Kilmarnock's Neil McCann hails 'well intentioned' Kilmarnock hero as Ayr boss removes blame from on loan Hearts man. McCann delighted to pick up derby day win in Premier Sports Cup. Kilmarnock head coach Neil McCann admitted that progression to the next stage of the Premier Sports Cup was all that mattered after seeing his side twice come from behind to beat fierce rivals Ayr United at Rugby Park on Friday.
What happened?
The head coach had endured a testing start to the new season, with his Killie side shipping nine goals in their opening two league games against St Johnstone and Celtic, meaning the pressure was ramped up ahead of their clash with their derby foes. While unable to stem the tide of goals, this time it was his side who showed the character to emerge victorious from a chaotic five-goal tie as a last-minute Nicky Clescenco goal saw them claim a 3-2 win to reach the quarter-finals.
Why it matters for Kilmarnock
The victory sends Kilmarnock to the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup, a significant achievement for the team. The win also marks a turning point in the season for Kilmarnock, who had struggled in their opening two league games.
What comes next?
Kilmarnock will look to build on this momentum as they face Aberdeen in their next fixture on September 5th. The team will be eager to continue their winning form and push for a spot in the Premier Sports Cup final.
With their recent form of 5W-0D-0L (WWWWW, most recent first), Kilmarnock is on a 5-game winning run. They currently sit 12th in the Premiership, with 0 points from 2 games, and are 6 points behind leaders Celtic. Their last result was a 1-4 win over Livingston on May 17th. Their next fixture is against Aberdeen on September 5th, who are currently 8th in the table.
The team's goals this season stand at 4 scored and 9 conceded, resulting in a -5 goal difference. The team's recent form has been impressive, with a 5-game winning streak. Kilmarnock's head coach, Neil McCann, praised the team's performance, stating that they showed the character to emerge victorious from a chaotic five-goal tie.
The winning goal came from an error by Ayr's goalkeeper Harry Stone, with the on-loan Hearts stopper failing to collect a deep cross after colliding with defender Kevin Holt, allowing Moldovan international Clescenco to tap in and seal a dramatic win for the hosts. The victory sends Kilmarnock to the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup, a significant achievement for the team.
Kilmarnock's next fixture is against Aberdeen on September 5th, who are currently 8th in the table. The team will be eager to continue their winning form and push for a spot in the Premier Sports Cup final. With their recent form of 5W-0D-0L (WWWWW, most recent first), Kilmarnock is on a 5-game winning run. They currently sit 12th in the Premiership, with 0 points from 2 games, and are 6 points behind leaders Celtic. Their last result was a 1-4 win over Livingston on May 17th.
