Killie Crash again

Stewart McConnell at Rugby Park - 1526 • Published 25 Mar 2010 11:39 0 Comments

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CHRIS MAGUIRE: Scored for Killie v Accies

KILMARNOCK 1 HAMILTON ACCIES 2

WOEFUL Kilmarnock crashed to a fourth SPL defeat on the bounce on Wednesday to slip to second bottom spot after producing their poorest performance of the season.

Aside from a short flurry of pressure which saw Chris Maguire pull a goal back Killie were never at the races against a sharp Accies side who were well worthy of their victory.

They are still just four points clear of rock-bottom Falkirk and with a testing trip to Celtic Park on Saturday it certainly doesn't get any easier. Victories are needed soon otherwise on this evidence they could face a real relegation struggle.

While in the last couple of games against the Old Firm and Hibs and Motherwell the Rugby Park side had undoubtedly played some excellent football the same couldn't be said on Wednesday as they were most uncharacteristically second to most balls, kept giving away possession and defended poorly - few merited passmarks. And that's a worry as we go into the business end of the season.

They were one-dimensional in their play at times, resorting to too many high balls in the direction of Kevin Kyle which were mopped up by the well-marshalled Hamilton defence and had they played it more on the deck as they did for the goal that could have been much more effective.

But that said you can only hope this was a one-off as this group of players are capable of so much more as we have seen recently.

While Killlie played poorly referee Craig Thomson didn't help and seemed to give the visitors every decision going. For instance in three minutes a cross clearly hit James McArthur on the arm but he waved play on when a penalty should clearly have been awarded. Put it this way I have seen many spot-kicks awarded for far less this season.

Accies' five-man midfield caused countless problems early on for Killie as they pinned Killie back and they created a host of openings. In five minutes a Dougie Imrie effort from just outside the box was blocked by a defender. Then six minutes later a swerving 25-yard effort fro Brian Easton was well saved by Cammy Bell. However back at the other end Killie had virtually their only chance of the half in 14 minutes as a 22-yard thunderbolt from Kyle was tipped spectacularly over the bar by visiting keeper Tomas Cerny.

But eight minutes later Accies hit the front with a well-worked goal. Australian James Wesolowski slipped a fine through ball to Frenchman Mickael Antoine-Curier to drill the ball home from eight yards. Then in 26 minutes with the home defence horribly exposed Simon Mensing sent home a bullet header from 16 yards following a precision cross from Imrie to double the Lanarkshire team's lead.

Hamilton were piling on the pressure and in 34 minutes a fierce effort from Curier was saved by Bell and the same player blasted the rebound wide. Three minutes later Easton hit the post as Billy Reid's men continued to dominate. In 38 minutes Tim Clancy picked up a return pass from Kyle but shot wide from 20 yards.

Referee Thomson continued to make baffling decisions and in 59 minutes awarded Hamilton a free-kick when Clancy was clearly bundled down by Imrie with the Irish defender needing treatment. Then a tame cross-cum-shot from Clancy 25 yards from goal was well held by Cerny five minutes later.

A 12-yard effort from substitute striker Allan Russell was well saved by the French keeper in 69 minutes. But eight minutes later the hosts grabbed a lifeline thanks to a brilliantly executed goal, Craig Bryson played a one-two with Liam Kelly and he dispatched a quickfire pass to Maguire to thunder the ball home from eight yards. A minute later Manuel Pascali shot well wide from close range.

But Killie failed to turn the screw in the remaining minutes despite a short flurry of pressure and Accies held on for the win.

KILMARNOCK: Cammy Bell 6; Tim Clancy 6 (Mehdi Taouil 90, 2); James Fowler 5 (Mark Burchill 55, 3); Craig Bryson 6; Manuel Pascali 5; Kevin Kyle 5; Liam Kelly 6; Jamie Hamill 5; Scott Severin 5; Chris Maguire 6; Rob Kiernan 5 (Allan Russell 55, 3).

STARMAN: Chris Maguire 3, Cammy Bell 2, Liam Kelly 1

LEADERBOARD: 27 - Craig Bryson, 23 - Jamie Hamill, 19 - Conor Sammon, 16- Kevin Kyle, 14- Mehdi Taoui

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