Kilmarnock striker Allan Russell scored his first goal
for the Ayrshire club to clinch victory over Motherwell in their
Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash at Fir Park.
Motherwell's lowest crowd of the season - 3,339 - saw
Manuel Pascali head a Gavin Skelton corner past Well goalkeeper Graeme
Smith with 10 minutes remaining in the first half to give the visitors the
lead.
Killie keeper Alan Combe made a couple of fine saves
after the break but any hopes of a comeback for the Steelmen were thwarted
in the 76th minute when Russell struck for the first time since arriving
from Airdrie United in the summer when he volleyed past Smith from 20
yards.
Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies' injury-plagued side
recorded only their second win in eight games to put pressure on
sixth-placed Aberdeen.
Neither side went into this live televised game in form
but it was a lively enough first half.
In the fourth minute Donovan Simmonds' low drive from
25 yards was spilled by Smith but no Killie player was on hand to take
advantage.
Three minutes later, at the other end, Well strike duo
Chris Porter and John Sutton linked up well at the edge of the box, the
move ending with Porter firing just over the bar from 12 yards out.
Seconds later, the hesitant Porter failed to take
advantage of Keith Lasley's searching pass, allowing Killie defender Garry
Hay to get in a saving tackle.
In the 12th minute the powerful Simmonds had a good
chance from Hay's free-kick but headed weakly straight at Smith from
point-blank range.
The home side raced up the other end with Sutton
rounding Combe after taking a pass from Stephen Hughes but slashing his
shot high over the bar from around eight yards out.
As play raced from end to end, Simmonds used his
strength to set up Skelton whose angled drive from 18 yards skimmed the
angle of post and bar.
There was another injury blow to Kilmarnock's already
depleted side on the half-hour mark when Danny Invincibile was carried off
on a stretcher after going to ground, the Australian replaced by Iain
Flannigan after a few minutes delay.
In the 34th minute Simmonds brilliantly turned Fir Park
stopper Mark Reynolds at the edge of the box but back-tracking Saunders
got in a saving tackle to concede a corner.
However, the crucial challenge from the youngster had
merely delayed the opener for the Ayrshire side.
Skelton's in-swinging corner from the right was met at
the front post by Manuel Pascali
who rose almost unchallenged six yards out to glance the ball past Smith.
Motherwell, subdued by the loss of the goal, started
the second half in a more lively if erratic fashion.
However, it was the visitors who first came close to
doubling their lead.
In the 51st minute Simmonds battled with Reynolds and
as the ball broke to Skelton, the Killie midfielder rattled in a
left-footed shot from 25 yards which had Smith diving down low to his left
to save.
Moments later, there was a shout for a penalty from the
home fans when Pascali appeared to tug the
shirt of Porter inside the box as the Fir Park striker tried to get on
the end of a Steven McGarry cross but referee Mike Tumilty chose to ignore
the claim.
The Steelmen came close to levelling in the 58th minute
when Porter cut in from the right and drove in a powerful left-footed shot
from the edge of the box which
took a deflection before the outstretched
Combe tipped the ball on the bar.
Then, in the 67th minute, Porter latched on to a
cross-come-shot by Stephen Hughes to go through on goal against Combe but
the Killie keeper was quick off his line to make a fine block, the ball
coming off the Motherwell hit-man for a goal kick to add to his
frustration.
As the second half progressed, Kilmarnock defended
increasingly deep with only the occasional foray forward to threaten the
home side.
But in the 76th minute, after indecision in the Fir
Park defence, Allan Russell
(right) took a
Jamie Hamill pass and from 20 yards drove powerfully across Smith and in
to the far corner of the net.
It was enough to end any thoughts of a Motherwell
comeback.
