Ladbrokes Premiership

KILMARNOCK 2

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE 1

By Stewart McConnell

AFTER skating on thin ice without a home league win in three months, Killie were celebrating victory in a Rugby Park winter wonderland on Saturday.

On the coldest day of the year and in conditions more akin to the Winter Olympics they warmed the hearts of their fans with a performance which could have earned top marks for technical excellence from the judges at the Games.

They dug deep to chalk up a huge win which leaves them 14 points clear of basement team Dundee United and should ensure they avoid automatic relegation.

A wonder goal from Craig Slater helped seal the Rugby Park side's second successive win following the Scottish Cup victory at St Johnstone a week earlier.

Delighted boss Gary Locke could take a lot of positives from the performance and said: “The officials did well and the ground staff can take most of the credit for getting the game played. It was pleasing to take three points and Craig Slater’s goal was a goal fitting to win any game. He probably doesn’t score enough goals but is capable of adding that to his game."

Caley created the first opening in two minutes when a 25-yard shot from Danny Williams was smothered by home goalie Jamie MacDonald. Then at the other end a minute later Adam Frizzell was outmuscled by a Caley defender at the edge of the box.

The visitors created another chance in five minutes when Danny Williams shot just wide from 16 yards.

However against the run of play Killie went ahead in 10 minutes with a great opportunist goal. Jamie Hamill had a shot blocked and Frizzell was challenged by Carl Tremarco. However the ball broke to Greig Kiltie, who crashed shot beyond Owain Fon-Williams and into the net.

Killie came close to doubling their lead a minute later when Kiltie's rasping 25-yard drive produced a superb reflex save from the visiting goalie. Caley wasted an opportunity in 23 minutes when Iain Vigurs ballooned a 25-yard free-kick over the bar. The game then stopped for a three-minute break as ground staff brushed the lines and their part in proceedings proved vital.

The visitors threatened again in 26 minutes when David Raven shot Inches wide from just inside the box.

A 25-yard volley from Kallum Higginbotham glanced narrowly wide in 33 minutes as Killie kept pressing forward.

However in 40 minutes it was all-square when a corner-kick broke for Ross Draper who turned the ball home from six yards. Caley came close a minute after the break when a Craig Tansey free-kick was deflected over the bar by Lee Ashcroft.

Impressive young frontman Dale Carrick looked to be fouled in 48 minutes as he broke into the Caley half but referee Don Robertson waved play on.

However Killie seized the lead in spectacular style in 50 minutes when a Carrick cross into the box was cleared but broke back to the inspirational Slater who lashed a 25-yard volley off the underside of the bar and into the top corner.

A minute later Kiltie had his shot from 10 yards well saved. Then MacDonald got down well to foil Miles Storey from 12 yards.

Ashcroft made a great challenge to foil Miles Storey on the edge of the box in 62 minutes. Slater sent a precision pass to Carrick whose effort from eight yards was well saved by Fon-Williams six minutes later.

Williams shot well wide from 16 yards in 73 minutes as Caley kept plugging away.

The Highlanders were unlucky in 80 minutes when a thunderous shot from 25 yards by Alex Fisher glanced just high and wide.

Three minutes into injury-time Killie were so close to scoring again when a fierce Tope Obadeyi shot was saved by the visiting goalie, who also did brilliantly to keep out the rebound from Kiltie.

KILMARNOCK: MacDonald; Findlay, Higginbotham (Robinson 88), Ashcroft, Slater, Kiltie, Syme, Balatoni, Carrick, Hamill, Frizzell (Obadeyi 78). Subs not used: Brennan, Boyd, Barbour, Hawkshaw, Splaine.

STARMAN: Craig Slater 3

Lee Ashcroft 2

Dale Carrick 1.