Kilmarnock 2 Hearts 2

May 1 2011 Rob Fairburn, Sunday Mail

KIEREN AGARD bagged a last-gasp leveller to salvage a point for Kilmarnock.

The on-loan Everton striker spared the home side's blushes after Hearts hit them with a two-goal burst in the second period.

Jamie Fowler's stunning drive in 55 minutes had fired the home side ahead but it was not to be enough as their winless run stretched to five games.

It was only Fowler's fourth goal in his 14-year Kilmarnock career and his first in front of the Rugby Park faithful.

But caretaker Killie boss Kenny Shiels insists Agard's strike was the least his side deserved.

He said: "I thought it was a very entertaining game and I don't think there is any doubt we deserved to win it in the end.

"We dominated in the second half and I think people watching that would want to come back.

"The pleasing thing is that we came back from 2-1 but I thought we should have won."

Shiels is counting the cost of Jamie Hamill's silly late booking for patting Ian Black's head.

He said: "Jamie knows the lad and I think there was a bit of banter.

"But that is him over the points limit now and a three-game ban which means he misses the last games of the season and the first two next season."

Fowler was meanwhile quick to express his shock at finally finding the net at Rugby Park.

The 30-year-old grinned: "I was shocked and just as surprised as anyone when it hit the net.

"I didn't really know how to celebrate but my teammates knew it had been a long time.

"I wanted to run to the dugout to see Garry Hay because he has been giving me a lot of stick about my scoring record.

"I don't know how long my last goal was, I gave up counting at five years, but when I do score they are usually good ones. There was a left foot 25-yarder at Falkirk, a good team goal at Hibs and there was one at Aberdeen.

"But I am just glad we finished the game with a point because I thought we deserved it."

There was little to reflect on in the first half apart from Cammy Bell's super stop from Black's thundering drive after just five minutes.

And Hearts had keeper Jamie MacDonald to thank for brilliantly tipping Alexei Eremenko's longrange free-kick on to the bar when it looked certain to hit the net.

MacDonald again produced heroics to keep out Manuel Pascali's header but even he had no answer to Fowler's superb strike.

Marius Zaliukas failed to clear his lines and Liam Kelly slipped the ball to the Killie veteran who fired the ball into the far corner to kick off wild celebrations.

The goal sparked Hearts into life and they levelled in 67 minutes.

Rudi Skacel had just been switched to the right flank and was first to react after David Templeton's deflected shot caught out Bell and bounced on to the bar. The Czech Replublic star slid in for his 13th goal of the SPL campaign.

And the shirt-sleeved travelling support were in ecstasy 10 minutes later when Ryan Stevenson rose unchallenged to head home Craig Thomson's corner.

Killie rallied with MacDonald again proving to be the Hearts hero with a fine stop from sub James Dayton's freekick and then Agard headed over from close range.

But sloppy defending in the Hearts ranks was punished four minutes from time when the defence were unable to clear Eremenko's deft flick.

Agard was first to react to send a thundering volley on the turn into the corner of the net. The home side finished the stronger and had a great chance to win it when Dayton raced clear.

He should have squared to Agard but instead MacDonald blocked his effort with his legs.

The draw was Hearts' fifth in a row in the SPL but they remain in the driving seat to clinch third spot and the Europa League place.

And boss Jim Jefferies believes his side are destined to do it the hard way to wrap up a successful league campaign.

He said: "We 're making it hard for ourselves and will probably get the points when we're not expected to like against Rangers or Celtic.

"I felt we should have had it won today as Eremenko's freekick was the only thing I felt that troubled us in the first half.

"I couldn't believe it when Jamie Fowler scored as he never scores and it was just typical he saved it for us although it was a sweet strike.

"But there was a great response from the players after that and we did well to go 21 in front.

"However we got sloppy again and we should have cleared it before they got the leveller.

"I always say though that if you don't win just make sure you don't get beat so we are happy with a point at the end of the day."

And Jeff laughed off an incident in which he accidentally clattered linesman George Drummond.

He said: "I was just shouting some instruction and never saw him."

Man of the match

Jamie Fowler

His stunning drive got Killiie off to a flyer and in turn ended his 14-year Rugby Park scoring drought to the delight of the fans

Taken from the Daily Record