After failing to score against Ross Co, on Sunday Killie bounced back with a 2-1 win over WBA, at Rugby Park tonight.
Garry Hay was inches away from giving Kilmarnock the lead after only nine minutes when his 20-yard free-kick clipped the top of the West Brom bar.
Kilmarnock then almost profited from an error by Steve Watson as the West Brom defender slipped as he attempted to deal with a cross and presented possession straight to Steven Naismith.
The Kilmarnock player struck a crisp half-volley
which Manchester United target Tomasz
Kuszczak
pushed clear.
A swift attacking move by the Scottish side should have led to the opening goal as Naismith exchanged passes with Danny Invincibile and then Paul Di Giacomo, but the Scotland Under-21 star fired just over the crossbar.
John Hartson was causing problems for the Kilmarnock defence and he showed all the attributes which made him such an attacking threat at Celtic as he expertly held up possession and then played a clever reverse pass to Zoltan Gera. Just as Gera was about to shoot, James Fowler slide in with a timely intervention.
Just two minutes after the interval, Kilmarnock took a deserved lead. Naismith was instrumental as he won the ball on the edge of the penalty area and then switched possession to Paul Di Giacomo. The Kilmarnock striker's shot took a slight deflection off Watson but it was enough to wrong-foot Kuszczak.
Di Giacomo had the ball in the net again but his
header was ruled out for offside.
Killie's second was a great team move. In the 67th minute Naismith passing to Johnson, who delivered a lovely pass into substitute Colin Nish who chipped a skilful shot into the far corner & beyond Kuszczak.
The last 20 min's saw a revolving door of
substitutes spoil any real flow to the game as
Kilmarnock endured had an nervy finish.
West Brom substitute Martin Albrechtsen scored late
on.
Note: Colin Nish was both brought on & subsequently
replaced as a sub! Jim Jefferies revealed the
striker suffered concussion seven minutes from time
and had to be replaced.
Kilmarnock:
Smith, Greer (G.
Murray 84), Hay, Fowler (Dodds 84), Lilley, Wright,
Naismith (Locke 74), Johnston, Di Giacomo (Barrowman
71 (trialist).
), Wales (Nish 62) (S
Murray 83) Invincibile (Leven 77).
Sub Not Used: Logan
Sunday's July 16th, Ross Co Pic's are HERE
