Alan Cochrane @ Fir Park
Despite a 93rd minute consolation goal for Gretna scored by Gavin Skelton, this was a fairly comfortable win for Killie set up by two first half goals for the visitors, and a missed penalty by the home side, although home is actually a fair way south of Motherwell. Only just over 1500 paying customers were here to see this one, and the bulk of the atmosphere came from a noisy Kilmarnock travelling support, who unusually were not behind one of the goals, but straddling the half-way line as they cheered and sang their favourites home.
They did suffer an early scare when Abdul Osman sent a looping shot over the diving Alan Combe in the first minute, and were relieved when it went outside his right-hand post, but only had to wait another three minutes before their nerves were eased. Rhian Dodds, playing down the right instead of the injured Invincibile, cut the ball back from the bye line, and Willie Gibson swooping in from the left volleyed the ball first time high into the rigging, giving Greg Fleming no chance.
Half an hour into the game, Ryan O'Leary had to go off with a mashed nose following an accidental mid-air collision, and he was replaced by debutant Tim Clancy, who slotted in at left back, with Frazer Wright moving inside to partner David Lilley. The set-back was quickly shrugged off. Grant Murray speared a long ball from the right into the box, Colin Nish provided the perfect cushion header, and Ryan Jarvis had loads of time to pick his spot for his first goal for the club, and put Killie two ahead.
Gretna should have got themselves back into the game when Yantorno was pulled down in the box, but from the spot-kick, Colin McMenamin crashed the ball off the bar, and Killie's lead looked all the more secure. The second half was a more controlled affair, and while Gretna had the ball for spells, they seldom looked as if they had the penetration to trouble Alan Combe.
In fact, at the other end, a despairing interception from Chris Innes knocked the ball against Greg Fleming's right hand post, and then Colin Nish hit the same post with an exquisite 25 yard lob with the keeper stranded. The polish was slightly knocked off the performance when Killie took their mind off the job right at the end and allowed Gretna to grab a goal with the last kick of the game, but the three points were secure, so the gaffer was fairly happy. With the injuries we are currently carrying, Simon Ford calling off ill this morning, and Ryan O'Leary having to go off early in the proceedings, he was actually pretty sanguine about it all when I spoke to him afterwards. But he still wasn't pleased about losing that goal!
Gretna: Fleming, Barr, Horwood, Innes, Collin, Murray, Osman (Paartalu), McGill (Graham), Skelton, McMenamin (Buscher), Yantorno
Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler, Lilley, Wright, Nish, Johnston, Murray, Dodds, Gibson (Locke), O'Leary (Clancy), Jarvis (Fernandez)
Referee: Iain Brines
