Kilmarnock 2 Dunfermline 1

cinch Championship: Efe Ambrose and Reece Cole start in place of Lewis Martin and Dan Pybus. Steven Lawless penalty miss (24). Steven Lawless (59) 0-1: Kyle Lafferty (67) 1-1: Kyle Lafferty (83) 2-1:

Steven Lawless made up for a first half miss by firing the Pars into the lead. Unfortunately that flipped Killie into a determined comeback with two goals from Kyle Lafferty earning the points.

Of the remaining twelve league fixtures three of them are against promotion chasing Kilmarnock. John Hughes side returned to Rugby Park to play this re-arranged fixture after the original just before Christmas was abandoned due to fog. The home side now under the leadership of Derek McInnes would be out to make up for back to back defeats to Arbroath and Ayr United.

Efe Ambrose came into the Dunfermline side for his debut meaning Lewis Martin was on the bench and Reece Cole started in place of the absent Dan Pybus.

Kilmarnock made four changes from the side that lost in midweek, Brandon Haunstrup, Dylan McGowan, Chris Burke and Oli Shaw dropped out to make way for Calum Waters, Euan Murray, Blair Alston and Stephen McGinn.

No likelihood of fog at this match. There was a fairly strong wind stirring things up in Rugby Park including the North West section banner which took a fair bit of securing in front of the travelling support as rain blew into the Chadwick Stand.

Before kick off a minute’s silence was observed for Kilmarnock fan Colin McCue who died after a cardiac arrest at the end of Wednesday night’s game. Kilmarnock kicked off attacking the goal in front of the Pars supporters.

In monsoon like conditions, McGinn created the first danger using some jersey pulling to dispossess Joe Chalmers and head goalwards. There were several attempts on the Dunfermline goal with blocks and Jakub Stolarczyk twice called into third minute action. The attack finally came to a close as the ball was fired over the bar.

Lafferty clipped a ninth minute effort over the bar and Fraser Murray tried a shot from distance that Ambrose stopped on his chest. Dunfermline responded from a Cole free kick midway inside the opposition half finding McCann with his delivery from the right but the striker’s header escaped wide left.

In eleven minute Lafferty was shown yellow for his challenge on Ambrose. On the left Ryan Dow received the ball from Graham Dorrans but Zach Hemmings easily held the angled shot. A surging run up the right by Lee Hodson in 20th minute was ended with a pass that found Lafferty in front of goal but Stolarczyk read the back flick and held the shot.

Midway through the first half the Fifers were awarded a penalty for handball against Fraser Murray on the far side of the box as he stopped a Coll Donaldson free kick reaching Edwards on the left edge of the penalty box. Having converted the Pars first penalty of the season against Inverness Caley Thistle, Steven Lawless stepped up. Left footed he fired it to the keeper’s left and Hemmings made the save.

Dunfermline reacted to the miss with a shot from Chalmers and a cross from Comrie which both engaged the 21 year old Killie keeper. At the other end Stolarczyk dropped to his right to hold a low F Murray effort.

After Lawless was cut down Cole delivered a 37th minute free kick into the Killie box but the offside flag was up. Two minutes later it was the home side that won the first corner of the afternoon. Waters went away over to the right side and he picked out Euan Murray at the back post but fortunately his shot was blocked.

Lawless had a shot parried away before the Fifers first corner came three minutes from the break. Donaldson was unlucky with his efforts to head down Lawless’ cross and nothing would come from it.

The half time stats favoured the home side 52/48 in terms of possession and both sides had registered four shots each on target.

Half time: Kilmarnock 0 Dunfermline 0

38 year old Chris Burke replaced 20 year old Dean Campbell for the second half and within two minutes the seven times Scotland capped player forced a corner on the left. He took the setpiece successfully picked out Euan Murray at the far side of the six yard box but Stolarczyk made a great save diving low to his right to turn the ball out.

The visitors first opportunity of the extremely wet second half came with a Chalmers break. He fed Dorrans to his left before inviting the return but he swept his shot across goal and wide right. Next it was Killie who got up the left and their cut back in 54 minutes looked ideal for Blair Alston to net but he too pulled the ball wide right.

Play was flowing from end to end Dorrans had a good attempt blocked by the 30 year old Killie captain Chris Stokes before the Pars hit on the break in 59th minute. Edwards was able to make the move down the left channel, he released the ball to McCann to his left and his cross was perfect for LAWLESS at the far post to send the net bulging. 0-1

Stolarczyk dived to his left to save a Burke shot from distance but the Ayrshire men wasted the resultant corner. Then in 66 minutes Comrie got away another Killie corner but the pressure was mounting on the visitors and an equaliser came through LAFFERTY. Alston got the better of Ambrose on the right edge of the penalty area and he had plenty time to tee up his team mate for the goal. 1-1

Reece Cole was forced off in 71 minutes and his replacement was Matty Todd. The Pars sub sped up the left to get on the end of a McCann lay off but his cross was deflected into the hands of the on loan Middlesbrough keeper. Lewis McCann was then subbed with Kevin O’Hara coming on for the final 11 minutes.

Kilmarnock had been piling on the pressure seeking a winner and they duly got their second goal in 83 minutes. Donaldson’s efforts to stop a cross from the right sat up sweetly for LAFFERTY to score with an overhead kick. 2-1

Dunfermline pushed up 90 minutes stopped on the stadium clock. There was a final fling from the Pars with Edwards launching a long throw into the box and Lawless sending in a useful ball from a free kick. Killie looked very edgy but the tension eased as Aaron Comrie picked up a second yellow card and Athletic were reduced to ten men. Donaldson also collected a late yellow but the 2-1 scoreline kept the three points in Ayrshire.

Morton came from behind in the league’s only other game and so Dunfermline remain ninth just four points above Queen of the South who have a game in hand.

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