THREE goals for Kevin Kyle, three points for
Kilmarnock, and a stonking headache for anyone who
dared tread in the path of their marauding striker.
By the time he trooped off to a standing ovation in
the final minutes of this one, a trail of debris was
strewn about Rugby Park in the shape of several
battered Falkirk defenders, a demoralised travelling
support and a manager now officially up to his eyes
in the brown stuff.
What a time for Kyle to add to his solitary goal for
Kilmarnock. What a time for them to secure their
first win of the year, their first at home since
November. A big, bustling performance by the
towering striker, one that bordered on the
unplayable in fact, lifted his team into eighth
position, six points clear of bottom-placed Falkirk,
who no longer have games in hand or a better goal
difference to count on.
"That's my first hat-trick, the highlight of my
career," said Kyle, who scored two headers, and was
the inspiration behind a Kilmarnock side who fought
as though their lives depended on it. Banned from
speaking to the press last week, they did their
talking on the pitch, just as their manager, Jim
Jefferies, had asked them to. They were first to
every ball, ruthless when it mattered, and but for a
brief period at the start of the second half, always
looked like winning. By the time Kyle was knocking
in his last, the Falkirk manager, John Hughes, who
worked with Jefferies for much of his playing
career, was on the wrong end of some pretty meaty
abuse by the away fans. "I need to look at the team
I picked, and the style I came to play," he admitted
later. "Maybe I got it wrong. We need to be more
resolute. The mindset has to be tougher. If I have
to do it to win football games, I will go against my
principles."
Right from the off, there was none of the depression
by which Kilmarnock have been afflicted lately,
thanks largely to Kyle. Kilmarnock's battering ram
of a striker isn't so much a handful as a full-blown
lorryload, the impact of which is enough to weigh
down any defence. If Falkirk were in any doubt as to
the danger
posed
by the home side's human wrecking-ball, it was
eliminated by a clattering challenge on Steven
Pressley that had the centre-half writhing about in
the box. Lee Bullen was another grounded by an
aerial assault, for which Kyle was shown the yellow
card.
Between those was a goal that demonstrated the
player's other qualities. It was his head flick that
caused the initial confusion for Falkirk, and more
particularly, Jackie McNamara, whose short pass-back
allowed Danny Invincibile a sniff of goal. When
Danni Mallo, came out to block, the ball spun off
the goalkeeper and into the path of Kyle, who found
the bottom corner with the inside of his right boot.
Hughes has demanded that his team produce more than
just sweat in the battle to avoid relegation, but
the buckets of it spilt by Kilmarnock seemed to be
doing the job here. It looked as though they wanted
it more, closing down their opponents at every
opportunity, and restricting them to just one decent
effort in a one-sided first half. Kevin McBride's
hopeful shot from all of 30 yards almost caught out
Alan Combe, who could only slap it away in a panic.
Hughes has complemented his promising young squad
with a splash of experience this season, but a
defence that includes Pressley, McNamara and Bullen
looked to be creaking yesterday. The goal that
doubled Kilmarnock's advantage was another example
of the nightmare that is marking Kyle. When Garry
Hay accepted a pass from Mehdi Taouil wide on the
left, he had only to sling in a useful ball and wait
for the connection. Sure enough, the run was timed
to perfection, the jump even moreso, and a glancing
header was directed into the far corner. It is hard
to credit that these goals were Kyle's first since
he scored on his debut against St Mirren in January.
Hughes must be frustrated that the former Scotland
international couldn't wait another week to end his
drought, but not as frustrated as he was with the
striker's two-footed challenge just before
half-time. The Falkirk manager reacted angrily to
the offence that was committed right in front of his
dugout. The player was lucky not to be sent off.
Inevitably, Falkirk played better after the interval
– it would have been criminal not to – but they
squandered a couple of chances to score the quick
goal that would have transformed their prospects.
When Michael Higdon held up a long ball, Burton
O'Brien dashed in to collect the lay-off and slip a
weak shot under the goalkeeper. The lack of
conviction in his effort allowed Hay to clear at the
back post. A few minutes later, Carl Finnigan's
10-yard shot was blocked by Combe.
Falkirk's failure to take advantage of their purple
patch soon prompted in them a growing despondency,
which was shared by their supporters. First, they
demanded the introduction of Arnau Riera, and later
upped the ante with repeated claims that Hughes
didn't know what he was doing. The manager was booed
for replacing Neil McCann with Gerard Aafjes, and
further reprimanded for introducing Tam Scobbie in
place of McNamara.
You
can imagine how things deteriorated when Kyle
twisted the knife with seven minutes left.
Invincibile chased a lost cause down by the corner
flag, and flicked the ball back to Taouil, whose
cross was headed in off the post by the man of the
match. Only the sound of "Paper Roses" spared Hughes
further flak.
Sandy's Match Pic's are HERE
