Killie FC lose at home to Dundee Utd

Nov 13 2009 by Lizzie Struthers, Kilmarnock Standard

ON the day news broke that KFC chairman Michael Johnston had drawn up a new code of conduct for players who are booked or sent off, Killie didn’t have one player fall foul of the referee.

Perhaps it’s time the chairman drew up a list of penalties for not converting the chances that lead to goals.

For that’s what cost them dearly against United after they had matched the Tannadice side in almost everything except in the art of scoring goals.

It’s an old cliche, but Killie have played worse and won, and in this game they just couldn’t get the ball into the United net, and ultimately that was their downfall.

For the opening period of this match they were the dominant team, and Kevin Kyle was raging with the referee in the fifth minute when he appeared to be nudged off the ball by Garry Kenneth as he tried to connect with a Jamie Hamill ball across the face of the goal.

Four minutes later Hamill’s forward venture saw him get on the end of a Garry Hay free kick, but his drive from a tight angle was beaten away by goalkeeper Nicky Weaver.

Then the Killie goal had a bit of a let-off when Jennison Myrie-Williams crossed for Damian Casalinuova, only for the Argentinian to hit the side net.

Soon the action was back in the United box and another Hay cross found Kyle, but the striker’s effort was blocked by Weaver, with Mehdi Taouil blasting the loose ball wide of the goal.

The visitors scored against the run of play in 20 minutes from the penalty spot, Casalinuovo converting from 12 yards after an innocuous tackle from Hay on Myrie-Williams.

The goal rattled the Killie players’ confidence, and Mark Brown had to react quickly to a shot from Prince Buaben to stop United from doubling their lead.

Killie ended the first half strongly as they went in search of the equaliser that their efforts deserved.

In 38 minutes Gavin Skelton’s volley was on target, but lacked the power to trouble Weaver.

Two minutes from the break, Kyle’s shot was direct and powerful, but Weaver got his body in the way to block and deny the striker.

Hay then had an effort deflected wide by Weaver and from the resultant corner Frazer Wright elected to try his luck from a tight angle at the back post when a cut back into the middle might have been more productive.

Five minutes after the restar,t both the referee and linesman missed a deliberate pull on David Fernandez as he ran clear of the United defence.

Minutes later Craig Bryson did well to work his way along the line and cut the ball back to James Fowler, but his effort rose agonisingly over the crossbar.

United doubled their lead on 56 minutes with a quick break on the right from a throw-in deep in their own half, Myrie-Williams setting up an easy opportunity for Casalinuova to tap in his second goal.

With 65 minutes on the clock, Fernandez broke clear but lost his footing at the vital moment. He managed to recover and slip the ball to Bryson, but, once again, Weaver got his body in the way.

One of the best of the home side’s chances fell to Kyle in the 68th minute but his hurried shot from Bryson’s lob flew over the crossbar, with the striker having more time than he thought to control the ball and place it past the United goalkeeper.

Killie staged a final flurry but just couldn’t convert, with their lack of the killer touch in front of goal once again costing them valuable league points.

Kilmarnock: Brown, Fowler, O'Leary, Wright, Hay (Flannigan), Hamill (Sammon), Bryson, Skelton Taouil, Kyle, Fernandez (Burchill). Subs (not used) Bell, Pascali, Owens, Kelly.

Dundee United: Weaver, Webster, Conway, Myrie-Williams (Swanson), Buaben, Gomis, Kenneth, Kovacevic, Casalinuovo (Cadamarteri), Dixon, Goodwillie (Dillon). Subs (not used) Banks, Dods, Robertson, Shala.