Sending-off scuppers East Fife’s brave challenge

KILMARNOCK FC have known for more than 70 years, the one lower league side you can never under-estimate is East Fife.

But, just in case they had forgotten, John Robertson’s men made a mockery of the gulf between the sides in this Scottish Communities League Cup quarter-final until they were left short-handed by a moment of madness.

The visitors gave as good as they got in a vibrant first half. Their energy denied Killie the chance to get their passing game going while, when Killie did threaten, they defended with conviction. Behind them, Mark Ridgers, the young on-loan goalkeeper from Hearts, showed that the good things being written about him were not exaggeration with confident saves when called-upon.

Another of the Fifers’ on-loan Hearts’ youngsters – striker Robert Ogleby – gave Manny Pascali as uncomfortable a 45 minutes as the Killie skipper has had this season, his pace, power and linkage with Ryan Wallace always threatened the home goal. How unfortunate then that, in first-half injury time, having been booked for a late challenge in 20 minutes, he should repeat the offence, clattering Rory McKeown, to collect his second yellow, the consequent red and leave his side short-handed for the second half.

In an opening period which fairly fizzed along, Killie’s best chance fell to Paul Heffernan in nine minutes, but Ridgers palmed away at his front post. The visitors’ best chance fell to Matthew Park in 41 minutes, but he shot over after Anssi Jaakkola palmed Robert Sloan’s stinging free kick out to him. Killie’s Alex Purhouse was eventually – after referee Mike Tumilty conducted what amounted to an identity parade with assistant Brian McGarry – booked for the foul which won the visitors that free kick.

Killie upped the pace after the break, more so with David Silva’s arrival on the hour, but they failed to dent the resolute East Fife rearguard.

Then, as the game entered its final quarter, with Killie’s extra man advantage becoming more noticeable, the breakthrough came in the 73rd minute. Ridgers did well to punch away Kilmarnock’s 12th corner of the game, but the ball fell to central defender Mahamadou Sissoko who fired home through a ruck of players from some ten-yards out. Manager’s son Dean Shiels could have wrapped up Killie’s semi-final place four minutes later, but Ridgers made a superb save to turn away his 18-yarder.

However, with the Fifers visibly wilting, that last four-spot was finally clinched in 81 minutes, when Gary Harkins shot home Killie’s second goal from 16-yards.

A disappointing outcome then for the visitors and for their small but noisy following in the left wing of the Frank Beattie Stand. Like their team, they gave as good as they got, but, in the end, had to settle for glorious failure.

Kilmarnock: Jaakkola, Pursehouse, McKeown/Hay (46), Fowler/Dayton (83), Sissoko, Pascali, Shiels, Kelly/Silva (59), Buijs, Heffernan, Harkins. Subs not used: Dayton, Kroca, Letheren.

East Fife: Ridgers, Durie, Park, Ovenstone, Whyte, Muir, Linn, Smith/McQuade (83), Ogleby, Wallace, Sloan/Johnstone (55). Subs not used: Hislop, Cook, Brown.