Burns slows down frantic Killie

1 Dec 1993

Kilmarnock 0, Hearts 0.

KILMARNOCK stretched their unbeaten run to three games while Hearts clocked up their fifth game without a win in a disappointing match at Rugby Park last night.

Tommy Burns made his season's debut for his first premier division match in four years.

He showed in flashes that the brain is still razor-sharp, that he can still deliver the telling pass from midfield, and his influence caused Kilmarnock to play less frantically than has become their norm this season.

The home side had the first chance when Mark Skilling blasted a Bobby Williamson cross behind in eight minutes. 

The Ayrshire men continued to do the bulk of attacking against a Hearts defence in which Jim Weir switched to centre back when Graeme Hogg limped off after a tackle with the much smaller Tommy Brown.

Burns almost put Killie ahead in 35 minutes with a free kick which was well held by Nicky Walker. 

At the other end a Gary Locke free kick was headed home by Hearts skipper Alan McLaren, but referee McCluskey ruled no goal, indicating McLaren had levered himself up on a Killie defender.

Hearts fans were worried two minutes after the break when Maurice Johnston was laid out in a challenge with Kilmarnock's Andy Millen. 

Johnston was led off, but after two minutes on the sidelines he returned. 

He gave way, however, to Kevin Thomas for the final 20 minutes and later went to hospital, along with Hogg, for precautionary X-rays.

Hearts were seen more as an attacking force in the second half but Kilmarnock proved dangerous on the break.

Scott Leitch volleyed a John Colquhoun corner inches wide, but Kilmarnock came closest to snatching the points.

Eight minutes from time an Angus McPherson diagonal run into the box got the right back on to the end of a Danny Crainie cross, but his side-footed effort struck a post.

A minute later Billy Stark replaced Tommy Brown and the veteran -- 37 tomorrow -- nearly got a birthday goal in 84 minutes when Walker only just beat him to the rebound as a Bobby Williamson header from a Tom Black free kick came back off the crossbar.

KILMARNOCK -- Geddes, McPherson, Black, Montgomerie, Skilling, Millen, Brown, Reilly, Williamson, Burns, Crainie. 

Substitutes -- Porteous, Stark, Matthews.

HEARTS -- Walker, Weir, McKinlay, McLaren, Hogg, Leitch, Colquhoun, Locke, Robertson, M Johnston, Mackay. 

Substitutes -- A Johnston, Thomas, Smith.

Referee -- J McCluskey (Stewarton).

Taken from the Herald