4th It Is For Killie!

(Photos from SNS & used with permission)

Dunfermline 2 Kilmarnock 2
(SPL Match No.37 - East End Park, 17th May 2003)

Kilmarnock seem certain to miss out on European football next season, despite fighting back from two goals down to earn a draw at East End Park.

They now lie three points behind Hearts with just one game remaining and a vastly inferior goal difference to the Tynecastle side.

But they have given themselves a mathematical chance of pipping Hearts thanks to goals from Gary McDonald and Kris Boyd.

Killie wore black armbands in remembrance of their former manager Jim Clunie who passed away during the week.

Barry Nicholson and Gary Mason had put the Pars in control with early goals only to see their side pegged back by a battling Killie side.

Young Killie Bus Sets Off This Morning

Dunfermline took the lead after only four minutes in simple fashion.

Jason Dair whipped in a corner from the left and Nicholson broke free of the pack of players standing in the six-yard box to bullet a header past the exposed Gordon Marshall in the Kilmarnock goal.

Killie almost struck back minutes later when a Steve Fulton free-kick found its way through the Pars' penalty area for Frederic Dindeleuex, but the Frenchman could not get enough power on his header.

Dunfermline doubled their advantage soon after when Chris McGroarty picked out Mason with a pass inside the box.

Mason mis-hit his effort, but it still had enough power and direction to find its way past Marshall.

Dair almost added a third goal for Dunfermline when he spotted Marshall slightly off his line and unleashed a blistering shot from 20 yards, which flew just off target.

Kilmarnock got back into the game in the 26th minute when a lovely move involving Fulton, Gary McSwegan and Gary McDonald ended with the youngster trying an audacious chip from the right flank.

His effort looked fairly harmless and Pars keeper Derek Stillie had plenty of time to watch the ball as it sailed towards him.

But he left it and the ball came off the back post and landed in the net.

Craig Brewster picked up the ball inside the area and managed to spin round and get a toe to the ball, but Marshall stretched out a hand and knocked it wide.

Two minutes into the second half Fulton picked out Boyd with a perfectly-weighted pass, but Chris McGroarty managed to slide in and deflect his shot wide.

Kilmarnock brought on Paul Di Giacomo and Andy McLaren early in the second half in the search for goals and McLaren was involved almost instantly when he challenged Stillie for a high ball on the six-yard line, only to be penalised for impeding the goalkeeper

Kilmarnock had a wonderful chance to draw level when Peter Canero found himself unmarked 16 yards from goal following a poor defensive clearance, but his volley went high and wide.

The Pars almost snatched another goal when Brewster picked out Stevie Crawford, who rounded Marshall, but he was unable to get the ball fully under his control and his weak shot was blocked by Garry Hay.

Killie threw everything they had into attack in the closing stages and got their reward when Kris Boyd popped up to sidefoot home a McLaren cross from the right into the net and send the Killie faithful home somewhat happy!

Attendance: 6,896

Kilmarnock: Marshall, Fowler (McLaren 60), Dindeleux, McLaughlin, Shields (Hay 33), McDonald (Di Giacomo 56), Mahood, Fulton, Canero, Boyd, McSwegan.

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Locke.