Killie FC hope to capitalise on home advantage

Nov 27 2009 by Lizzie Struthers, Kilmarnock Standard

WITH three of their next four games at Rugby Park, it’s imperative that Killie take advantage and get some points on board that will get them heading in an upward direction.

Three defeats on the bounce see them languishing in joint second bottom spot along with Hamilton, only a point ahead of Falkirk who notched up their first win of the season last weekend.

And with only five points separating St Mirren in seventh spot and the bottom team, a couple of wins will make all the difference.

Killie looked to be on the wrong end of a real hammering when they went in at the interval three goals down to Rangers, mostly as a result of some inept defending.

But they steadied the ship after the break and put in a decent second half shift without conceding another goal.

Said gaffer Jim Jefferies: “When we drew 0-0 with Rangers at home earlier in the season the two centre backs - Frazer Wright and Ryan O’Leary - were outstanding, but they had a bad time of it last Saturday after losing the early goal.

“I let them both know at the half-time interval that they’d have to do better and, to their credit, they did, but by then the damage was done.”

Jefferies said that his Rangers counterpart, Walter Smith, remarked after the game that the score might have been 3-2 or 2-2 at the break had it not been for an outstanding performance by Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregeor, but that will be of little consolation to Killie fans who witnessed their team failing to score for the third successive game.

“If you make chances you have to take them,” said Jefferies, “for if you don’t you will be made to suffer, and that’s exactly what’s been happening to us.

“That’s been a big frustration for us this season,” he continued, “for in a few games we have shot ourselves in the foot by not scoring when we should have done.”

Statistics don’t lie, and with the SPL’s poorest scoring record of just eight goals in 12 games, it isn’t too difficult to see why Killie are currently in second bottom spot.

And the prospect of Kevin Kyle missing Saturday’s crunch match against Hearts will only add to Jefferies’ woes.

The big striker had to have seven stitches inserted in a bad cut under his cheek bone following an accidental collision with McGregor’s studs and it’s touch and go whether he’ll be fit to face the Edinburgh side at the weekend.

Said Jefferies: “Knowing Kevin, he’ll be desperate to play in the game, but there’s a definite possibility that he might not be able to.”

Fortunately, the rest of the squad on duty at Ibrox escaped injury and will be available for the Jam Tarts fixture.

So if Kyle doesn’t make it, Allan Russell, who replaced him at Ibrox, may be on from the start, although he might still be lacking a bit of match fitness after his injury lay off.

Conor Sammon and Mark Burchill could also come into the frame to partner David Fernandez in attack.

Saturday’s opponents, Hearts, are also struggling to score, with a total of ten goals in their 12 SPL fixtures this season.

Victory for Killie would see them leapfrog the Tynecastle side who are a point better off, and the importance of the match won’t be lost as Jefferies delivers his pre-match team talk.

“It’s a big game,” said the manager, “by virtue of the fact that we go above them if we win, and with back-to-back home games on the horizon against Hibs and Falkirk a win would give us a massive boost.

“The fans have been great this season despite our disappointing results and with their backing on Saturday we can get the win that can give us the impetus to start climbing the league.

“There’s a long, long way to go, but we can ease the pressure a bit by taking maximum points against Hearts.”