Kilmarnock 3 Accies 0: C.I.S.Cup Round 2: 24 August 2004

C.I.S.Cup Round 2

Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, 24 August 2004

Report by George Grandison

Accies crashed out of the CIS Cup at the 2nd round stage, eventually being soundly beaten by a Kilmarnock side who looked distinctly average for long spells of the game. 2 goals from Aussie striker Danny Invincible eventually helped to kill off an Accies team who fought hard but ultimately created few real chances and gave the enthusiastic traveling support little to get excited about.

Accies began the game with the same starting eleven that began the Partick game, though Brian McPhee made an earlier than expected comeback from his recent facial injury and managed a place on the bench. Scott Tunbridge had a more forward role in midfield where he was joined by Pat Keogh. Carrots and Corky started up front. Killie had the better of the early exchanges but David McEwan had relatively little to do. The home side did come very close after 15 minutes when a Craig Dargo shot scraped past the post with McEwan well beaten and towards the end of the half there was a bit of scramble on the six yard line before the ball was eventually cleared. Killie did find some space on the wings from time to time but little came of it.

Alan "Magic" Johnston was largely anonymous apart from one neat piece of skill which left the Accies defence standing but again his cross came to nothing. They did force a number of corners but never really looked like scoring. It took Accies a while to get going but after 20 minutes they began to get more into the game and had an excellent 15 minute spell. Carrigan came close with an angled shot and Chris Aitken fired a 25 yarder wide as Accies seemed to grow in confidence, perhaps helped by the number of shockingly wayward passes the home side were spraying around. As the first half ended in stalemate I felt Kilmarnock were there to be beaten if Accies could up the pace and be a bit more positive.

The home side did start the 2nd half much better and could easily have taken the lead within 10 minutes. A Killie forward had a shot blocked by Stevie Thomson and McEwan managed to deflect the second effort for a corner. Minutes later, Dave produced a great reflex save from a point-blank header to keep the scores level. Accies were causing themselves problems throughout with their inability to keep possession and do the simple things well. Killie weren't much better and it looked like a mistake might be the way to get a goal. Just short of the hour mark and the mistake came - Accies broke down the right and a decent cross was swung in. Home keeper Alan Combe came to collect but was beaten by one of his defenders who allowed the ball to bounce off his body to Mark Corcoran. He managed to strike it agonizingly past the post when it looked easier to score. Although the chance came quickly, it was on his left foot and he really should have scored. Thereafter I felt Corky's play deteriorated badly and he looked really out of sorts.

The opener came after 63 minutes and should have been avoided. Waddell lost possession on the right which left the Killie player with time and space to throw in a cross to the back post where Invincible headed home. Cue the tannoy playing "Tie me kangaroo down sport". I kid you not. And if you think that's bad, how about a burst of the Marseillaise to welcome French sub Eric Joly onto the pitch near the end. Just as I was thinking we were still in it, Killie finally produced a good move with some slick passing ending in a MacDonald shot that went in off the far post. The again ineffective Keogh and Carrigan were replaced by Convery and Hodge as Accies searched for a reply and The Bee made an appearance with 12 minutes left, on for Waddell. Killie added a 3rd near the end when Invincible scored and the same player should really have completed his hat-trick when he missed another chance at the death.

In the end Accies were a well-beaten side, which is disappointing when you look at how Kilmarnock performed. While we competed well for an hour, there often seemed little cohesion and certainly few constructive ideas in the team. Combine that with an inability to hold onto the ball for more than a couple of seconds and we are a long way short of the standard needed to compete well in the first division, never mind challenge an average SPL side in a cup game. I thought the positives were once again in defence where Thomson and McLaughlin performed well and gave everything. Keogh didn't look any better in midfield than he did up front on Saturday and a front pairing of Corcoran and Carrigan is unlikely to have experienced defences quaking in their boots. The whole game just seemed to pass Chris Aitken by. I felt David Hamilton did pretty well again and Tunbridge looked far more comfortable in a more advanced midfield role.

Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler, Lilley, Dindeleux, Hay, Invincibile, Locke (Joly 80), McDonald, Johnston (Dodds 86), Dargo (Murray 59), Boyd.

Subs Not Used: Greer, Smith.

Goals: Invincibile 63, McDonald 70, Invincibile 86.

Hamilton: McEwan, Walker, Thomson, McLaughlin, Waddell (McPhee 78), Hamilton, Aitken, Tunbridge, Corcoran, Carrigan (Hodge 74), Keogh (Convery 66).

Subs Not Used: Blackadder, Jellema.

Attendance: 3,375

Referee: K Clark

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