Celtic's Rugby Park hoodoo continued tonight as their interest in the Scottish
Premier League title chase was weakened still further by Kilmarnock.
The Hoops had managed just three wins in their last 12 top flight encounters
in Ayrshire and number 13 didn't change their luck.
If anything, the result flattered Celtic, who are now six points adrift of
Rangers having played a game more.
Only goalkeeper Jonathan Gould can gain any satisfaction from his performance,
producing a string of outstanding saves to deny second bottom Kilmarnock only
their third win of the campaign.
After controlling the opening stages, only to fall behind to Mark Viduka's
20th goal of the season, Killie could have crumbled.
But boss Bobby Williamson has faith in his team and, with Christophe Cocard
leading the fightback, rallied to equalise through Mark Reilly, then maintained
their offensive.
Celtic coach John Barnes was without four first choice members of his side,
plus new signing Rafael.
Paul Lambert and Morten Wieghorst were the late withdrawals, so skipper Tom
Boyd and Irish under-21 international Colin Healy were introduced as the
visitors attempted to flood midfield.
That tactic came unstuck as Kilmarnock seized the early initiative, Gary Holt
enjoying a productive evening down the right, with Reilly and Mitchell ensuring
most of Celtic's forward momentum broke down before the normally lethal Viduka
could make an impression.
The big Australian started the match with one more goal to his credit this
season than the entire Kilmarnock side had managed in the Premier League.
It is an impressive record which suggested that he didn't need the aid of Jim
Lauchlan but it was the Kilmarnock central defender who unwittingly intervened
with an attempted block on Viduka's close range effort after half an hour,
causing the ball to loop over the prone Colin Meldrum.
As Kilmarnock had played most of the inventive football, dominated possession
and enjoyed a territorial advantage, the goal was scarcely what they deserved.
However, they have spent the whole season playing neat measured football
without ever achieving a penetrative cutting edge, so in a sense, they were just
living up to their reputation.
Healy was impressive for the visitors, hustling Ian Durrant in midfield, but
was receiving little outfield support from his team-mates.
Only Gould hit top form, saving from Andy Smith, Gary Holt and Christophe
Cocard during the opening period.
He would probably have stopped Reilly's strike too if it had not flicked off
Vidar Riseth and sent him the wrong way.
But Kilmarnock boss Bobby Williamson must have hoped it was a signal that the
most important improvement during the winter break was the arrival of good
fortune.
From an already impressive position, Kilmarnock improved after the interval.
Cocard drifted out to the right and found space which Celtic seemed unable to
close down.
Boyd and Stilian Petrov were both booked for crude lunges on the Frenchman but
it didn't stifle his enthusiasm.
He cannoned a piledriver into Riseth just minutes after the Norwegian had
gifted Smith an opening with a poor pass.
Gould blocked that effort and Smith was the unlucky man again midway through
the second period when Durrant profited from Cocard's lay-off and swung in a far
post cross, the Celtic keeper acrobatically keeping out the header.
Kilmarnock seemed able to create space at will and the visitors had too many
players unable to see the danger.
Gould was all too aware and bellowed at his defenders almost constantly,
although they seemed willing to let him continue with his one-man show.
Ian Wright was introduced to huge cheers from the Hoops support as Barnes
tried to switch the focus of play to the Kilmarnock end of the field.
Gus MacPherson was shown a yellow card for a bodycheck on Lubomir Moravcik,
who like fellow playmaker Eyal Berkovic - substituted to loud applause in favour
of Tommy Johnson - didn't appear keen to make any prolonged contribution.
Wright had the ball in the net in the final minutes but, despite the visiting
fans' jubiliation, was clearly offside.
The former England man then provided the final whistle flashpoint, angrily
shouting at Lauchlan, who had moments before brought him crashing to earth with
a flying tackle from behind.
It was a pity for Celtic that they didn't show the same aggression when the
match was still being played.
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