Kilmarnock cash in as Motherwell fail to convert chances

KILMARNOCK assistant manager Jimmy Nicholl did not hold back his criticism of his players despite a 2-0 win over Motherwell in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Saturday.

An early own goal by Stevie Hammell and a late headed second by William Gros gave Kilmarnock a win and three points that they scarcely deserved. And Nicholl – standing in for Kenny Shiels, who was serving a touchline ban – was honest in his assessment after his side took the win despite being pounded by Motherwell.

“We had a great start to the game and although we were lucky to get the own goal I thought ‘here we go’,” said Nicholl. “Then we did nothing except face waves of attacks from Motherwell when we just couldn’t get the ball out of our own half.

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“I said to the players at half-time that they didn’t have a hope in hell of winning the game if they continued like that – and I’m sure they were sitting in the Motherwell dressing room wondering how they were 1-0 down at half-time, and I was asking how we were 1-0 ahead.”

Gros popped up on his own goal line three times to produce clearances.

However, Motherwell failed to maintain that first-half pressure and Gros grabbed the all-important second goal, when he nodded a James Dayton cross past Darren Randolph to make it a more comfortable final 20 minutes for the home side.

Any worries of a late fightback by the visitors disappeared when red cards for Fraser Kerr and then captain Keith Lasley in the final six minutes reduced ’Well to nine men.

That disappointed manager Stuart McCall, who was also left frustrated after his team failed to turn their chances into goals.

After dominating most of the first half and not scoring, the Fir Park boss lamented missed opportunities.

He said: “If it was a boxing match it would have been stopped at half-time but credit Kilmarnock for the numerous blocks on the line.

“I thought we were rusty in the first ten minutes but dominated the half-hour after they scored and just couldn’t put the ball in the net. But that’s what it’s all about.”

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McCall said of the two red cards: “I am not happy as we lost our discipline.

“Fraser Kerr has had a swipe at the ball and caught the player and Keith Lasley’s challenge was born out of frustration, but it is not acceptable.”

Dayton, the victim of the two challenges which resulted in the red cards, did not think there was any malice in what led to the dismissals.

He said: “I took a bit of a whack both times but I don’t mind as it is part of the game.

“I wasn’t being targeted or showboating but I suppose having ridden our luck in the first half their players were a bit frustrated after being denied so many chances and just lost their discipline.”

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