First half goals gave Kilmarnock a comfortable
Scottish Cup win at Stark's Park, and their reward is a home draw to
holders Glasgow Rangers in the 4th Round.
Gary McSwegan, Gary McDonald and Colin Nish struck for the visitors
in a seven minute spell that saw the home side fall apart.
Vincent Talio hit back for Rovers in the 55th minute but a comeback
never looked likely.
Kilmarnock were content to sit back and soak up the little pressure
Rovers managed to exert late in the game.
The home side were first to attack with an effort on goal when
Francisco Paquito's wind-assisted free-kick went narrowly past Francois
Dubourdeau's left-hand post.
Kilmarnock retaliated immediately and Nish found McSwegan inside the
six-yard box but the former Rangers and Hearts player's header was
easily saved by Ramiro Gonzalez.
In the 12th minute Kilmarnock defender Gordon Greer sent McSwegan
clear on the right-hand side and the striker set up McDonald right in
front of the posts but the youngster missed the target.
Rovers had a chance after striker John Boyle robbed Greer and slipped
the ball to Craig Stanley but his shot from 16 yards went well wide of
the target.
With a strong wind behind them, the First Division side were doing
most of the pressing but the visitors took a surprise lead in the 28th
minute after a goalkeeping nightmare by Gonzalez.
A Freddie Dindeleux header looked harmless enough but Gonzalez let
the ball squirm out of his hands and Gary McSwegan had the
easiest of tasks to knock the ball into an empty net from close range.
In the 32nd minute the visitors doubled their lead after yet another
mistake by the Raith defence.
Player
boss Antonio Calderon miskicked his clearance and then Cristian Patino
failed to control the ball allowing Gary McDonald to break
free and fire home an angled shot from 14 yards.
The tie was all but over in the 35th minute when Stevie Fulton set up
Colin Nish from the left and the big striker made no
mistake from 12 yards out.
At the interval, Raith brought on a new signing Ramon Pereira - a
former Atletico Madrid striker.
Kilmarnock looked well in control but, in the 55th minute, the home
side gave themselves a lifeline when they pulled a goal back.
Defender Talio played a one-two with Craig Stanley and, when he
picked up the return ball, the full-back confidently burst into the box
and sent a right-foot shot crashing past Dubourdeau in the Killie goal.
Two minutes later Christian Patino had his header cleared off the
line by Garry Hay.
“That’s why you put people on the post,” Killie boss Jim
Jefferies said afterwards.
That was Raith’s last real gasp and Killie played out the game
comfortably.
“I said to the players you don’t have to make it pretty,”
Jefferies added.
His players took him at his word and were rewarded with a
"money-spinning" home tie against Rangers in the next round.
Kilmarnock: Dubourdeau, Shields, Greer, Dindeleux, Hay,
Fowler, Locke, Fulton, McDonald, McSwegan (Invincibile, 83 mins), Nish
(Boyd 84 mins).
Subs: Meldrum, McLaughlin, & Murray
Cards: None
Attendance: 3,610
