Innes Leads The Reds To Victory

(Photos from SNS & used with permission)

Dundee 0 Kilmarnock 1
(SPL Match No.34 - Dens Park, 27th Apr 2003)

Kilmarnock kept alive their slight chance of securing an automatic UEFA Cup spot with a workmanlike win over the Scottish Cup finalists.

The home side should have scored in the fourth minute when Mark Burchill found himself unmarked inside the box, but unfortunately his sloppy effort set the tone for the rest of the first period.

Dundee boss Jim Duffy was unable to call upon the services of Georgian duo Zurab Khizanishvili and Georgi Nemsadze after they were called up by their country for a Euro 2004 qualifying match against Russia.

This meant a recall to the side for club captain Barry Smith, who missed last week's semi-final win over Inverness through suspension.

Duffy also freshened up his strikeforce, replacing Steven Milne and Steve Lovell with Nacho Novo and Mark Burchill.

Killie boss Jim Jefferies made three changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Celtic last time out.

Greg Shields was unavailable for selection after picking up a knee injury and was replaced by Frenchman Freddy Dindeleux.

Steve Fulton and Gary McDonald also dropped out of the side, to be replaced by Barry McLaughlin and Gary Hay.

Dundee carved open a wonderful chance in the fourth minute when Jonay Hernandez's scuffed shot from 20 yards found it's way to Burchill inside the area.

The Killie defence claimed offside against the former Celtic man, but were relieved to see him scoop the ball high and wide.

Neither side could get a grip of the match in the opening stages and possession was frequently surrendered after one or two passes.

The Dark Blues did, however, create another chance on 10 minutes, when Novo attempted to latch onto a hopeful high ball out of defence.

The Spaniard had the beating of two Killie defenders, but was thwarted when Gordon Marshall raced from his goal and knocked the ball to safety.

Novo's pace was causing problems for the Killie rearguard and he almost set up Burchill when he raced down the left flank and cut the ball back for his team-mate.

However, Frederic Dindeleux was able to stretch out a leg and knock the ball behind.

Killie created their best chance of the game so far when James Fowler raced clear of the Dundee defence in pursuit of an Alan Mahood pass from midfield.

The young midfielder had the pace to get ahead of Hernandez, but the defender did enough to put the Killie man off his shot, forcing him to hit the ball weakly into the body of Julian Speroni.

Dundee hit back moments later when Gavin Rae burst from midfield and threaded the ball through to Novo, who had taken up a position on the left-hand side of the penalty box.

Novo appeared to have time to steady himself and shoot, but snatched at his effort and dragged it well wide of Marshall's post.

HT: 0-0

Dundee approached the second half with more vigour and some excellent skill from Gavin Rae almost set up Dave MacKay for the opening goal.

Rae expertly flicked the ball over the head of a defender and into the path of David MacKay, but the young defender's shot from 18 yards was poor and Gordon Marshall was able to get his hands behind the ball.

Killie felt they should have had a penalty in 69 minutes when Mair pulled back Gary McSwegan as he ran towards the Dundee goal.

McSwegan appeared to fire the ball wide as he was dragged off balance by the Dundee defender but Conroy awarded a corner.

But just as it seemed that the game was destined to peter out into a draw Kilmarnock sealed the win 14 minutes from time when Chris Innes (right) picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and fired a low effort past Speroni.

Dundee almost equalised minutes later when MacKay lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper's head, but Gordon Marshall rushed back and made a spectacular diving save on the far-right corner of his area to consign Dundee to their first defeat in 15 games.

Attendance: 5,964

Kilmarnock: Marshall, Innes, McLaughlin, Dindeleux, Canero, Fowler, Locke (Boyd 61), Mahood, Hay, McSwegan (Di Giacomo 87), McLaren (Dillon 67).

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Murray.

Glasgow Herald ..... Out of all the sides within the premier division this season Kilmarnock have made the greatest strides in terms of finding a settled team made up in the main by Scots.

In these days of economic cut-backs and the lack of cash to bring in forieign players such a long-term strategy is important. Jefferies has always been an expert at finding home- grown talent, and at Dens Park yesterday Freddy Dindeleux - who has been here so long he could be an honorary Scot - was the only foreigner in their ranks.