Super Sub Andy Gives JJ A Winning Start!

Kilmarnock 3  Dundee 2
(Scot Premier Division, Match 30, Rugby Park, March 2nd 2002)

Two stunning second-half goals from substitute Andy McLaren enabled Jim Jefferies to taste victory in his first game as Rugby Park supremo.

First McLaren produced a stunning shot to put his side back in a match that had appeared to be slipping away from his side.

And then, with just a minute remaining, he headed his side back in front to take the points.

Craig Dargo had given the home side an early lead but Dundee rallied to equalise when goalkeeper Gordon Marshall gifted Juan Sara a goal before Temuri Ketsbaia beat him early in the second half.

The Jefferies era had been delayed by 18 minutes because of an accident which had closed the A77 and the new Killie boss was one of many delayed.

But once play was under way it took the players he had inherited from Bobby Williamson just 10 minutes to impress him with a goal.

It turned out to be the best move of the half with Jamie Fowler providing a probing ball down the inside right channel for Peter Canero to run onto.

The Dundee defence had been hoping for an offside flag but none was raised and Canero went on to square the ball for Dargo to apply the finish.

Dundee tried to set up their passing game but found defenders in the way, especially when Ketsbaia tried his luck from distance.

The half's midway period saw a flurry of bookings, with Kilmarnock defender Garry Hay the first to be punished for touchline revenge on Mark Robertson, who had earlier left a foot in when referee David Somers was looking elsewhere.

Then Ketsbaia was shown a yellow card for an obvious dive into the penalty area in the hope Somers might have thought Sean Hessey had upended him.

Walter del Rio completed the six-minute spree by being booked for tripping Dargo.

The home side was cruising towards a half-time lead until Marshall, the most experienced man on the pitch, was guilty of a glaring error.

A routine backpass should have been met with a routine hoof upfield but his attempt hit Fabian Caballero, who was barely out of the penalty area.

The former Arsenal man took a touch and crossed to the back post, where fellow Argentinian Sara had arrived for a simple header into the unguarded net.

Marshall looked vulnerable again within two minutes of the restart but Ketsbaia's curling free-kick clipped the top of the bar and bounced over.

Gavin Rae almost put his side in the lead after Hessey had carelessly surrendered possession to Caballero down the right and Sara had dummied the resulting low cross to set up the shot.

But Ketsbaia made no mistake from more than 20 yards out in Dundee's next foray forward after Robertson had won the ball and fed it to Rae.

The Georgian was next to get a touch and that opened up space for the shot which flew low past Marshall and inside his right-hand post.

Jefferies had started the match in the directors' box but was now in the dugout alongside assistant Billy Brown and rookie coach Ian Durrant.

A couple of changes were made, with playmaker Jesus Sanjuan and winger Andy McLaren coming on for Fowler and Kris Boyd.

Three times Dundee goalkeeper Julian Speroni was called into action, first to race off his line to get to a through-ball ahead of Dargo and then, more significantly, to deny Alan Mahood from long range after Sanjuan had set him up.

The third save saw Dargo denied as he attempted to steer the ball across him at speed, having been sent cantering through down the inside right channel.

But the equaliser was worth waiting for - and Speroni did not have a chance of stopping it.

Stephen Murray, the jinky winger, made ground down the right and Andy McLaren met his cross first time on the half-volley to send the ball rocketing into the top corner.

Murray was the supplier again for the third goal and this time, with a minute left on the clock, McLaren used his head to beat Speroni.

Attendance: 6,890

Kilmarnock: Gordon Marshall, James Fowler (Andy McLaren, 58), Kevin McGowne, Sean Hessey, Garry Hay, Peter Canero, Alan Mahood, Ally Mitchell, Stephen Murray, Craig Dargo, Kris Boyd (Jesus Sanjuan, 57)
Subs: Colin Meldrum, Jesus Sanjuan, Chris Innes, Gary McDonald, Andy McLaren