Killie's first Parkhead win in 57 years

Nov 2 2012 by Alex Milligan, Kilmarnock Standard

Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 2 Cyldesdale Bank premier league

Beating Celtic in Glasgow is becoming a bit of a habit.

That’s twice in seven months, with Saturday’s win coming hot on the heels of the League Cup victory at Hampden in March.

The historic win at the weekend ended a 57-year curse at Parkhead but, according to Celtic manager Neil Lennon, it was his fault that the SPL leaders came off second best.

No plaudits from him for Kenny Shiels’s players who beat the club that had come within a whisker of beating Barcelona at the Nou Camp in a Champions League tie. Sour grapes? You decide.

With a team made up of free transfers and youth players, Killie travelled to Glasgow more in hope than expectation – but boy how Ayrshire’s finest delivered.

And it was no fluke, just like the cup final earlier in the year when grit and determination from a close-knit squad proved good enough to overcome a team costing millions and earning salaries that Killie players can only dream about.

The win was epitomised by the performance of 16-year-old Mark O’Hara, whose only previous first-team experience was as a sub against Stenhousemuir in the shock League Cup defeat in August.

Almost 30 minutes had gone before Celtic first threatened Cammy Bell’s goal, Joe Ledley passing up a chance to put his side ahead.

Well organised in midfield and defence, Killie were set up to threaten their opponents when the opportunity arose .

Two minutes before the break they did just that, with Cillian Sheridan enjoying the moment as he scored against his old team.

Adam Matthews and Efe Ambrose got themselves in a muddle, with the latter losing out to Sheridan, who ran on and outfoxed Forster before cantering towards the empty goal and stroking the ball into the net.

After the break, Celtic brought on hitman Gary Hooper for Beram Kayal, but the Englishman scorned a great opportunity when he shot wide of the goal.

On 62 minutes, the killer blow came when Killie youngster Rory McKenzie, 19, was fouled in the box by Emilio Izaguirre, with referee Cameron Allan pointing to the spot. Liam Kelly kept his cool and rifled the ball into the corner.

Substitute Tony Watt missed a sitter to give Celtic a lifeline, but in the end it was to be Killie’s day.