Killie Cash In Vs 10 Men Don's

(Photos from SNS & used with permission)

Kilmarnock 2 Aberdeen 0

(SPL Match No.29 Mar 1st 2003 - Rugby Park)

Kilmarnock capitalised on the sending off of Aberdeen defender Eric Deloumeaux to boost their hopes of a Uefa Cup qualifying place.

Gary McSwegan and Peter Canero both scored within a five minute spell shortly afterwards to continue Aberdeen's miserable run at Rugby Park.

Both goalkeepers, Colin Meldrum and the recalled Peter Kjaer for the Dons, both saved well in the opening 45 minutes to keep the scoreline level.

Kilmarnock's Steve Fulton was forced to miss his first game of the season after contracting a virus during the week.

Barry McLaughlin was also sidelined after picking up an injury in training this week.

Killie manager Jim Jefferies called up Greg Shields and Garry Hay to replace the absent pair for the visit of Aberdeen as he chased a successive home win to virtually ensure a top six place before the Premier League split. Pittodrie boss Steve Paterson was looking for points to take his side away from a possible dogfight at the foot of the table.

But the Dons boss was unable to call on the services of defender Phil McGuire for the first time in 82 games with the youngster feeling the wear and tear of a his long sequence of games.

Ross O'Donoghue was also out with an ankle injury as Jamie McAllister and Nicolas Fabiano returned to the starting line-up.

The home side were first to threaten with a run down the right by James Fowler but his cross into the box was blocked by Russell Anderson.

Peter Canero then got his head to a Freddie Dindeleux cross but his effort was off target.

Aberdeen troubled the home defence for the first time in the seventh minute but Derek Young's shot was blocked at the edge of the box.

Chris Clark then forced a save from Meldrum with a well-struck shot from 30 yards.

In the 16th minute, Fabiano broke clear on the left from a Derek Young pass but the Killie defence got back to crowd out the midfielder.

But soon the Rugby Park side were back in their opponent's box but Gary McSwegan well off target with a volley from Hay's cross.

After 21 minutes, a missed header from Anderson almost fell to Andy McLaren but Kjaer was off his line quickly to collect the ball.

The Aberdeen keeper was again in action when he held a McLaren header on the line after a terrific cross in from Hay.

Dons' skipper Anderson received the first yellow card when he chopped down McSwegan on the halfway line.

A break by Fabiano on 32 minutes looked promising but the Frenchman ran the ball over the line and wasted a good opportunity.

Paul Sheerin put the Killie goal under pressure on 35 minutes but Shields moved smartly to clear from Laurent D'Jaffo.

In another Aberdeen attack, Steve Tosh tried his luck from 30 yards but his effort drifted harmlessly past the post.

Three minutes before the break, a McSwegan free-kick found its through the Aberdeen wall but Kjaer had little difficulty stopping the shot.

A deep cross from Jamie Fowler found McLaren in the box shortly after the break, but his header was off target and McSwegan and Hay got in each others' way and missed a great opportunity in front of the visitors' goal.

Eric Deloumeaux of the Dons was dismissed after 54 minutes, when he retaliated to a kick by Andy McLaren, who was also yellow-carded.

Kilmarnock finally got their deserved breakthrough in the 58th minute.

Gary McSwegan took advantage of an Anderson error when he volleyed home the defender's mis-hit clearance from the edge of the box. The shot may have taken a deflection, but who cares as Killie gladly went 1-0 up!

But the problems for the visitors increased in the 63rd minute, when Kilmarnock grabbed their second.

A terrific run from Jamie Fowler from the halfway line left the Aberdeen defence in his wake and Peter Canero (Right) tapped the ball home after his young team-mate had crossed into the middle.

Kilmarnock: Meldrum, Innes, Shields, Dindeleux, Canero, Fowler, Mahood, McDonald, Hay, McSwegan, (Boyd 77mins), McLarenn (Di Giacomo 88 mins).

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Murray & Dillon.

Referee: J Underhill.

Attendance: 5,769