On Thursday, Aug 26th 1999 Bobby Williamson's team entertained KR Reykjavik in the UEFA Cup, as Kilmarnock celebrated 100 years at Rugby Park. Mementoes were presented to the players and a special commemorative publication was commissioned to mark the occasion.

A near-capacity crowd  turned out to urge on the team as they overturned a 1-0 deficit from the preliminary-round first leg in Iceland.

Killie were thrown a lifeline at Rugby Park last night by a man who was only moments away from sending the Ayrshire club out of the UEFA Cup, Porhallor Orn Hinriksson scored the late goal in Iceland which provided KR Reykjavik with a one-goal advantage coming into the second leg, and that slender lead looked like being enough as the home side struggled to break down the visitors' rearguard for 90 tense minutes.

However, with his side reduced to 10 men for 50 minutes of the match - Scot David Winnie ordered off for his second bookable offence - Hinriksson handled a Jim Lauchlan (right) last-gasp scissor-kick attempt inside the box in 90 minutes, much to the delight of 11,760 crowd, and veteran striker Paul Wright stepped up to take the match into extra time with a ferociously struck penalty.

Then, after two minutes of extra time, David Bagan struck to take Kilmarnock into the next round where we drew Kaiserslautern, with a superb chip (right).

Rugby Park celebrates is centenary this year, but surely it has never been the scene of such high drama.

After the ineptitude in Reykjavik, manager Bobby Williamson made several alterations to his line-up for the visit of the Icemen.

A calf injury ruled Kevin McGowne out of the match and there was no place either for centre half Chris Innes, full back Garry Hay, or Mark Roberts. Mark Reilly, Michael Jeffrey, and Ally Mitchell, who all started in the first leg, too, could only find places on the substitutes' bench.

Martin Baker was employed in the full back role, while John Henry, Alan Mahood, and fit-again Ian Durrant took their places in the Killie midfield. The veteran strikeforce of Ally McCoist and Paul Wright were given the nod as Williamson searched for goals.

Killie received a scare after only five minutes, however, when McCoist, tracking back, failed to clear properly allowing Sigurour Orn Jonsson to cross for Einar Pro Danielsson, but fortunately he headed over from eight yards.

Sigpur Juliusson then had a fearsome strike bravely blocked by Colin Meldrum moments later and the keeper watched gratefully as a third Reykjavik attack in as many minutes was wasted by Porhallor Orn Hinriksson, scorer of the goal in the dying minutes of the first leg.

It took Kilmarnock a while to get over that ropey start, but while the play was more frequently directed at the visitors' goal, movement and penetration continued to be a problem.

Growing in confidence, Kilmarnock almost took the lead when Freddie Dindeleux, again the inspiration, rose to meet Ian Durrant's fine cross on the half-hour mark. However, his header was tipped over the bar by Finnbogason.

Bjarki Gunnlugsson was foiled by Meldrum after a mazy run but the Icelanders should have killed the tie off six minutes from the break when Danielsson threaded a ball to Jonsson, but he inexplicably skewed the ball wide from inside the box with only Meldrum for company.

However the course of the match changed dramatically when ex-Ayr player David Winnie was dismissed for his second bookable offence and Durrant's free kick was wonderfully saved by Finnbogason.

Striker Jerome Vareille was brought on in place of Alan Mahood after the restart and the Frenchman posed a constant threat to the Reykjavik rearguard. Atli Edvalsson's unit, however, were content to sit back and soak up the pressure, hoping their packed defence would be enough to preserve their one-goal advantage.

Baker came close after a sweeping cross from Gus MacPherson, but his left-foot effort bounced just wide of the keeper's far post.

As Killie's desperation heightened, David Bagan and Michael Jeffrey were brought on to add some fresh attacking impetus in place of the tiring McCoist and ineffective Henry.

Wright and Vareille both wasted good opportunities, but Hinriksson's hand-ball at the death threw Kilmarnock a lifeline which Paul Wright accepted with glee from the penalty spot for his first goal of 1999, one which took Kilmarnock and Reykjavik into 30 minutes of extra time.

Kilmarnock - Meldrum, MacPherson, Henry, Holt, Wright, Durrant, Mahood, Baker, Dindeleux, Lauchlan, McCoist. Substitutes - Stewart (goalkeeper), Jeffrey, Reilly, Mitchell, Vareille, Bagan, Burke.

Referee - L Bazzoli (Italy).

Attendance - 11,760