Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Dundee United: Peter Houston bemoans ‘joke’ defending to hand Kilmarnock first win of season

As Houston relived the nightmare defending which presented Kilmarnock with three goals in a crazy nine- minute spell early in the second half, setting them up for their first win of the season, the United manager laid the blame squarely on his players with Jon Daly’s strike little consolation.

“I thought Kilmarnock did nothing exceptional to be three goals up. We gave them three gifts and three points,” he said. “For their first goal I don’t know what Barry Douglas was trying to do. He’s just a young player, but he took his first touch outside our box, but then took a touch, a touch and a touch and was suddenly in the six-yard box and left it for Rado Cierzniak. But you can’t blame the ’keeper at all. The two goals we lost after that were a joke and it has given the players a reality check.”

Although the home team benefited from United’s generosity – including Gary Mackay-Steven, who conceded a needless penalty – with Rory McKenzie, Borja Perez and Jude Winchester all claiming their first goals for the club inside an amazing ten minutes of the second half, manager Kenny Shiels was quietly subdued after watching his side notch their first win of the season.

“If you take the goals out of the game I thought it was still a very good performance,” he said. “We did really well in the first half, but the rain at half time was a big help to us because football was always going to be the winner. While United are very direct looking, when the rain came down it wasn’t conducive to that, so it helped the team that moved the ball around.”

While not prepared to comment on United’s suicidal defending, the Rugby Park manager was delighted that two of his young players grabbed their first Kilmarnock goals. “All football fans connect with young players at a club, as there is an affinity with their own kids when they do well. You could hear that from the stands and it is rewarding for a manager,” explained Shiels.

For 18-year-old McKenzie it was a dream debut, although he admitted he will never score an easier goal.

“I wasn’t sure what Douglas was doing but I thought he was getting himself into trouble and even after his last touch in front of goal it took me a minute to realise it was an easy chance but I was just delighted to get my first goal for the club,” he said.

An early face injury to Gary Harkins and the continued absence of Paul Heffernan have left Kilmarnock short of experience in attacking positions and Sheils is looking for experience to support the young squad.

At least after Saturday’s impressive win, Kilmarnock will begin their defence of the Communities League Cup against Stenhousemuir on Tuesday, with confidence in their young side.