YOGI KEEPS LEVEL HEAD
County boss upbeat after Rugby Park point but late missed opportunity stings
IT all ended up being really quite amicable between John Hughes and Tommy Wright in the end. The rival managers, involved in a spot of verbal sparring during the week, even managed a low-key chat with each other in the home technical area as the game went into time added-on.
Hughes didn’t seem too perturbed by Wright’s assertion that he ‘probably talks too much’ after insisting all the pressure was on the Ayrshire side ahead of this high-stakes encounter.
County’s captain Iain Vigurs was taken off with 20 minutes to play after being caught on the nose by Kyle Lafferty’s arm, but big Yogi didn’t want to bite on that either.
He’s keen to maintain an upbeat front as his team scratches and scrapes to stay clear of the relegation zone, which is perfectly understandable.
There must have been some deep frustration on the long journey back north, though, in the wake of a game in which County had more of the ball and the better of the chances.
One in particular — an effort from Michael Gardyne skewed wide from a wonderful position as the match entered its final quarter — could cause flashbacks for some time to come if the Highlanders don’t maintain their current position just clear of the drop zone.
Look, a point apiece was hardly unfair. With Hamilton losing at home to Dundee United, it wasn’t exactly a disaster for Wright or Hughes.
The home side started well, with goals from Chris Burke and Mitch Pinnock either side of a Gardyne effort putting them in front within 16 minutes, and then lost their way a bit until the final stages of the encounter by which time Alex Iacovitti had equalised.
However, this was there for the taking for County at one point and they now have to make sure it doesn’t come back to haunt them.
‘I thought we would have got more than a point,’ remarked Hughes. ‘In saying that, we have big Ross Laidlaw to thank for a save in the last minute, but we created the better chances.
‘(Ross) Draper should have scored, Gardyne should have scored, we hit the woodwork.
‘I am a little bit disappointed to go up the road with only a point, but we gave ourselves a mountain to climb with that goal early-doors. Then, once we had got back into it, we let in another soft goal.
‘We just couldn’t put the ball in the net at times, but it keeps us in front of Kilmarnock and there is all to play for. The secret is not to feel sorry for yourself.’
Kilmarnock’s quick-fire opener came when a corner from Pinnock made its way back out to Aaron McGowan, who wasted no time in firing it back into the danger area.
Keith Watson only half-cleared and the ball landed perfectly in front of Burke, whose right-footed volley zipped low into the net from the edge of the area.
It only took around 90 seconds for County to pull themselves level, though. A long ball from Jason Naismith was flicked on by Billy Mckay for Gardyne inside the area.
He took a touch and set his sights before converting in convincing style.
Pinnock had Killie back in front on 16 minutes, mind you. Zech Medley’s long free-kick was only partially cleared again by Watson and that allowed Pinnock to spin and shoot just inside the area, his low effort going straight through at least one body before making its way past goalkeeper Laidlaw.
At that stage, it looked as though Killie might slowly be taking hold of the game. Credit, then, to County for creating a few chances towards the end of the first half and going into the break with momentum.
Jordan White sent an ambitious first-time effort wide from a Naismith ball in from the right and then Gardyne came close just before the interval when collecting a diagonal pass from Mckay, cutting inside on the right past Medley and putting a low effort past the post.
In truth, the equaliser was coming. Kilmarnock’s rearguard kindly allowed County to have a couple of free headers at goal early in the second period — White hitting the bar with one after Medley had failed to react to a Carl Tremarco cross and Draper sending the other wide from close-range from a Vigurs ball.
When the goal finally did come on 55 minutes, it was no surprise how it came. From a header. With Killie
simply failing to get to grips with the situation.
Vigurs fired in a testing corner from the right, Iacovitti got the run on his man and the defence were incapable of stopping him from forcing home a downward header from inside the six-yard box.
County were enjoying more of the ball and looking infinitely more dangerous than their opponents. They had to make it pay. Gardyne couldn’t take advantage of that golden opportunity with 20 minutes to play — and it proved to be the moment when the prospect of a vital victory faded considerably.
Harry Paton had only just entered the play as substitute for Jordan
Tillson when taking the ball on the run up the right and setting up Gardyne with a splendid cutback.
The midfielder had time to set himself directly in front of goal and his reaction, holding his head in his hands, after screwing the ball well wide with a first-time effort told its own story.
County then lost captain Vigurs after clashing with Lafferty — anonymous until then — on the touchline, blood pouring from his nose. Lafferty was booked. Hughes insisted he didn’t see it. And it was all kind of brushed under the carpet.
Even in the closing stages, there were still chances being created.
White sent an angled shot straight at Colin Doyle late on, while Burke was denied at the other end in time added-on by a solid, one-handed stop by Laidlaw.
It would certainly have been harsh had Killie won, but no one seemed terribly unhappy with the outcome in the end. There’s just a gnawing sense that County missed a real chance of easing the pressure. KILMARNOCK (4-2-3-1): Doyle; McGowan, Broadfoot, Medley, Haunstrup; Power, Dicker; Burke, McKenzie (Kiltie 71), Pinnock; Lafferty.
Subs (not used): Rogers, Dikamona, Rossi, Waters, Mulumbu, Dabo, Oakley, Whitehall.
Booked: McKenzie, Lafferty, Power.
ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Laidlaw; Naismith, Watson, Iacovitti, Tremarco; Tillson (Paton 69), Draper, Vigurs (Kelly 75), Gardyne (Hylton 80); Mckay
(Charles-Cook 80), White.
Subs (not used): Hilton, Shaw, Lakin, Donaldson, Wright. Booked: Tillson, Naismith, Vigurs.
Referee: Willie Collum.