Killie's Luck Turns !!!! 

First win & shut out in 7 SPL matches...... (after conceding 21 goals in the last 7 SPL games!)....... revenge for the 3-0 Aug match... a last min winner for US this week..... its all good .... KILLIE TILL WE DIE !!!!!

Motherwell 0 Kilmarnock 1
(SPL Match No.14 - Fir Park, 9th Nov 2002,)

(Photos from SNS & used with permission)

An injury time strike from Kris Boyd was enough to secure maximum points for Kilmarnock in a dour struggle with Motherwell at Fir Park.

Well manager Terry Butcher sprang a surprise as he attempted to lift his side off the foot of the Premier League table.

The Fir Park boss dropped goalkeeper Stephen Woods in favour of Francois Dubourdeau for his first game since April 21.

The Lanarkshire men have not won an SPL game since their shock victory over Celtic on September 10.

And their cause was not helped as experienced captain Scott Leitch began a three-match ban following his sending off against Partick.

James McFadden's continuing hamstring injury meant he missed out again.

Killie were also toiling at the foot of the table and are currently just four points off the bottom after last week's last-minute defeat to Dundee United.

In a match starved of quality football, the visitors just about deserved to shade it for their slightly more adventurous approach.

It was a thunderous Boyd free kick from 25 yards that settled the game in the 91st minute.

Bottom of the table Motherwell have now lost six games in a row and have not won an SPL game since their shock victory over Celtic on 10 September.

For the home side French goalkeeper Francois Dubourdeau began his first game since April in place of the dropped Stevie Woods.

Captain Scott Leitch began a three-match ban following his sending off against Partick last week and Scotland international James McFadden's continuing hamstring injury meant he missed out again.

Kilmarnock defender Freddie Dindeleux had not recovered from a dead leg and was replaced by James Fowler.

A drab opening period saw both teams struggle to find any rhythm and neither goalkeeper was called upon to make a significant contribution.

The home side graudually established the upper hand but the visitors defended doggedly to thwart 'Well's advances.

The visitor's first shot at goal came in the 23rd minute when Alan Mahood picked up a Paul Di Giacomo touch at the edge of the box but the midfielder's shot went well wide.

At the other end, Derek Adams' shot from 20 yards was much closer and flashed just inches wide of the target.

In the 26th minute Kilmarnock came close when Di Giacomo picked up a Kris Boyd pass 14 yards out and drilled a right foot shot narrowly past the post.

Soon after, a Steve Fulton free-kick from 25 yards had Dubourdeau scrambling smartly to save.

The home side nearly stole into the lead in the 32nd minute when a Dougie Ramsay shot caught Gordon Marshall flat-footed, but the Killie keeper recovered in time to stop the ball sneaking in.

The second half was only a mild improvement on the dire opening 45 minutes with high ball tactic all too prevalent.

On the hour, Dubourdeau was smartly off his line to foil Di Giacomo after Boyd had headed down a Greg Shields free-kick.

Minutes later, the French keeper made a great save from Boyd who should have done better with the goal to aim from 12 yards out.

Motherwell striker Dirk Lehman made his first significant contribution to the game in the 74th minute when his header from 12 yards went narrowly over the bar.

Moments later a Derek Adams free-kick from 25 yards was well saved by Marshall at his right hand post.

Seconds into injury time Kilmarnock took the lead when Boyd hammered home a 25 yard free-kick which gave Debourdeau no chance.

Attendance: 4,439

Kilmarnock: Marshall, Fowler, Innes, Shields, Dillon, Canero, Fulton (Sanjuan 85), Mahood, Murray (Hay 87), Boyd, Di Giacomo (McSwegan 80).
Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Quitongo.