Kilmarnock 1 Hearts 1

Kilmarnock and Hearts' battle for the final UEFA Cup place remains in the balance after an entertaining Rugby Park draw.

Hearts had given themselves a springboard for clawing back the three-point advantage their hosts had enjoyed before kick-off with an Andy Kirk goal five minutes after the break.

But the status quo was maintained both on the pitch and in the league table soon after when Kevin McGowne notched a sublime equaliser from a free-kick.

Killie therefore still hold a three-point advantage with nine now available to either side.

But Bobby Williamson's side still have to play both Old Firm sides, with Hearts having already played and lost at Celtic.

A heavy downpour on a pitch that had already been heavily watered by the groundstaff had put this game in doubt an hour before kick off.

But referee Dougie McDonald had little hesitation in passing it fit and the shiny surface turned out to be ideal for attacking football.

Hearts midfielder Lee Makel set the ball rolling with a misplaced pass that gave Cocard a sight of goal in only the second minute.

He was off balance and could not hit the target but when Antonio Calderon, the skilful Spanish midfielder, let fly with the game's next effort it needed a spectacular tip over from Anti Niemi to keep it out.

Ally Mitchell sent another long-ranger skidding wide as Killie dominated the first 10 minutes.

But Hearts were keen to counter attack and Stephane Adam launched one when he won possession in the middle of the park.

A swift exchange with Colin Cameron put him in space on the left and his cross-shot just eluded both the far post and the on-rushing Andy Kirk.

Gus MacPherson was keen to add to his tally of testimonial goals but his potshot efforts kept fizzing wide.

But it was from the veteran's cross into the box that the home side were handed a chance to take the lead.

Steven Pressley, the centre back who had missed out on a start for Scotland in Poland on Wednesday night because of a calf niggle, allowed the ball to bounce off his body.

The referee identified the part in question as an arm and Cocard was presented with the chance of scoring from the spot.

His effort foxed Niemi but rebounded of his left-hand post straight back into the Finn's arms as he lay helpless on the line.

Hearts almost made Killie pay double for the let off with a long ball to the far post that found the head of Adam.

The Frenchman's header almost caught goalkeeper Colin Meldrum by surprise but he recovered to clutch it to his chest before it crossed the line.

Adam's season has been one in which he had been mainly absent through injury but there was no doubting he was a potent threat to the Killie back line.

He was involved in a moment of controversy when he went to ground on the edge of the box.

Killie defender Garry Hay clearly thought he had gone down too easily and when the two clashed off the ball, Adam was booked after being reported by a linesman.

Hay sent McLaren through after centre back Andy Webster, who was making his first start, failed to cut out the long ball.

But Niemi denied Kilmarnock's latest Scotland cap, who had played the final 45 minutes in Poland, with a fine stop.

The match took off after the restart with Hearts drawing first blood.

It was a great move, with Pressley bringing the ball forward out of defence, Adam playing an instant reverse pass and Steven Boyack, whose run from midfield had not been tracked, squaring the ball for Kirk to convert with ease.

But Killie countered three minutes later from a most unlikely source.

MacPherson had forced Niemi into a save but when Alan Mahood was felled just outside the area, big centre back McGowne delicately curled the ball over the wall and in.

Niemi denied Cocard soon after when McLaren headed the ball on to send him free of a surprised Hearts back line.

The Frenchman then proceeded to hit a post from point blank range when he scurried in to try to convert Hay's ball there, which had again caught the Hearts defence in disarray.

Chris Innes made a last-gasp tackle on Kirk in the box after McGowne had put his side in trouble by giving the ball to Cameron in a dangerous position and the Scotland midfielder had battled through to set Kirk up with a shooting chance.

Pressley went down in the Killie box under McLaren's challenge but it wasn't his night for penalty awards.

Ally McCoist was one a number of late substitutions but the former Rangers hero didn't get even a sniff of goal as the match finished all square.

Teams

Kilmarnock: Meldrum, Innes, McGowne, Dindeleux, MacPherson, Mitchell, Mahood (Reilly 87), Calderon, Hay, Cocard (McCoist 86), McLaren.

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Fowler, Canero.

Booked: MacPherson.

Goals: McGowne 53.

Hearts: Niemi, Murray, Webster, Pressley, McCann, Boyack (Juanjo 86), Makel (Mckenna 63), Cameron, Severin, Adam (Wales 78), Kirk.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Simmons.

Booked: Adam, Boyack.

Goals: Kirk 50.

Att: 6,867

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).


Taken from sportinglife.com