Killie notched their biggest SPL win today since
April 31st 1999, when they beat Dunfermline 6-0 at East End Park. This win
means Killie have taken a maximum 9 points out of 9 off of Livingston this
season. This win sets up a real battle with Hearts next week for the
battle for 3rd place as Killie move into 4th. A couple of other points of
note was this was the 5th win in 6 outings for our lucky red "3rd" strip,
and it was Colin Meldrum's second consecutive start & "shut-out"!
With experienced duo Steve Fulton and Andy
McLaren pulling the strings for Killie, Livingston had no answer and were
simply brushed aside.
The
Ayrshire side are now in fourth place in the table, having overtaken both
Hibs and now Dunfermline, while Livingston continue to sit in eighth spot.
McLaren, just back from suspension, cleverly put
wing-back Canero in on goal after four minutes but Livingston keeper David
McEwan was quick off his line to block from close range.
Moments later, Kris Boyd who found himself
through on McEwan and once again the young keeper did well with a save
from five yards out.
Livingston fought back, and in the ninth minute
their Canadian striker David Xausa might have done better than scuff the
ball past the post from six yards with the goal at his mercy.
Killie continued to look sharp in attack and
Livingston defender Phillipe Brinquin did well to hold off McLaren as the
striker was set to tap in James Fowler's low cut-back across the six-yard
box.
Livingston
midfielder Guillermo Amor, making his first start for the West Lothian
side, was having a quiet time and the former Barcelona star was mostly
involved in mopping up loose balls at the edge of the home side's box.
There was no surprise then when the visitors took
the lead in the 20th minute.
Steve Fulton swung a low free-kick into the box
and Andy McLaren
found space at the near post to steer the ball into the far corner.
A minute later, the home side should have
equalised when Xausa found himself free right in front of goal but could
only shoot straight at Killie goalkeeper Colin Meldrum.
The visitors continued to impress and scored a
well-taken second goal
in
the 33rd minute when McLaren set Boyd free and when the striker's cross
came over to the back post, Peter
Canero (right) came running in to
slam his header home.
Just before the break, McEwan produced a top
class save to stop Boyd's looping back-post header.
Kris Boyd
was not be denied, however, and the young striker
scored a sensational long range strike four minutes after the interval -
with his 25 yard shot going in off the underside of the crossbar.
Livi continued pushing for a goal and Burton
O'Brien's low drive from 20 yards drew a fine save from the confident
Meldrum.
Meldrum improved on that save with a great stop
from substitute Maman's 30-yard effort which was heading for the top
corner.
But it was all going Kilmarnock's way and in the
70th minute Andy McLaren
grabbed his second when he capitalised on slack play in the home defence
to slam the ball high into the net from close range.
In the closing moments Killie sub Gary Locke
missed a sitter, blasting over from 4 yards out!
Kilmarnock: Meldrum,
Shields, McLaughlin
, Dindeleux, Fowler, McDonald (Locke 82), Fulton, Mahood, Canero (Hay 85),
Boyd, McLaren (Di Giacomo 82).
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Murray.
Attendance: 4,144
Andy McLaren's Post Match comments...."That
was probably our best result of the season so far, it was certainly
more than we expected.
Everyone has been talking about the good form of other teams in the
league like Hearts and Dunfermline and that's suited us. I think
they'll start to notice us a bit more now. I'm claiming both goals today
although there was a bit of dubiety about the first one, that's what a
striker would do and I'm playing up front at the moment. Two goals just
after my suspension will do my confidence no harm. No one was under par
today, they all played well, and we've still a few coming back from
injury. Next week at Tynecastle is a huge game for us. We've proved that
we can live with the rest of the teams in the division and Europe is a
real possibility."
