Oli, Oli, Oli! Shaw off the mark as Jags are stung
Kilmarnock came out on top in Maryhill as they put Partick Thistle to the sword in a Championship cracker.
Both sides went into the match full of confidence, but it was the Ayrshire team who bagged their fifth win of the season, and managed to move two points closer to top-of-the-table Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who could only draw, in the process.
A Kevin Holt own goal followed by a wonder strike by Oli Shaw did the business for Tommy Wright’s men, who are shaping up for a battle at the top to return to the Premiership.
The Killie boss said: “We got the job done. They started the game well and put us under pressure with balls in the box, but we defended well.
“But I think we had the better chances in the first half, there was a
few one-on-ones that we should have done better with.
“Second half we started extremely well, we missed a penalty but the goal was a bit lucky after coming off their player.
“I think we deserved to be ahead at that stage, and the second goal was a wonderful strike.
“I am so pleased for Oli getting his first goal.”
The hosts got off to a flying start in the first minute when captain Ross Docherty fired a low shot towards goal, but Zach Hemming was on his toes to get down and tip it round the post.
Thistle were denied a penalty in the seventh minute when Zak Rudden
went down, but the claims were waved away as play continued.
Scott Robinson thought he was through on goal three minutes later as he tried to get a shot away, but a lastditch tackle denied him.
Killie had a wonderful chance to take the lead just before the half-hour mark, but Shaw’s effort was well saved by Jamie Sneddon.
The visitors almost bagged a fortunate opener five minutes before half-time when Jason Naismith fizzed in a cross which deflected narrowly over the crossbar for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece a
goalmouth scramble ensued but somehow failed to produce a goal.
Shaw had a perfect chance to open his Killie account five minutes after the restart but his penalty kick was well saved by Sneddon.
However, straight after the miss the visitors took the lead in the 52nd minute when a Fraser Murray cross hit off Holt and trundled into his own net.
In the 65th minute it was two for Killie as Shaw got his goal with a stunning strike from 25 yards after taking the ball down on his chest.
Jags boss Ian Mccall said: “I didn’t think there was lot in the game but on chances, Kilmarnock deserved to win.
“I felt they were more streetwise than us and we had more possession, more corners and more shots at goal but we didn’t have any clear-cut chances so in that respect Kilmarnock deserved to win.
“It was criminal for Sneds to save the penalty and then for us to give one away one or two minutes later.
“We’ve played Inverness and Kilmarnock in the last two weeks and I think they’ll both be up there but we’re not far that off them to be
honest.”