David Silva's late header against Motherwell gave Kilmarnock all
three points in a Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash at Fir Park which
only came to the boil in the final stages.
After a dull first half the game livened up and Well goalkeeper
Darren Randolph made a fine save from Rui Miguel before Steven Hammell
beat Cameron Bell with a free-kick from 25 yards only to see the ball
hit the crossbar on its way over.
However, in the 81st minute Killie defender Tim Clancy sent in a
great cross from the right which allowed Silva, on for Willy Aubameyang
with less than 20 minutes remaining, to score the winner from close
range.
In a dramatic finale, Kilmarnock skipper Garry Hay picked up a
straight red card for a foul on Chris Humphrey but the visitors held
out.
The visitors had lost their top two goalscorers going into the game
with Conor Sammon having signed for Wigan on transfer deadline day and
midfielder Jamie Hamill suspended.
Midfielder Alexei Eremenko returned from a ban while French striker
Aubameyang replaced Sammon to make his first start.
Well manager Stuart McCall took the opportunity to freshen up his
side as Steve Jones and Esteban Casagolda came in for Tom Hateley and
John Sutton, who both started on the bench.
The lashing rain and driving wind which arrived in time for kick-off
did little to help the spectacle but in the fourth minute Jamie Murphy
raced onto Keith Lasley's long ball and flicked it over the advancing
Bell, only for Mohamadou Sissoko to get back to clear.
Moments later Humphrey had an angled drive from just inside the box
after getting past Hay, but Bell was in the right place to gather.
Kilmarnock came back into the game with the talented Eremenko pulling
the strings in midfield, although a cheeky attempt at a lob in the 19th
minute from 40 yards failed to find the target as Randolph raced back
after making a clearance.
Liam Kelly was booked in the 32nd minute for a foul on Lasley as
referee Stevie O'Reilly tried to put an end to the infringements which
had begun to mount up.
The home side won the first corner of the game three minutes later
but it was easily defended by the visitors.
Five minutes before the break Killie defender Frazer Wright was
carried off on a stretcher after a clash with Motherwell defender Steven
Saunders, to be replaced by James Fowler.
Motherwell started the second half better and in the 50th minute
midfielder Steve Jennings slipped in Murphy but under pressure from
Fowler, his effort from 14 yards lacked the power to trouble Bell.
At the other end Clancy found himself racing into the box with time
and space but dragged his shot wide of the far post.
The Steelmen stepped up the pace and in the 56th minute Humphrey's
low corner from the left almost sneaked past Bell.
But in the 61st minute it was Killie came closest to opening the
scoring when Rui Miguel got on the end of a Hay cross but his flick was
saved down at the near post by Randolph.
The Steelmen stormed back and Bell made a good point-blank save from
Murphy after he had worked his way past Sissoko.
As the game appeared to be swinging towards the home side, Well
defender Steven Hammell beat Bell with a free-kick from 25 yards but it
struck the top of the crossbar before going over.
Bell made another good block from Jennings but in the 81st minute
Silva raced into the box to get on the end of a Clancy cross to head in
the winner (above).
However, before the final whistle Hay picked up a straight red card
for a blatant foul on Humphrey as Motherwell broke.
81 mins