Scotsman SPFL Awards: Kilmarnock

Partick Thistle's Kris Doolan (R), scorer of our goal of the week. Picture: SNS

The ‘Pipes of Peace’ that were played at a club in League 2 have been recognised, as has the manager of Dumbarton along with players from Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Cowdenbeath, Queen of the South, Dunfermline Athletic, Brechin City, Peterhead and Berwick Rangers.

Merry Christmas and congratulations to our weekly winners and readers.

Good weekend for – Queen’s Park and Gardner Speirs

How can it be a good weekend when you dispense with your head coach and lose 4-0 at home? Well the Spiders and Speirs showed each other great respect when dealing with their parting of the ways.

The decision appears to be genuinely mutual with Speirs even agreeing to take the side in Saturday’s game against the Borderers. There were hugs all round, as well as a few tears, between the coach and the club’s committee after the game.

In a time when managers sometimes learn of their sackings from a third party on live TV, it is good to see some dignity in football.

Bad weekend for – Patrick Cregg (St Johnstone)

Rory Fallon won this Award two weeks ago for his red card performance against former side Aberdeen that lasted all of 52 seconds. Little did anyone think that his quick fire record would be beaten so quickly.

Cregg came on against former club Hibs on Saturday and lasted for 34 seconds before he was dismissed for a foul on Paul Cairney.

We wonder how long this record will stand for.

Team of the week – Kilmarnock

In normal circumstances Aberdeen would probably pick up this award after winning 4-3 at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. However after a rampant 45 minutes that saw them four goals to the good a disappointing second period where the score-line was pegged back counts them out.

That opens the door for Killie who showed substance to record a 2-1 win over Partick Thistle. The success lifts Allan Johnston’s side up to ninth place and ahead of the Firhill side for the first time this season.

More importantly the success creates a gap of 18 points on Hearts and it looks like Johnston who achieved instant success at Queen of the South last season is now making slow and steady progress with the Rugby Park side.

Manager of the week – Ian Murray (Dumbarton)

Murray has not been receiving the plaudits he picked up last season, however beating the Championship leaders Hamilton 2-1 to take the Sons up to seventh place is good going.

This time last year Murray’s side sat on 5 points from 13 games, with a magnificent recovery in the second half of the season seeing them safe.

This time round they have 21 points from 17 games and wins like Saturday’s are huge for a part-time side facing a full time one.

It was also nearly 4 months since the last Sons home success so Murray can enjoy his Christmas Dinner.

Premiership Player of the week – Henri Anier (Motherwell)

Estonian striker Henri Anier grabbed a double against St Mirren as the Fir Park men returned to form and saw off St Mirren 3-0.

Anier opened the scoring despite the presence of a host of Paisley defenders, when he showed great close control before smashing the ball home.

An Iain Vigurs cross was volleyed home by an on-rushing Anier for his second and Motherwell fans will be hoping that finances are found to extend the striker’s loan deal from Viking Stavanger that ends in a fortnight.

Premiership Goal of the week – Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle)

Doolan was the beneficiary of some great build up play from his team-mates before he knocked in his side’s equaliser at Rugby Park against Kilmarnock.

A throw in from Aaron Taylor-Sinclair was expertly dummied by Christie Elliott and that allowed the ball to reach Doolan who still had a job to do as he was heavily marked. He sent his marker in one direction whilst he went the other before knocking the ball past Craig Samson.

The goal was not enough to earn Thistle a point as they eventually went down 2-1.

Championship Player of the week – Kane Hemmings (Cowdenbeath)

The Blue Brazil appear to have had their fighting spirit re-invigorated under Jimmy Nicholl as they hit back twice to draw 3-3 at Raith Rovers.

Hemmings was the player to grab the goals that ensured a point as he made amends for his penalty miss at Dundee last week to score from the spot, then scored from close range in the final seconds to grab a point.

Championship Goal of the week – Michael Paton (Queen of the South)

Paton returned from injury with a bang as he scored the Doonhamers’ first goal in their 2-2 draw with Livingston at Palmerston.

The former Aberdeen striker, who has netted against both Rangers and Celtic in his career, thumped home a free kick from 25 yards out that Darren Jamieson was never getting near.

League 1 Player of the week – Josh Falkingham (Dunfermline Athletic)

Falkingham may be small in stature but he was a big figure when Arbroath won the Third Division title in 2011. He returned to Gayfield with Dunfermline on Saturday and helped set up a goal before drilling in a 20-yard shot to seal a 3-0 success.

Falkingham did not overly celebrate in front of the maroon fans that once worshipped him. preferring a much more muted approach. Top marks for that.

League 1 Goal of the week – Bobby Barr (Brechin City)

With two wins out of two, Brechin are beginning to show signs that a promotion push may still be on the cards. Their victories have coincided with Bobby Barr being available again after groin surgery and he showed his former club East Fife what they are missing in Saturday’s 3-1 success for the Glebe Park men.

League 2 Player of the week – Rory McAllister (Peterhead)

McAllister hit a hat-trick as Stirling Albion were seen off 3-1 to move the Balmoor men back to the top of the table.

McAllister chipped in his first, netted his second from a tight angle and also netted a penalty.

League 2 Goal of the week – Scott Dalziel (Berwick Rangers)

Dalziel’s first goal of his treble against Queen’s Park was a wonderful diving header. Lee Currie sent over a cross from the left and Dalziel was in so much space that it was clear he would try a spectacular diving header from 20 yards out.

He went for it and the ball flashed into the net to get his day off to a great start.

Scotsman SPFL Awards: Kilmarnock | Queen’s Park