Kilmarnock’s winless run goes on as Motherwell earn point

Posted Sunday, March 03, 2019 by PA

Kilmarnock’s winless run increased to eight games after a dour goalless draw at home to Motherwell in their rearranged Ladbrokes Premiership clash.

The final result was the same as the scoreline when the game was postponed on Wednesday night after 46 minutes due to poor visibility caused by heavy fog.

Motherwell entered the game in good form, with six wins from their last seven games, but it was the home side who created the best chances during an uneventful game.

Steve Clarke preferred Conor McAleny to Eamonn Brophy up front and his decision was almost vindicated after only four minutes.

Rory McKenzie gathered the ball on the left and threaded a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of McAleny, but the on-loan Fleetwood striker could only stab his shot aimlessly wide.

Motherwell have been resurgent since the winter break, partly due to the emergence of youngster Jake Hastie.

The 20-year-old winger has been a revelation since returning from a loan spell at Championship side Alloa, scoring four goals in six games, and he almost grabbed the opener after 16 minutes.

Miscommunication in the Killie defence allowed Hastie to break into the box and bend a wicked left-footed effort towards goal that forced Daniel Bachmann into a diving save.

Motherwell edged the opening 25 minutes, but from then on it was the hosts in the ascendancy.

McKenzie forced Mark Gillespie into a routine low save with a fizzing low effort from 25 yards.

Moments later, Kilmarnock came within inches of opening the scoring when Chris Burke drifted in from the left and curled a gorgeous effort towards the top left-hand corner, but it drifted agonisingly over the bar.

At the other end, the impressive Hastie was terrorising Calum Waters and, after he weaved in from the left flank, he drew another diving save from Bachmann.

Tom Aldred spurned the visitors’ best opening after 58 minutes when he rose too early and failed to connect properly with David Turnbull’s pinpoint corner, with Bachman stranded.

Kilmarnock’s best opportunity came after 67 minutes. Richard Tait carelessly surrendered possession on the edge of his own area, allowing Aaron Tshibola to whip in a superb cross, but McKenzie’s effort at full stretch rebounded off the bar and to safety.

Brophy’s exclusion from the starting line-up had raised eyebrows, but he looked like a man determined to prove a point when he was introduced with 20 minutes remaining.

Within a minute of his introduction he forced Gillespie into an excellent full-stretch save after collecting Chris Burke’s cross and turning his defender with admirable ease, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point.