Killie Hold Champ's On Opening Day

Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 0 SPL Match 1, Parkhead, Aug 5th, 2007, KO: 14:00 Attendance: 60,000     Tic Goals: None

No Player Started Substitution Cards Goals 1 Alan Combe       3 Garry Hay (50 min's Gibson)     5 Fraser Wright       21 Ryan O'Leary     4 David Lilley       6 Simon Ford       2 Jamie Fowler (31 min's Dodds)     23 Jamie Hamill       12 Allan Johnston (84 min's Fernandez)     7 Steven Naismith     9 Colin Nish       Subs         13 Chad Harpur         16 Rhian Dodds (31 min's Fowler)     17 Willie Gibson (50 min's Hay)     18 Paul Di Giacomo         19 Eric Skora         20 David Fernandez (84 min's Johnston)     22 Aime Koudou           Legend         Complete Game Yellow / Red Card Goal Substitute On Substitute Off Penalty

Celtic began their defence of their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title with a home game against Kilmarnock, knowing they have not lost to the Ayrshire side at Celtic Park since 1955. It had been almost nine years since the Ayrshire outfit picked up a league point at Celtic Park, on Sept 12th 1998.

And a positive result for the visitors looked unlikely as the champions started strongly.

Celtic wasted no time getting forward and midfielder Paul Hartley slammed a shot high over the crossbar with less than a minute played.

Aiden McGeady was looking lively and his deep cross to the back post found Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink unmarked but the big Dutchman could only volley back across goal and wide from six yards.

In the 16th minute Killie enjoyed a rare break forward, with Steven Naismith putting Allan Johnston through on goal.

However, the veteran midfielder did not have the legs to escape, allowing Celtic right-back Mark Wilson to get in a saving tackle on the edge of the penalty area.

With the rain pouring down, Celtic were getting bogged down as the visitors put up stubborn resistance. After 30 min's Jamie Fowler was taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle.

A loose ball broke to Scott Brown in a congested penalty box but the summer signing failed to connect properly and the ball bounced wide.

Massimo Donati then split the Killie defence with a neat pass but Zurawski's shot on the stretch from 14 yards was easily saved by Alan Combe.

With a minute of the first half remaining, the ball fell kindly to Kennedy and the Celtic defender hurried his shot to blast over the top from close range.

The second period was only a minute old when Hartley's looping header had to be tipped away by Combe.

Killie were then forced to make a 2nd injury substitution as Garry Hay

There was a let-off for the home side when Colin Nish was allowed to hook the ball into the danger zone and the unmarked Simon Ford headed over from just five yards.

Celtic immediately raced up the park and Alan Combe made a great diving save to keep out Zurawski's stabbed effort.

And when the ball broke back to the Poland international he somehow fired wide from inside the six-yard box.

Celtic stepped up the pace in the closing minutes and Combe had to look lively to get fingertips to a Brown shot that was looping towards the top corner via the turf.

And the visiting keeper was relieved to see a Kennedy header fly straight into his arms in stoppage time.

As the final few minutes ticked down Killie were forced to play with only 10 men, as 84th min sub David Fernandez (for Magic) took a blow to an eye socket, which kept him on the sidelines receiving treatment.

The Kilmarnock substitute received a generous welcome from the Celtic fans when he arrived as a second-half substitute, but left the field on a stretcher with a gash below his left eye after an accidental collision with Aiden McGeady after 88 minutes. The Spaniard looked in considerable distress and was later confirmed as having received a facial injury.

Jim Jefferies, the Kilmarnock manager, eventually relayed the news that Fernandez’s injury, while bad enough, was not the tragedy some had initially feared. ”We’ve sent him to hospital because he was in agony after it all happened,” Jefferies said. “Fernandez was caught by an elbow in the corner [below the eye] and we think it has caused some internal bleeding. We hope he will be OK, but it’s been a terrible time for the lad.”

These 90 minutes in Glasgow were also a period of personal release for Steven Naismith, the Kilmarnock striker, whose whole summer has been one long tormented wait upon an acceptable offer from one half of the Old Firm or the other.

Despite Celtic reputed to still be interested in the striker, Naismith has withdrawn his transfer request and took his place in Jefferies’ side. This, though, was not the sort of gruelling struggle in which the Kilmarnock player could thrive.

A tremendous spirited point was no more than Killie deserved.

Sandy's Match Pic's are HERE

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