Kilmarnock again proved
Dunfermline's undoing as goals from Gary McSwegan and Kris Boyd ended the
Pars' proud unbeaten record at East End Park. After not having a shot on
goal in the entire first half Killie while wearing their "lucky" reds
shirts came out a different side in the second half.
Dunfermline had not lost at home to
a side outwith the Old Firm since September 2001 - and the last to win
there were Kilmarnock.
And McSwegan's opener justified the
extended contract granted to him on Christmas Eve.
Pars manager Jimmy Calderwood was
given a boost when midfielder Barry Nicholson was cleared to play with a
light cast on the wrist he broke against Aberdeen.
Calderwood made only one change,
Chris McGroarty coming into the midfield for Stevie Hampshire.
Kilmarnock had gone four games
undefeated and were the last team outside the Old Firm to win at East End
Park back in September 2001.
Manager Jim Jefferies kept faith
with the same 11 that
beat
Hibernian 2-1 on Sunday, which meant Gary McSwegan and Andy McLaren
led the attack with Craig Dargo slotting in just behind them.
Kilmarnock started with some neat
passing, but Dunfermline upped the tempo of their play and slowly began to
peg the Ayrshire men back into their own half.
The constant rain made life
difficult for the players and a couple of blunders by Killie goalkeeper
Gordon Marshall went unpunished.
The healthy and
vociferous band of Killie fans were hoping to see some improvement in
their team after the interval.
Kilmarnock nearly took a lead four
minutes after the break.
McLaren and Alan Mahood worked a
one-two and, when Mahood's cut-back came across the Dunfermline goal,
midfielder Gary Mason had to clear to safety from almost on the line.
This sparked Kilmarnock into a spell
of pressure and Andy McLaren's deep cross from the left was headed back
across goal by Gary McSwegan and Craig Dargo somehow managed to scoop the
ball over the bar from three yards out.
Craig Brewster flashed a header from
12 yards over the Killie bar after a good cross from the tireless Chris
McGroarty on the left.
Gary McSwegan then cleared a
Brewster trundler off the line following a corner and then sensationally
ran up the park in the 70th minute and put the visitors ahead.
McSwegan got himself onto the
end of a James Fowler cross to stab the ball into the net (see to the
left) from close
range. (Photo by Sandy Ferguson & used with permission. To see more of
Sandy's photos click on the image to the left)
The former
Scotland international, has now signed on until the end of the season with
the Ayrshire club on Christmas Eve
Super-sub Kris Boyd added the
second in the 88th minute, for his 7th goal of the season.
Boyd who had
replaced McLaren six minutes earlier, picked up on a Lee Bullen mistake
and hammered home a tremendous shot from 15 yards which gave Pars keeper
Derek Stillie no chance.
Kilmarnock Marshall, Shields, Innes,
Dillon, Fowler, Dargo (Mitchell 84), Fulton, Mahood, Canero, McSwegan (Hay
87), McLaren (Boyd 84).
Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Sanjuan.
Attendance: 5,847
