Super Sub Andy Saves Killie

(Photo provided by Sandy Ferguson &  used with permission)

Killie 1 Rangers 1

(2002-03 SPL Match Number 1)

A late equaliser from Andy McLaren ensured Rangers were once again trailing in the SPL championship race.

Rangers had looked like taking all three points, courtesy of Shota Arveladze's first half opener, but the intervention of McLaren proved to be their undoing.

Rangers' £6million summer signing Mikel Arteta was trying hard to impress, but the young Spaniard found his initial efforts came to little and retreated into his shell as the game wore on.

(Photo provided by Sandy Ferguson &  used with permission)

Rangers established an early foothold on the game and a gradual increase of the pressure led to the opening goal.

Killie had already survived a scare when Ronald de Boer headed a misguided Barry Ferguson shot back into the danger zone. Fortunately Gordon Marshall was able to make a smart stop from Peter Lovenkrands.

An Arteta corner kick then had Killie all at sea. Arguably - and the home side certainly did that - it shouldn't have been given as Lovenkrands had appeared to have supplied the final touch.

(Photo provided by SNS & used with permission)

Killie failed twice to get the ball away, and not a challenger was in sight when Arveladze arrived to head past the exposed Marshall.

McSwegan fired narrowly over from distance once more before Ferguson forced Marshall into a replica save of the earlier one from Klos.

Killie were angry at being behind and the home fans berated referee Kenny Clark at the break, but the home side were also fortunate not to be a man down with more than an hour to play after Alan Mahood, who had been booked for tripping de Boer, went in two-footed on Arthur Numan.

Marshall was having a great game and saved his side again with another good block with his legs, this time to deny Arveladze.

Jim Jefferies made an inspired substitution in the 64th minute when he introduced McLaren for Craig Dargo.

(Photo provided by SNS & used with permission)

Garry Hay floated over a corner and Klos, who was under severe pressure from challengers on his line, could only punch the ball to McLaren some 10 yards in front of goal.

The substitute made no mistake.

The situation was so desperate for Rangers that Tore Andre Flo was sent on, but although Arveladze and Lovenkrands came close with headers it never looked like materialising.

Marshall, Shields, Hessey, Hay, Mitchell,  (Boyd 73) Mahood, Sanjuan, Fulton, McSwegan (McLaughlin 90), Dargo (McLaren 64)

Sandy Ferguson's Match Photos Here

baz's Comments......Killie never sat back and took the game to the huns at ever opportunity. The goal came from a corner that never should have been and the referee showed the usual consistancy of men in black when we play against either of the twisted sisters. Marshall flapped at the initial cross and lost his bearings which led to the confusion that allowed them to grab a goal...shades of
offside there as well in my opinion. The was also guilty of booking Killie  players for offences that he was letting the huns off for...maybe I'm  getting as paranoid as the Shellick fans now!

To be fair Killie never looked out of it but Marshall redeemed himself after his initial blunder with a couple of cracking saves. Killie had a few good  chances as well and I think thouroughly deserved our equaliser. Andy McLaren had been taking massive pelters from both the huns stands about being a 'junkie' and it was great to see him rubbing their noses in it when he scored. And oh how we sang! As for the singing section...there was no sign of it. We were meant to be slap bang in the middle of it but maybe they are waiting until the next home game to introduce it.

The veteran Bully was the stand out in the match, covering every blade of grass, and set an example to the rest of the team. Stevie Fulton's passing  was sublime at times and generally the Killie play was better than I've witnessed for a while. In fact at the end I was wondering whether we should be happy with only a point! Seriously though, it was so good a performance by the boys from the theatre of pies that it  prompted every hun filled car that passed me as I was walking to work to roll down their windows and call me a "fat fenian b*stard", and a big cheesy grin from me was enough to send them on their way cursing. Some things never change!