Vassell strikes to leave Killie with Europe in their grasp
KILMARNOCK manager Derek McInnes admitted recently that his club could not afford to sign a 20-goal-a-season striker and was hoping that two of his players might help to compensate for that by reaching double figures instead.
Top-scorer Marley Watkins, who has 12 to his name, had a relatively quiet afternoon yesterday but club captain Kyle Vassell stepped up to the plate to claim his 10th of the season to give them the victory which now makes European football next season a probability rather than a possibility.
The three points were merited, the win was more comfortable than the scoreline would suggest and the outcome is that
Killie now have a five-point cushion between themselves in the last European slot and fifth-placed St Mirren.
‘Sometimes these games are the best ones — 1-0, playing with real concentration,’ said manager McInnes. ‘We weren’t brilliant but we didn’t need to be because one goal was enough today.
‘I could come in here and pretend that I don’t bother about the other teams but we all rush at full-time to find out what the results are.
‘The good thing for us is that we’re not depending on favours from anyone else — like last year when we stayed up all by ourselves. We’ve got into the top six through our own hard work.
‘You don’t really enjoy that type of game but I’m enjoying it now. You feel good in the aftermath and so we should. It feels good.’
The home side could have taken the lead after only 51 seconds when Danny Armstrong’s deep cross from the right picked out Matty Kennedy and the winger’s controlled volley beat George Wickens but struck his right-hand post.
It proved to be a false dawn in terms of goalmouth action, however. In fairness, the wind, intermittently swirling and driving, didn’t help when it came to either team’s attempts to pass the ball.
Immediately after the restart, Armstrong saw a netbound drive deflected over the crossbar by Loick Ayina while Will Dennis then made the first save of the afternoon, diving to his left to turn Simon Murray’s curling attempt behind for a corner. That was the last time County threatened. Killie gradually assumed control of proceedings and finally broke the deadlock.
Kennedy did the spadework, heading for the byline and cutting the ball back. Ayina’s attempted clearance lacked heft and distance and fell kindly for Killie captain Vassell, who drilled the ball low behind a slow-moving Wickens from 15 yards.