MATCH REPORT | ARMSTRONG'S STRIKE THE DIFFERENCE AT RUGBY PARK

KILMARNOCK 1-0 DUNDEE UNITED

7:45PM WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2023

CINCH PREMIERSHIP

RUGBY PARK

Danny Armstrong’s first half strike secured the points for Killie in Ayrshire. 

THE TEAM TALK 

After last week’s defeat to Celtic, there was a defensive reshuffle as Ross Graham and Charlie Mulgrew were drafted in from the start. Jamie McGrath was also recalled to the starting 11 after being slowly bedded following his injury return.

Our deadline-day signing Loick Ayina was also involved in the match-day squad, starting this one from the bench.  

KILMARNOCK LACK AN EARLY KILLER INSTINCT

After a quiet first five minutes, it was Kilmarnock that began to knock on the door in search of an opener. 

A long throw from the left was headed back into a dangerous area by Liam Smith as he looked to clear. The ball fell to Liam Donnelly on the penalty spot but Arnaud Djoum did enough to stop him from getting a shot away. 

The hosts went close again from a corner in the tenth minute. It was Armstrong’s inswinging ball that caused the danger, but Joe Wright didn’t connect properly and he fumbled the ball into the side netting. 

Kyle Vassell also had a chance to break the deadlock as the ball was cut back to him on the penalty spot but he fired over. 

A smart stop from Mark Birighitti then denied Rory McKenzie as the Kilmarnock winger raced through one on one. The United ‘keeper did well to narrow the angle and block low with his left leg.  

HAULED DOWN

Our best chance of the half came by way of a spot-kick in the 24th minute, albeit against the run of play. 

It was Scott McMann - who looked like our biggest threat for the majority of the first half - that was pulled to the ground as he jinked past his marker, leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. 

Steven Fletcher stepped up from 12 yards but in truth, his side-footed effort was comfortably saved to Sam Walker’s right. 

A snapshot from McMann followed up a few minutes later but Walker was again on hand to parry clear. 

A CLINICAL FINISH

The save seemed to give the hosts momentum with the crowd edging louder inside Rugby Park. 

Armstrong looked Kilmarnock’s biggest threat down the right, this time holding the ball up for Liam Polwarth. The midfielder turned inside two United men with a clever flick before firing in a dangerous cross that was well dealt with by Mulgrew before Christian Doidge knew anything about it. 

The hosts did break the deadlock with a rasping finish from Armstrong ten minutes before the break. Luke Chambers drove a low cross into the box which was smashed home first-time by Killie’s number 11 into the top corner. 

The final talking point of the half came through a coming together with Middleton and McKenzie - somehow the United player was the only one to see yellow following the tussle. 

SECOND HALF 

It took eight minutes for United’s first second-half effort. Ryan Edwards met Middleton’s corner on the slide but couldn’t get enough purchase on the ball to trouble Walker. 

Kilmarnock broke down the other end as Vassell got in behind - but pressure by a combination of Mulgrew and Birighitti was enough to put him off getting an effort away. 

Just before the hour, Armstrong again went close, coming in from the right to curl a ferocious effort just wide of the upright.  

WASTEFUL KILLIE

A multitude of chances fell Kilmarnock’s way after some slack defending from United. 

Christian Doidge really should have doubled their lead after being played through one on one by Vassell but he fired his effort high and wide. 

Vassell squandered another chance as he slipped inside the box before he could get his shot away. 

A scramble in the box followed, and the hosts claimed for a penalty as Edwards cleared off of Graham in the box. A brilliant save from Birighitti denied McKenizie on the follow-up from just a few yards out. 

CLOSE CALLS

Two chances fell to United as they looked to draw terms. 

The first of which fell to Middleton inside the area, but our number 15 couldn’t direct his shot on target. 

United’s best move came just before the 90. It was a clever midfield combination as Levitt bounced the ball off of Sibbald. The Welshman fired a pass into Pawlett whose neat touch took him away from his marker. He teed up fellow substitute Rory MacLeod who got the ball out of his feet but could only drag his effort wide of the far post. 

TEAMLINE

Starting XI: Birighitti, Smith (80’ Niskanen), McMann, Mulgrew, Graham, Fletcher, Djoum (62’ Sibbald), Edwards (c), Middleton (81’ MacLeod), McGrath (68’ Pawlett), Levitt.

Unused subs: Newman, A.Sadat, Ayina, Cudjoe. 

Attendance: 4,620 

NEXT UP 

It’s a trip to Tynecastle on Saturday as we take on Hearts in a 3 o’clock kick-off. 

Tickets for this match are sold out.