Inspired substitutions by Killie boss Jim
Jefferies won the match for the Rugby Park men as two of his young
stars came on to score late goals.
Kilmarnock extended their run of unbeaten
results against Dundee United to 18 games with a deserved 2-1 win at
Tannadice.
The Ayrshire side dominated the game for long
spells but had to batle back after conceding a goal to Steven
Thompson.
Both the Killie strikes came from substitutes
with Craig Dargo and Kris Boyd getting on the score sheet to press
claims for a starting place.
Dundee United had taken the lead through
Steven Thompson, assisted superbly by Arnar Gunlaugsson, but were
shocked to see Craig Dargo and Kris Boyd snatch victory.
Dargo knocked in a scrappy goal from four
yards after Boyd redirected a free-kick and then Boyd lobbed Paul
Gallacher from 20 yards for the winner.
Chances were few and far between in a
hard-fought first half, but neither side could grind down the other.
In a rare moment of goalmouth action, Greg Shields watched in horror
as United goalkeeper Gallacher stretched to touch his powerful shot
over the bar after some superb vision from Andy McLaren.
It was McLaren who lit up this game, and he
taught Jamie McCunnie a lesson in the 17th minute when he bamboozled
him with some superb footwork.
He gathered the ball out on the left
touchline, allowed it to roll between his feet before stepping over it
and leaving the young defender for dead.
(Photo from SNS &
used with permission)
However, he wasted the move as he hesitated
on the ball with Steve Fulton and Gary McSwegan waiting in the box and
allowed United's defence to regroup.
United thought they had opened the scoring
with 10 minutes of the half remaining, but the celebrations from the
fans behind the goal were short-lived as a Danny Griffin free-kick
from 20 yards shaved the outside of the post and went wide.
Gunlaugsson was introduced by Alex Smith in
the 61st minute for his home debut and the manager must have been
delighted to see his new signing set up the opening goal within nine
minutes.
The Icelandic international spotted Thompson
breaking through into the Killie half and fed him with a long ball,
which Thompson slotted home.
Killie responded in fine style and were back
on level terms seven minutes later. Dargo, who had only been on the
field for a matter of minutes, latched onto a Kris Boyd header four
yards out and bundled the ball in.
(Photo from SNS &
used with permission)
Boyd had replaced Gary Locke in the 77th
minute and repaid his manager's faith in him three minutes later when
he put Killie ahead.
McLaren spotted the youngster unmarked on the
edge of the United area and fed him with a delightful chip.
The tall striker simply lobbed the ball over
Gallacher's head into the empty net.
United rallied and may have sneaked a point
if Thompson had managed to get his final minute volley on target.
Kilmarnock:
Marshall, Shields, Hay (Dargo 75), Dindeleux, Hessey, Locke (Boyd 78),
Mahood, Sanjuan, Fulton, McSwegan (McLaughlin 88), McLaren.
Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McDonald.
Booked: Sanjuan, Hessey, Boyd.
Att: 6,366
