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MARK CUNNINGHAM APPOINTED HEAD OF COMMERCIAL
8th May 2024
Despite taking a commanding lead at Rugby Park, United were held to a thrilling 4-4 draw by Kilmarnock this afternoon.
Prince Buaben had United ahead before Simon Ford cancelled it out with a header. However, two goals from Craig Conway gave United a 3-1 lead before Connor Sammon made it 3-2 at the end of a sensational first half. Kilmarnock went on the offensive in the second half and goals from Manuel Pascali and Craig Bryson had them ahead before a Jon Daly penalty after 66 minutes brought United level and the scoring to an end.
Both teams started brightly on a slippy Rugby Park pitch and the home side were first to threaten when Moroccan Mehdi Taouil forced Dusan Pernis into a fine save after seven minutes.
United took the lead after 16 minutes. Prince Buaben was alert to some indecision in the Killie defence which allowed him in on goal to calmly slot the ball across goalkeeper Cameron Bell and into the far corner of the goal from six yards out.
The lead was to last only four minutes as Killie hit back from a set-piece. A Craig Bryson corner from the right was met powerfully by centre back Simon Ford in the centre of the box leaving Pernis with no chance in the United goal. Killie then kept up the pressure and debutant Liam Kelly forced another good save from Pernis after 22 minutes when the keeper palmed his shot over. From the resultant corner, it was Kelly again who threatened but this time his header went over.
The game was end to end at this point and United should have taken the lead five minutes later when neat play by Paul Dixon and Jon Daly set up David Goodwillie inside the Killie box but the young striker shot straight at Bell. He atoned a minute later though by providing a pinpoint cross from the right that found Craig Conway at the back post who didn't think twice before volleying the ball home from close range.
Five minutes later, United put themselves into an even more commanding position when Craig Conway robbed Gavin Skelton in the Killie box before clipping a delightful left foot shot over the advancing keeper into the far corner of the net to open up a two-goal lead to the delight of the Arabs behind the goal.
However, United's lead was to be cut before the interval and again the goal came from a corner. The ball was fired in from the left and Kevin Kyle headed it towards goal where a flick from substitute Sammon six yards out was enough to put it past Pernis.
With five goals in the first 45 minutes, the second half was going to do well to match it for entertainment but there were still three goals to come. The first two came from Killie as they took the lead for the first time in the match.
After 55 minutes, Manuel Pascali drew them level with another header from a Bryson corner, just minutes after the Italian had fired a shot over from close range. So delighted was the defender that he received the only yellow card of the game for over-celebrating his well-placed header.
Killie were in control now and went ahead after 63 minutes with the pick of their goals. Craig Bryson, the earlier provider of their successful set pieces, picked the ball up on the right-hand side and fired an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box into the far top corner of the net.
However, in a game that you couldn't take your eyes off for a second, United were level just three minutes later. A decent breakaway saw Craig Conway drive into the box where he was upended by the stray leg of Ford at the edge of the area. Referee Dougie McDonald immediately pointed to the spot and, despite being on a potential hat-trick, Conway left the penalty to Jon Daly who made no mistake as he fired his right-footed strike low and to the right of goalkeeper Bell for Uniteds 11th, and his fifth SPL goal in seven days.
United now took the game by the scruff of the neck and Conway brought a good save out of Bell with a low shot to his near-post after another excellent run. David Goodwillie then fired inches by the post from the edge of the box.
Neither side were willing to settle for a point and Kilmarnock were still causing problems in the closing stages. Dusan Pernis did well to realise the ball as it looked like he was about to carry it outside the area and then Paul Dixon making a vital clearance from the six-yard box late on to secure a point.
Man of the Match:
In a game where neither defence was on top, Craig Conway was a constant thorn in Kilmarnock's side and scored two fantastic first-half goals while also earning the vital penalty in the second half.
Teams:
Kiilmarnock: Bell, Hay, Ford, Bryson, Pascali, Taouil, Invicibile (Fowler 78), Skelton (Sammon 37), Kyle, Kelly, Hamill
Subs not used: Robinson, Old, Fernandez, Owens, Flannigan
United: Pernis, Dods, Conway, Daly, Swanson (Myrie-Williams 61), Buaben, Gomis, Kenneth, Kovacevic (Dillon 22), Dixon, Goodwillie (Casalinuovo 74)
Subs not used: Banks, D Robertson, Shala, Cameron
Referee: Dougie McDonald
Attendance: 4,587
Prince Buaben had United ahead before Simon Ford cancelled it out with a header. However, two goals from Craig Conway gave United a 3-1 lead before Connor Sammon made it 3-2 at the end of a sensational first half. Kilmarnock went on the offensive in the second half and goals from Manuel Pascali and Craig Bryson had them ahead before a Jon Daly penalty after 66 minutes brought United level and the scoring to an end.
Both teams started brightly on a slippy Rugby Park pitch and the home side were first to threaten when Moroccan Mehdi Taouil forced Dusan Pernis into a fine save after seven minutes.
United took the lead after 16 minutes. Prince Buaben was alert to some indecision in the Killie defence which allowed him in on goal to calmly slot the ball across goalkeeper Cameron Bell and into the far corner of the goal from six yards out.
The lead was to last only four minutes as Killie hit back from a set-piece. A Craig Bryson corner from the right was met powerfully by centre back Simon Ford in the centre of the box leaving Pernis with no chance in the United goal. Killie then kept up the pressure and debutant Liam Kelly forced another good save from Pernis after 22 minutes when the keeper palmed his shot over. From the resultant corner, it was Kelly again who threatened but this time his header went over.
The game was end to end at this point and United should have taken the lead five minutes later when neat play by Paul Dixon and Jon Daly set up David Goodwillie inside the Killie box but the young striker shot straight at Bell. He atoned a minute later though by providing a pinpoint cross from the right that found Craig Conway at the back post who didn't think twice before volleying the ball home from close range.
Five minutes later, United put themselves into an even more commanding position when Craig Conway robbed Gavin Skelton in the Killie box before clipping a delightful left foot shot over the advancing keeper into the far corner of the net to open up a two-goal lead to the delight of the Arabs behind the goal.
However, United's lead was to be cut before the interval and again the goal came from a corner. The ball was fired in from the left and Kevin Kyle headed it towards goal where a flick from substitute Sammon six yards out was enough to put it past Pernis.
With five goals in the first 45 minutes, the second half was going to do well to match it for entertainment but there were still three goals to come. The first two came from Killie as they took the lead for the first time in the match.
After 55 minutes, Manuel Pascali drew them level with another header from a Bryson corner, just minutes after the Italian had fired a shot over from close range. So delighted was the defender that he received the only yellow card of the game for over-celebrating his well-placed header.
Killie were in control now and went ahead after 63 minutes with the pick of their goals. Craig Bryson, the earlier provider of their successful set pieces, picked the ball up on the right-hand side and fired an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box into the far top corner of the net.
However, in a game that you couldn't take your eyes off for a second, United were level just three minutes later. A decent breakaway saw Craig Conway drive into the box where he was upended by the stray leg of Ford at the edge of the area. Referee Dougie McDonald immediately pointed to the spot and, despite being on a potential hat-trick, Conway left the penalty to Jon Daly who made no mistake as he fired his right-footed strike low and to the right of goalkeeper Bell for Uniteds 11th, and his fifth SPL goal in seven days.
United now took the game by the scruff of the neck and Conway brought a good save out of Bell with a low shot to his near-post after another excellent run. David Goodwillie then fired inches by the post from the edge of the box.
Neither side were willing to settle for a point and Kilmarnock were still causing problems in the closing stages. Dusan Pernis did well to realise the ball as it looked like he was about to carry it outside the area and then Paul Dixon making a vital clearance from the six-yard box late on to secure a point.
Man of the Match:
In a game where neither defence was on top, Craig Conway was a constant thorn in Kilmarnock's side and scored two fantastic first-half goals while also earning the vital penalty in the second half.
Teams:
Kiilmarnock: Bell, Hay, Ford, Bryson, Pascali, Taouil, Invicibile (Fowler 78), Skelton (Sammon 37), Kyle, Kelly, Hamill
Subs not used: Robinson, Old, Fernandez, Owens, Flannigan
United: Pernis, Dods, Conway, Daly, Swanson (Myrie-Williams 61), Buaben, Gomis, Kenneth, Kovacevic (Dillon 22), Dixon, Goodwillie (Casalinuovo 74)
Subs not used: Banks, D Robertson, Shala, Cameron
Referee: Dougie McDonald
Attendance: 4,587
