Robbo's depleted troops show spirit to fight back

BRIAN MURRAY
AT RUGBY PARK

KILMARNOCK 1 Leven 31
HEARTS 1 Wyness 69

JOHN Robertson is learning quickly about the spirit in his squad as his depleted side fought back to earn a point at Rugby Park.

Already without suspended captain Steven Pressley, the new Hearts boss found he still could not call on the services of Mark de Vries from the start and was further hampered by the loss of Phil Stamp when he was ruled out with a calf injury. He may have been missing the spine of his team, but there was no lack of backbone in his team’s performance.

Kevin McKenna, thriving in his striking role, upset the lightweight Kilmarnock backline in the opening exchanges and he created several opportunities for his side in the opening quarter hour. As early as the eight minute he forced the Kilmarnock keeper, the newly called up Alan Combe, into a smart save at his near post. The keeper had to be equally lively seven minutes later when McKenna won the ball for Dennis Wyness who turned sharply and shot goalwards. His effort took a slight deflection, but Combe still made the catch appear easy.

Hearts were threatening to dent Killie’s good recent home record, but the tide was turned in unlikely circumstances. Kilmarnock captain Freddy Dindeleux suffered a groin strain and had to be replaced by Gary Locke in the 16th minute. Jim Jefferies shuffled his pack with Locke taking over in midfield with Peter Leven taking over Dindeleux’s left-back berth. Gary Locke’s characteristic industry stemmed the maroon tide, but it was the release of Leven to the wide area which pushed Kilmarnock forward. His measured passes had the Hearts defenders turning, but he made a more immediate impact on the half-hour mark.

Craig Dargo’s lack of inches had contributed to the loss of a couple of half-chances when the ball refused to drop quickly enough for the diminutive striker, but a more patient approach paid dividends for the home team.

Leven, Locke, Gary MacDonald and Gordon Greer probed around the Hearts defence before MacDonald eventually found a way through with an inch-perfect pass to find Leven bursting through. The 21-year-old showed maturity as he calmly lifted the ball past Craig Gordon and in at the far post.

Kilmarnock continued to enjoy the better possession, thanks to Locke’s persistence. His charge down of Kisnorbo’s clearance gave Colin Nish a free run, but the striker, who had scored four goals in three games prior to this match, looked out of touch. The ball was eventually bundled back to Locke, but the goalkeeper was always favourite to save his shot from wide on the angle.

The second half opened scrappily, but Kilmarnock still looked the more threatening. Allan Johnston latched on to Webster’s clearance and strode forward but shot wide before Nish offered him a better chance in the 66th minute. The lanky striker brushed Christophe Berra off the ball and sent Johnston in with an accurate pass. Johnston hesitated fatally allowing the defence to recover and could only fire in a weak effort which Gordon pawed to safety.

Johnston was a more effective provider than finisher and his inswinging free-kick met Gary MacDonald’s well-timed run, but Gordon was composed and perfectly positioned to gather his deflection.

Robertson introduced De Vries and Ramon Pereira to the action, and it was the Spaniard who played Canute and reversed the tide once more. He was instrumental in the Edinburgh side’s equaliser, but it owed more to a rare mistake from Locke. He admitted later that he lost the flight of the ball in the floodlights, and his header was pounced upon by Patrick Kisnorbo. The Australian drove into the Killie half where he played a simple straight pass to Pereira. His cross found Dennis Wyness inside the six-yard box and he made no mistake as he emulated Leven’s finish over the keeper.

Pereira drilled in a powerful shot himself which Combe parried strongly to safety, but the home side rallied and will feel that they could have pinched the points back.

Danny Invincibile broke the Hearts offside trap but Alan Maybury showed his experience to comtinue playing rather than appeal for a flag and he slid in to block the Aussie’s effort.

Killie boss Jim Jefferies felt his side had edged the game. "I think if we had won the game, Hearts couldn’t grumble, but if they had won, we would have been aggrieved," while the Hearts boss was left frustrated at the end. "I’m just disappointed for the large Hearts support that we didn’t go on and finish the job."

Taken from the Scotsman