A dramatic injury-time goal from Kilmarnock midfielder Mark Reilly gave
Kilmarnock a win that sees them leap above St Johnstone into fourth place in the
Premier Division.
It took time for the game to come alive, with both sides struggling to gain
control of midfield.
Kilmarnock had the better of the opening exchanges and defender Kevin McGowne
almost got off to a dream start with a first minute shot that rose just over the
bar.
Killie might have had a penalty in 12 minutes when Gary Holt appeared to be
tripped in the box, but the appeal was waved aside.
Jerome Vareille did manage to get the ball in the net in 17 minutes but was
offside as he converted Paul Wright's through pass.
Saints' first shot at goal came in 24 minutes but Nick Dasovic shot wide of
the goal from Colin Meldrum's mishit clearance.
The best of the first half action came in the final few minutes and it was a
only the brilliance of Alan Main that kept the scoreline blank at the interval.
Martin Baker burst through the visitors' defence but his powerful shot from 15
yards was deflected away by Main's boot.
Gus MacPherson hammered in the rebound but Main was back on his feet to turn
the ball away for a corner.
Seconds later Leigh Jenkinson popped up on the goal line to clear a Jim
Lauchlan header.
After the break the Perth side were a more potent outfit and top scorer George
O'Boyle missed a great opportunity to shoot his side ahead.
John O'Neil set up the opportunity with a clever pass inside the Killie
defence but O'Boyle mishit the ball with only Meldrum to beat.
Main then came to Saints rescue with a good block from a Vereille shot but
soon play was back at the other end.
O'Boyle's pass across goal found an unmarked Phillip Scott but Meldrum dived
to his left to pull off a terrific save.
Both sides had opportunities in the final period to grab the winner as play
swung from end to end.
But it was Kilmarnock, who last week saw their 10-game unbeaten run end, who
grabbed the winner.
Mark Reilly was standing clear on the edge of the box when Ally Mitchell's
corner was cleared from the Saints defence. The Killie player struck the ball
cleanly and looked on in delight as it landed behind Main.
Teams
Kilmarnock: Meldrum, MacPherson, Baker, Lauchlan, McGowne,
Reilly, Mitchell, Holt, Wright, Roberts (McIntyre 82), Vareille.
Subs Not Used: Henry, Bagan.
Goals: Reilly 90.
St Johnstone: Main, McQuillan, Preston, Dasovic, Weir, Kernaghan,
Scott, O'Neil, Kane, O'Boyle, Jenkinson.
Subs Not Used: McCluskey, Wright, Grant.
Booked: Kernaghan, Scott, O'Neil.
Att: 7,408
Ref: J Rowbotham (Kirkcaldy).
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