Kilmarnock boss Clarke hails fans after ‘good year for the club’

Posted Sunday, December 30, 2018 by PA

Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke praised his side and their large support as they rounded off 2018 with another Ladbrokes Premiership victory.

Goals from Stuart Findlay and Jordan Jones fired the Ayrshire side to a 2-1 success against St Mirren in front of more than seven thousand fans at Rugby Park.

Alfie Jones did pull one back for the Buddies but it was not enough as Clarke’s side recorded a fourth successive home victory to keep the pace at the top of the table.

The Killie boss said: “It would have been nicer to do it a little more comfortably but it’s difficult when you come up against these teams who are scrapping for points. We had the game won after 15 minutes and then switched off at a set-play which disrupted our rhythm a little bit.

“It was great to see the fans back. I said to Alex Dyer a few weeks ago that we should be aiming for around 7,000 for this game given the run we’ve been on. They’ve been turning up in massive numbers away from home so it was great to see them here today. Seven thousand is a great effort and long may it continue.

“The players have brought back the fans with their performances on the pitch. They deserve the credit, not me. It’s been a good year for the club.”

Oran Kearney’s St Mirren, on the other hand, find themselves in a battle to retain their top-flight status after a first half of the season that yielded only 12 points.

Defeat at Rugby Park was the Paisley side’s fourth in five matches and the Northern Irishman cut a frustrated figure as he lamented his side’s negative start.

“When you come to a side who are flying and have a big prize that they’re chasing then it’s so important that you start the game well and give yourself a foothold in the game,” Kearney said.

“The set-piece was disappointing but it happens in football. I said to the boys that I can accept that but what I can’t accept is the reaction to it and it shook our guys to the bones for the best part of 30 minutes.

“The feeling is double-edged today because I’m glad we are where we are. There will be fresh players because we need a fresh impetus and that will definitely come in January.”