Kilmarnock 2 - 1 St Johnstone

Kilmarnock   2 - 1   St Johnstone

Murray Davidson challenges Kilmarnock's Jamie Hamill

A Kevin Kyle second-half double gave Kilmarnock a well-deserved home win against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premier League.

His first arrived in the second half with a simple close-range header in the 51st minute.

Just over 10 minutes later, he helped himself to another when he volleyed into an empty net from 30 yards out.

Frazer Wright spoiled the clean sheet for the home side in the dying minutes when he headed into his own net.

Early in the match, St Johnstone left-back Danny Grainger burst in the Kilmarnock penalty area, but defender Frazer Wright did well to prevent Samuel getting a clean shot in at the back post and the ball sliced wide.

On the half-hour mark, Killie midfielder Craig Bryson went to ground inside the Saints box after a challenge by Chris Millar but referee Alan Muir ignored optimistic claims for a penalty.

Five minutes from the break St Johnstone midfielder Swankie drew a fine save from Killie keeper Mark Brown with a curling shot from 25 yards but the half-time whistle came as something of a relief.

The crowd hoped for better in the second half. But the early signs were not encouraging as Kyle clattered into Steven Anderson as the Perth defender cleared.

In the 51st minute, Kyle put the home side ahead with the simplest of goals.

Garry Hay curled a long ball into the St Johnstone box, and the Killie captain beat hesitant Saints goalkeeper Alan Main to head into the empty net.

It was the first effective use of the route-one tactic, but a more thoughtful approach almost paid off three minutes later as St Johnstone wobbled.

Kyle latched on to a searching cross from Hay to crash a header off the post - with Main beaten again. The visitors scrambled the ball clear.

In the 64th minute, Kyle helped himself to a second after Main ran from his box almost to the touchline to attempt a clearance that was partially blocked by Killie striker Conor Sammon.

When the ball broke back to Kyle 30 yards from goal, he volleyed back into the empty net - and the chasing Saints goalkeeper was helpless to prevent it from crossing the line.

St Johnstone pressed for a lifeline, with all three substitutes on, but there was a sense of helplessness running through their ranks.

In the second minute of added time, Wright headed a Grainger corner into his own goal, but it was too little too late for Saints.

---

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies:

"We sat off them and allowed them to dictate a lot of possession, but there wasn't a lot of chances.

"But the second-half was a different story. We asked the players to relax a bit more and stop being so nervous looking.

"The main thing was to get up on the game and get competing for the ball. Once we started winning our battles, we started playing far better.

"We stopped them causing us trouble - they were on the back foot a lot of the time, and Kevin came up with two cracking goals, especially the second one.

"But today I thought our midfield were great in the second half, because they were non-existent in the first half."

St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes:

"We totally controlled the first half and got in good areas but did not make the goalkeeper work hard enough.

"The second half was in total contrast and we got what we deserved from our second-half performance and the goals we gifted them.

"If you don't make the most of your dominance, it can come back to haunt and it did that here.

"I am getting fed up saying it and answering the same questions, but it it is up to us to sort it out."

Live text and stats

 

Saturday, 24 October 2009

Scottish Premier

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Time
Kilmarnock	2-1	St Johnstone	R
(HT 0-0)
Kyle 51 Kyle 64		Wright (og) 90+2

Kilmarnock

• 26 Brown
• 03 Hay
• 04 Fowler
• 05 Wright
• 14 Old
• 07 Bryson
• 10 Taouil (Invincibile 85)
• 12 Skelton
• 23 Hamill
• 16 Kyle yellow card
• 18 Sammon (Fernandez 85)

Substitutes

• 13 Bell,
• 11 Invincibile,
• 17 Owens,
• 19 Flannigan,
• 22 Kelly,
• 20 Fernandez,
• 27 Burchill

St Johnstone

• 01 Main
• 03 Grainger
• 12 MacKay
• 18 Gartland
• 24 Anderson yellow card
• 04 Morris
• 07 Millar
• 08 Hardie (Sheerin 68)
• 19 Swankie (Deuchar 68)
• 20 Davidson yellow card (Reynolds 83)
• 21 Samuel

Substitutes

• 25 Smith,
• 06 McCaffrey,
• 10 Craig,
• 11 Sheerin,
• 34 May,
• 17 Deuchar,
• 32 Reynolds

Ref: MuirAtt: 4,643

KILMARNOCK

ST JOHNSTONE

Possession

• Kilmarnock 50%
• St Johnstone 50%

Shots on target

• Kilmarnock 2
• St Johnstone 2

Shots off target

• Kilmarnock 3
• St Johnstone 3

Corners

• Kilmarnock 2
• St Johnstone 3

Fouls

• Kilmarnock 11
• St Johnstone 14

• Correction - 96:41 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
• Final Result
• Full Time
• 90:00+4:12 The referee signals the end of the game.
• 90:00+2:13 Foul by Craig Bryson on Graham Gartland, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Alan Main.
• 90:00+1:21 Daniel Grainger provided the assist for the goal.
• 90:00+1:21 GOAL - Frazer Wright:Kilmarnock 2 - 1 St Johnstone Headed own goal by Frazer Wright. Kilmarnock 2-1 St Johnstone.
• 90:00+0:42 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Daniel Grainger.
• 88:34 Foul by Daniel Grainger on David Fernandez, free kick awarded. James Fowler takes the direct free kick.
• 86:39 Frazer Wright gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kenny Deuchar. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Daniel Grainger.
• 86:10 Kevin Kyle takes a long range shot clearing the bar.
• 84:35 Substitution Daniele Invincibile comes on in place of Mehdi Taouil.
• 84:35 Substitution Conor Sammon leaves the field to be replaced by David Fernandez.
• 82:38 Substitution Murray Davidson goes off and Stephen Reynolds comes on.
• 80:18 The offside flag is raised against Kenny Deuchar. Free kick taken by Mark Brown.
• 79:52 Foul by Craig Bryson on Chris Millar, free kick awarded. Alan Main restarts play with the free kick.
• 77:34 The official flags Kevin Kyle offside. Alan Main takes the indirect free kick.
• 73:34 Unfair challenge on James Fowler by Kenny Deuchar results in a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Jamie Hamill from right wing, clearance made by Murray Davidson.
• 71:55 The ball is delivered by Garry Hay, Alan Main makes a save.
• 68:09 Kevin Kyle is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Graham Gartland.
• 67:26 Substitution Kenny Deuchar is brought on as a substitute for Gavin Swankie.
• 67:26 Substitution Paul Sheerin is brought on as a substitute for Martin Hardie.
• 63:11 GOAL - Kevin Kyle:Kilmarnock 2 - 0 St Johnstone Kevin Kyle gets on the score sheet with a goal from outside the box high into the middle of the goal. Kilmarnock 2-0 St Johnstone.
• 62:51 The ball is sent over by Gavin Swankie, Mark Brown makes a comfortable save.
• 60:54 Kevin Kyle fouled by Graham Gartland, the ref awards a free kick. James Fowler restarts play with the free kick.
• 59:07 The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Garry Hay.
• 58:29 Daniel Grainger delivers the ball in from the corner.
• 57:16 Unfair challenge on Mehdi Taouil by Martin Hardie results in a free kick. James Fowler restarts play with the free kick.
• 56:19 Craig Bryson fouled by Jody Morris, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Mark Brown.
• 55:23 Booking Steven Anderson goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
• Correction - 54:56 The ball is delivered by Garry Hay, Header from close in by Kevin Kyle hits the post.
• 54:56 Garry Hay sends in a cross, Conor Sammon produces a header from close range which bounces off the post.
• 53:14 Direct free kick taken by Alan Main.
• 53:14 Booking Kevin Kyle is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
• 53:00 Kevin Kyle gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Graham Gartland.
• 50:44 Assist by Garry Hay.
• 50:44 GOAL - Kevin Kyle:Kilmarnock 1 - 0 St Johnstone Kevin Kyle finds the net with a headed goal from close in. Kilmarnock 1-0 St Johnstone.
• 50:43 Garry Hay sends in a cross,
• 49:30 Corner from the right by-line taken by Gavin Skelton, David MacKay manages to make a clearance.
• 45:01 The second half begins.
• Correction - 45:00+3:25 It is the end of the first-half.
• Half Time
• 45:00+1:42 The whistle is blown to end the first half.
• 45:00+1:03 Shot from close range by Conor Sammon misses to the right of the goal.
• 44:07 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Mehdi Taouil.
• 43:13 Graham Gartland challenges Conor Sammon unfairly and gives away a free kick. Garry Hay delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, clearance by Martin Hardie.
• 42:57 Centre by Collin Samuel, clearance by Steven Old.
• 41:36 Conor Sammon concedes a free kick for a foul on Graham Gartland. Free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.
• 40:27 Centre by David MacKay, clearance made by Frazer Wright.
• 40:09 Gavin Swankie takes a shot. Save by Mark Brown.
• 33:38 The assistant referee flags for offside against Collin Samuel. Mark Brown takes the indirect free kick.
• 32:34 Gavin Skelton sends in a cross, Alan Main makes a save.
• 32:06 The ball is crossed by Gavin Swankie, Mark Brown makes a save.
• 31:33 The ball is delivered by Garry Hay, save by Alan Main.
• 30:46 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mehdi Taouil by Murray Davidson.
• 30:45 The free kick is swung in left-footed by Garry Hay.
• 30:45 Booking Murray Davidson is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
• 26:12 Unfair challenge on Steven Old by Martin Hardie results in a free kick. Mark Brown takes the free kick.
• 25:21 Mehdi Taouil concedes a free kick for a foul on Daniel Grainger. Alan Main restarts play with the free kick.
• 25:10 Mehdi Taouil fouled by Daniel Grainger, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Mehdi Taouil.
• 24:25 Collin Samuel has an effort at goal from close range which goes wide right of the goal.
• 24:01 Garry Hay challenges Collin Samuel unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jody Morris.
• 23:13 The ball is crossed by David MacKay, Frazer Wright makes a clearance.
• 21:51 Collin Samuel concedes a free kick for a foul on Gavin Skelton. Garry Hay takes the direct free kick.
• 21:09 Collin Samuel takes a shot. Save by Mark Brown.
• 20:46 Conor Sammon is ruled offside. Steven Anderson restarts play with the free kick.
• 20:14 A cross is delivered by James Fowler, Steven Anderson makes a clearance.
• 17:57 Mehdi Taouil fouled by Daniel Grainger, the ref awards a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Garry Hay.
• 16:12 Murray Davidson fouled by Gavin Skelton, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Gavin Swankie.
• 15:32 David MacKay crosses the ball, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Jody Morris goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
• 13:57 Martin Hardie challenges Mehdi Taouil unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jamie Hamill restarts play with the free kick.
• 13:17 Martin Hardie takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
• 10:53 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Chris Millar by Conor Sammon. Alan Main takes the free kick.
• 7:32 Kevin Kyle is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Alan Main.
• 7:07 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kevin Kyle by Steven Anderson. Jamie Hamill takes the free kick.
• 5:57 Gavin Swankie produces a cross, Steven Old makes a clearance.
• 4:27 Foul by Jamie Hamill on Chris Millar, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Gavin Swankie, Kevin Kyle makes a clearance.
• 2:43 James Fowler concedes a free kick for a foul on Murray Davidson. Free kick crossed left-footed by Daniel Grainger from left wing, Martin Hardie concedes a free kick for a foul on Frazer Wright. Direct free kick taken by Mark Brown.
• 1:37 Daniel Grainger delivers a pass corner to short, clearance by Garry Hay.
• 0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.

---

Live text and data provided by The Press Association.