Rugby Park captain at the back post, who appeared to force it home through will as much as ability with the keeper splayed over his own goal-line.
Kusunga’s own goal finished the game as a contest on 66 minutes. Eamonn Brophy had moved into space on the right and his low ball into the area was turned into his own net by the Angolan.
From that point onwards, Dundee completely lost the plot. Stewart and Brophy passed up golden opportunities while Jones felt he should have been awarded a penalty on 76 minutes when he appeared to be dunted by Cammy Kerr in the process of releasing a shot which was saved by the keeper.
However, Hamilton’s one-man attempt at repelling the tide was always destined for failure.
Boyle lost the ball to Chris Burke deep in his own half and the veteran winger showed his experience in taking Hamilton out of the play when squaring for Stewart to sidefoot home from a matter of yards at the back stick.
Stewart was denied shortly afterwards as Killie pushed for more and their ambition was probably their downfall when Miller got onto a cross from Jesse Curran to convert from close range for his seventh goal in five games.
Adil Nabi was then sent clear down the left by Miller and saw Jones clear his cross-cum-shot off the line as Clarke’s table-toppers started suffering a spot of vertigo again. Like we said, though, this is a remarkable moment for them. Everyone at Killie has a valid excuse for feeling a little dizzy at times.