Motherwell 1 Killie 2, Saturday 23rd May 2009 k/o 12:30.

video of  spoilsports by Killie ConMan:
YouTube Link:  

This is Scottish football’s premier league. It is po-faced and sour of attitude and only grudgingly accepts the attendance of paying customers, for whom no inconvenience is overlooked. The prices, the lack of amenities, the half-hearted catering, the moribund stares of  petty officialdom, the toilets, the league structure, the carelessness with kick-off times, the OF-obsessed media and the pompous refereeing. Why do we persist in attending games? It’s a question more and more fans seem to be having difficulty in answering.

You are not meant to enjoy it. There is a motto carved in phantom letters above the gates:  Abandon joy all ye who enter here. Oh, and no inflatable crocodiles allowed.

The weather forecast predicted rain. Just as unwelcome but just as predictably, Motherwell chose to open only the bottom tier. Perhaps they hoped that a rain-lashing would drown the away support or maybe they just don’t like Killie fans. Or perhaps it was merely the failure to care enough to consider their customers. Most likely the latter.

As it happens, the downpour failed to materialise and the grey skies failed to dampen the party atmosphere as the Killie boys turned out in Hawaii shirts and traffic-cone hats, replete with blow-up toys and a few nifty dance routines. The dance routines were mirrored on the field of play by the twinkle toes of Mehdi Taouil.

The skill and audacity shown by Flannigan at the start of the second half  in back-heeling the ball past a defender was worth the twenty quid alone, but this feat was unbelievably repeated by Fernandez, passing the ball to Taouil and cutting out three defenders. Killie supporters couldn’t believe their eyes when this triumph was then converted by Mehdi into the goal of the season as he side-stepped a defender, sold the keeper and maintained composure to slot home at the near post. This can’t be Killie, can it?

Invincible scored the first from a fine Taouil cross and although the defence went awol for the ‘Well equaliser it was understandable given the loss of three players to injury. Murray, then Pascali then Lilley replaced by Skelton, Fowler and O’Leary. All 14 players did a good job and although Motherwell had good chances and Killie squandered a string of crosses we deserved the win in what was an entertaining game for an end of season meaningless fixture.

But the first half was a bit bland and attention was focussed as much on the spoilsport behaviour of the Fir Park stewards who watched for a while with menace as the singing section threw around a few festive inflatables. This was fans having fun. How dare they? The croc was the main perp and in a perfectly construed pincer movement the stewards closed in from all sides, executing the manouevre with singular imperfection. They failed to eject the troublesome reptile and it enjoyed a few more minutes freedom before it was wrested physically from the fans as boos echoed round the stand. We were left in wonder as the snapper disappeared forever beneath the stand, it’s eventual fate unknown. Almost all other inflatable toys were similarly dispatched. One steward whose face was not completely torn brought out a few simple balloons for the kids, but there wasn’t any joy in them as they bobbled briefly across the seats. Balloons.

The Killie subs provided the best half-time entertainment we’ve seen for many a day, turning a simple game of keepie-up into a forfeit contest, with the loser having to bend down on the goal line as if waiting for a spanking. Then the remainder took penalty shots, trying to provide the punishment to the unfortunate’s hin’end. Despite some thunderously struck efforts (Combe), no-one suffered a red rear.

At the end a few Killie players tried to throw their jerseys to the crowd, but this is Fir Park and as noted above, fun is not allowed at Fir Park. Stewards intervened again. To be fair they passed on a couple of shirts, but made it an awkward process, robbing it of the immediacy and human touch the gesture deserved. Simon Ford ignored the warnings and louped the bill-boards to throw his shirt. Clancy gave a tiny wee lad his boots. Cute.

The players milled around saying their goodbyes to the fans and we did likewise, clapping our approval past a line of the greatest number of stewards and police we’ve seen at a game since the cup final. More bizarre than that, these players have conjured 44 points from what seemed a pretty disastrous season and have left us looking forward to the next one.  It would have seemed beyond hope only a few weeks ago.

They may take our crocodiles, but they cannot take our enduring sense of immense relief.

Here’s the views of some Motherwell fans:http://www.steelmenonline.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=2768

The litter-strewn second-half pitch reflected the scrappy game at the end of a rubbish season. The game wasn’t much fun to watch, but fortunately Our Saviour was there to finish from a great Hooky cross.

Taouil did well to feed Hay after good work on the left.  He didn’t play as well as he has been recently, but big Kev did enough to ensure we stay in the SPL, enough to ensure the club itself continues. Hallowed be his name.

It looked like Inverness were the hungrier side, needing points more than us. Killie were studied, a bit leaden, careful not to lose with only one point being necessary. KK had one header on target cleared, Hamill’s long-range looping header was saved and these were the only half-chances either side had.

In the second half, Gibson, heavy-legged and ineffectual, was replaced by Fernandez in what seemed like a desperate tactical move that turned out to be due to a foot injury. In any case, the game immediately seemed beyond us as Fernandez showed why he can’t get a start, resorting to a reckless foul on Black’s back that could have proven very costly.

Word came through that St. Mirren were 2-0 up on Falkirk. Inverness wanted more than the one point on offer. Killie could hardly pass the ball over ten yards. The crowd grew worried, exasperated, doom-laden. Shoulders fell, heads drooped. We’d seen this kind of sleepwalking into failure before.

Then, from nowhere, we scored. Season over. Relief all round. The players departed the field with “there’s only one Kevin Kyle” resounding around the stadium. There is so. Amen.

Phhheeeeeeewwwww!!!

Maybe it was the 7:45 kick off, maybe it was the way the nerves were frayed at the end of the game, or maybe it was the news that Falkirk won, but behind the exhiliration of head-shaking relief there is exhaustion.

KK was immense. We almost blew it at the end. The referee spotted the infringement that was invisible from the East Stand and denied them the equaliser. Gibson played really well, set up a goal and was still abused, to the point that Kyle had to reassure him with a friendly ruffle of his young heid. He should have released the ball much earlier though with that late chance when Kyle was running on and we would almost certainly have been 3-0 ahead. We lost Bryson to injury and Fowler filled in solidly. Taouil set up the other goal, underlining the claim that he and Gibson are effective in supplying chances to Kyle.

We are 4 points ahead of the Buddies, still 3 ahead of Falkirk and with those two playing each other on Saturday, if we take anything from ICT, we are safe going into the final game away to ‘well.

Thank heaven for KK who may just have saved the season and the clubs very existence.

Like most games this season horribilis, Killie cause themselves problems rather than being beaten by superior opposition. The referee didn’t help, with simply bizarre decisions and denying Killie a couple of penalty shouts, the likeliest one on Bryson. The fixture was a repeat of the last home game, but the result wasn’t.  We didn’t play quite so well as a team, yet completely dominated the match. KK was again the best player on the park, easily having the beating of the Falkirk defenders: particularly Pressley who might be judged to be having an affair with the referee by the leniency shown to his dirty tackle.

KK had more chances in this game than the last and we could have won by the same margin, yet we almost blew the whole season (and our club’s very existence) apart by conceding the first goal at a corner to the near post in Falkirk’s only real chance up to that point. Combe seemed to be blocked by his own players, we’ll have to see the tv highlights to decide, but whatever the problem was we didn’t solve it and almost lost another in the same circumstances a bit later.

It was an exciting game and the consensus of opinion is “at least we didn’t lose”. The Bairns will feel the same, but must be even more worried than us by their team’s performance. While they showed some battling dig and muscle that Killie lacked, they nevertheless were woeful throughout. Their fans sang “going down, going down” at us when they went ahead. At least they still have a sense of humour.

Killie ahead of ICT by GD on 35 points. St. Mirren on 34 and Falkirk 32.  MoM was Kevin Kyle as usual, despite his not taking golden opportunities – his well-struck goal a welcome exception, but the slightest of the chances that were presented to him.  Still made the rest look like amateurs. Clancy played very well to disprove the boo boys. Taouil had an off day, the problem balls (two had to be replaced during the game) not quite so sticky. The central pairing of Ford and Lilley still seems bereft of understanding. JJ took too long to take Mehdi off for Flannigan who, in his 7 mins, looked like he may have added some life to proceedings.  Skelton was good, but seemed to pick up an injury and limped towards the end. Gibson still taking the stick. He did lose the ball frequently by trying a fancy ball when simplicity would have done, but assisted in the goal. The criticism was over-the-top.

Next game St Mirren at home on Wed night. Then home to ICT and finally away to Motherwell. Falkirk have an easier game then us on Wed, away to Hamilton.

One win Killie, just one win, might be enough.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8038876.stm

After the “season-saving” win against Falkirk on 11th April, which opened up a six-point gap over the “wheelers”, the Killie players were true to form and let the fans down with two away games. First, a 0-0 draw away to the Arabs, then a miserable performance against Hamilton at New Douglas Park which saw Killie lose 2-1. It is significant that Kevin Kyle played in neither due to suspension. Fernandez was the unlikely replacement and some are questioning whether JJ understands that he’d be as well playing Garry Hay or Simon Ford upfront than Fat Freddie. I’d reckon Connor Sammon, despite his failure to prove his ability so far, must find this very frustrating.

Anyway, this leaves us – along with St. Mirren – 3 points clear of Falkirk. We play Falkirk this coming Saturday in a repeat of the 11th April decider. Let’s hope for the same result. KK is back (barring injuries!!) and surely the team must lift themselves for this one. But this is Killie and the old hands know that there are no guarantees with this team. It’s like being a Scotland supporter.

Meanwhile the KFFC meeting took place in the Grand Hall, led by Blair Millar, with a 400 turn out, showing that many people have real concern about the club. Unfotunately, recent forum postings on the excellent killiefc.com website would indicate that there is infighting and some bitterness developing even as a result of the meeting. Perhaps the forums are not representative of the majority support. There is sometimes a feeling that hotheaded youths vent their spleen on there and wiser souls try to keep the calm. Anyhow it’s depressing.

KTID, or KTKD??? Sorry, feeling a bit down about it all just now.