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Kilmarnock 0-0 Motherwell

By Fraser Gibson

Kilmarnock's David Lilley and Jim O'Brien of Motherwell
Kilmarnock's David Lilley is closed down by Motherwell's Jim O'Brien

Kilmarnock and Motherwell scrapped out a lacklustre stalemate that did neither side any favours in their battles at the bottom and middle of the table.

Neither goalkeeper was seriously threatened in a game which never sparked into life.

The Rugby Park side's dismal run continued with a result that keeps them in relegation trouble.

Mark McGhee's Motherwell, meanwhile, still have work to do if they are to reach the top six.

Kilmarnock had the better of the early exchanges with Tim Clancy's long throw-ins to Kevin Kyle a potent weapon in their armoury.

The Irishman's delivery resulted in the first shot on target as the ball found its way to Craig Bryson, but the midfielder's effort was tame.

Both sides struggled to find any fluency with basic errors creeping into their games and the flair players failing to show their skills.

Slovakian midfielder Maros Klimpl was spoiler-in-chief for the visiting side as he conceded a series of free-kicks to prevent Kilmarnock advancing.

The scrappy theme continued and the next real chance was again for the home side when Garry Hay clipped a ball into the box from the left, but Kyle couldn't get his giant frame on the end of it.

The ball just evaded the tall striker again in the box after 37 minutes when Mehdi Taouil fed left-back Hay and he delivered another decent cross.

Motherwell's best chance of the half arrived when John Sutton drove forward from 25 yards and passed to Stephen Hughes on the edge of the box.

The midfielder's curled cross was met by on-loan Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan, but he headed wide when he had time and space to do better.

It was Motherwell again who had the first real opportunity of the second half when Brian McLean's cross was flicked on by John Sutton and Jim O'Brien volleyed high over the Kilmarnock crossbar.

MYSPORT: DEBATE

Mark Reynolds then earned the first booking of the match when he hauled back Taouil on the edge of the box, with the home side appealing for a penalty.

The resultant free-kick from David Fernandez was blocked and Hay sent the rebound yards over the bar.

Hay sent in another of his dangerous crosses just after the hour mark, but the unmarked Kyle could only head over.

Jim Jefferies' side were certainly the dominant team, but could not make their superiority count.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee reshaped his line-up in a bid to make a breakthrough as he sent on Scotland squad striker David Clarkson for defender Brian McLean.

The visitors were defending well and Steven Hammell did well to head clear as Jamie Hamill threatened for Kilmarnock, then the action switched to the other end where Klimpl's powerful 25-yard effort flew just over.

Time was running out for either side to break the deadlock, but Kilmarnock did their best to change things.

Taouil sent in a dangerous corner from the right which Manuel Pascali got a strong header to, but Motherwell keeper Smith was alert to beat the ball away.

Defences were now getting stretched and Klipml bore down on goal after a decent run only to shoot straight at Kilmarnock custodian Alan Combe.

Motherwell had another chance to steal a late victory when David Clarkson found space in the box from a corner, but he shot well over and the game ended scoreless.


Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies: "I can't fault the players - they gave everything. They played some really good stuff in the first half, but maybe a couple of times when there were openings for chances they just overhit it.

"I think the adrenaline was flying because they knew it was a game they had to try and win, but they tried to play and competed very well.

"Motherwell never really did anything in the first half but we just couldn't get a break in the box. That's the difference - that's what it's been like for us.

"I thought the team were solid until we got caught a couple of times near the end as we pushed forward to try and get the goal. Conceding would have been an injustice as I thought we were the better team and deserved to win."

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "It was a really frustrating game - it never rose above mediocre. I think the draw was the right result.

"There was no spark, no-one gave us anything special or anything extra. Frustrating is the right word. The chance at the end that David Clarkson blazed over typified the game.

"I'm not going to say it was two points dropped because that would be disrespectful to Kilmarnock, but we didn't do ourselves justice.

"I said to the boys if we could bring an little bit of quality and continuity to our passing then that would make the difference, but it wasn't there so there was no difference. This was a big opportunity for us which we missed."


Kilmarnock : Combe, Clancy, Lilley, Ford, Hay, Hamill (Invincibile 76), Bryson, Pascali, Taouil (Skelton 86), Fernandez (Sammon 88), Kyle.
Subs Not Used: Rascle, O'Leary, Flannigan, Nolan.

Booked : Lilley, Hamill, Fernandez.

Motherwell : Graeme Smith, Quinn, Reynolds, Craigan, Hammell, Hughes, Klimpl (Lasley 85), Brian McLean (Clarkson 64), O'Brien, Sutton, Sheridan (McGarry 72).
Subs Not Used: Coutts, Malcolm, Murphy, Fitzpatrick.

Booked : Reynolds, Klimpl.

Att : 5,434

Ref : D McDonald



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