Kilmarnock 1, Motherwell 0
| Match Date: Wednesday, January 29 2003 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 4,457 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Dubourdeau, Corrigan, Kinniburgh, Partridge, Cowan, Lasley,
Adams (Fagan 62), Leitch, Pearson, Craig (Woods 80), Clarkson.
Subs not used: Ramsay, McDonald, Clarke.
Booked: Kinniburgh.
Sent off: Dubourdeau
OH MERDE - FRANCOIS TAKES A MADDY
Kilmarnock 1 Motherwell 0
A MOMENT OF MADNESS FROM THE Normally dependable Francois Dubordeau gifted the points to the home side when a point-a-piece looked a certainty. With only 10 minutes remaining Dubordeau inexplicably elbowed Dargo of Kilmarnock and was sent packing, the resultant penalty deciding the game.
Motherwell showed first in the match, debutant Craig being brought down by Fowler at the expense of a free kick. Derek Adams strode up and curled a neat ball round the wall but also beyond the post. Good play involving Craig and Lasley had Shields scurrying in to concede a corner. Partially cleared to Adams his return was met by Partridge but the header was held by Meldrum. Despite holding the ball the first real action involving the home side took over ten minutes to show, a shot on the turn from Boyd going well wide of target. A minute later it took a great clearing header from Kinniburgh to prevent Boyd connecting with Fowler's cross. The home side then got a soft free kick when Hay dramatically fell when challenged by Lasley. Swung in, the ball was missed completely by Dubordeau attempting to punch clear but Referee Rowbotham pointed to the corner flag. This was cleared, but a minute or so afterwards Dubordeau had to rush from his goal to save at the feet of Dargo as he almost met the pass fro Boyd. The two home players combined again though this time Dargo's shot was wild and wide. Motherwell pressed upfield and with the home fans screaming at a non-existent handball against Craig the striker set up Adams for a shot and the ball whistled inches past the post with Meldrum beaten. Then a neat exchange between Lasley and Pearson almost paid dividends, the important interception from Dindeleux counting. This allowed Kilmarnock to break with Fowler setting up McDonald whose header was saved. Just on the half-hour Fulton played in Dargo and his shot on the angle was well held by Dubordeau in goals. Motherwell then had a chance when Mahood brought Pearson down some 25 yards out. Unfortunately the free kick from Adams was poor and struck the wall. Kilmarnock took advantage and broke upfield with Boyd slipping in a pass for Dargo though Dubordeau was on hand to save. Shortly afterwards Cowan conceded a corner which fell for Hay. His fierce shot was met by Dubordeau who held the effort. The game's first and somehow only booking came when Kinniburgh was adjudged to have sent Dargo crashing to the ground and it was a harsh card to say the least. Within seconds the away fans complained bitterly at the injustice when firstly Fowler appeared to dive then McDonald brought down Clarkson from the back with no hint of a card. Motherwell were temporarily reduced to 10 men when Craig had to leave the field with a head knock but he fortunately returned. Kilmarnock pressed with Partridge having to be on hand to deal with a dangerous Fowler cross. Fowler then looked to have knocked the ball behind but again Rowbotham pointed for a corner. Already the subject of rough treatment Dubordeau had to contend with a barge from Fulton who had no chance of winning the ball but went in anyway. Just before the break a hand ball by Shields gave Motherwell a free kick. Adams curled the ball in from 25 yards forcing Meldrum to save well.
Half-Time Kilmarnock 0 Motherwell 0
The Fir Parkers attacked right at the off and Pearson was unfortunate to see his through ball to Craig just cut out by the alert Dindeleux. Motherwell continued to press and a good run from Corrigan forced a corner. The ball came across and just as Leitch was about to volley from the edge of the box Fulton headed away. More roughhouse treatment for Dubordeau followed when he caught the ball and was then unnecessarily clattered by Dargo. The Motherwell keeper needed treatment and so it appeared did Dargo, though he made an amazing recovery after it was clear there was no yellow card in the offing. Dubordeau recovered after a few minutes though at one point it did look bleak. Still it was the Fir Parkers who were looking likelier at this point and on another surge was Corrigan, though the end result, a 25-yard shot, was high and over the bar. They came even closer shortly after that when Craig set up Lasley and from the edge of the box the midfielder curled a superb shot which missed the goal by inches. However, a collision between Kinniburgh and Partridge then left Dargo in the clear but he overran the ball allowing Dubordeau to come and collect. From the kick-out Leitch knocked the ball off Boyd for a corner but again Motherwell failed to take advantage, Meldrum gathering under no pressure. Motherwell then made a change, Adams being replaced by Sean Fagan. Another shot from Lasley had Meldrum scurrying to his far post to gather though not exactly with ease. At the other end Corrigan had to knock behind and as this corner came in Craig was clearly fouled by Dindeleux. Play was waved on and Hay rolled a weak shot well past. There should have been yellow shown when McDonald crudely brought Leitch down from the back, nor for Shields who booted the ball away in disgust at the free kick being awarded. Swung in, there was all sorts of confusion in the home defence and had Lasley made a cleaner contact with the ball it would have surely ended up in the net instead of drifting wide. The home response was a header from Dargo which went wide under pressure from Partridge. The same Rugby Park player then tested Dubordeau with a shot but the Frenchman held the ball easily. Craig was then subject to another tackle from the back, this time from McLaughlin, but there was still no yellow card to be shown. However, two minutes later there was a red though not for a home player. Having received yet another barge upon collecting a cross Francois Dubordeau decided enough was enough and flicked an elbow out at Dargo. There wasn't a lot of force used, but Dargo went down as if shot. No excuse for Dubordeau, though, and he was correctly sent off, though had protection been given his way earlier the incident might not have happened. To make matters worse, Referee Rowbotham awarded a penalty and once Woods had came on to replace Craig, his first duty was to retrieve the ball from the net once Boyd had scored. Once play had restarted Motherwell fans were angered when a sandwich involving Fulton and McDonald had Lasley lying on the ground though there was no stoppage in play. Woods then got down well to hold a shot from Dargo, but it was Motherwell who pushed up. Cowan forced a corner which was desperately cleared. A free kick was awarded to Motherwell which Boyd responded to by booting the ball away, again no card. Partridge got on the end of the cross but his header drifted only just wide. The home side then took off Dargo and brought on Di Giacomo. In the last minute a kick by Di Giacomo on Leitch was punished only by the loss of a free kick.
Full-time Kilmarnock 1 Motherwell 0
Match Report by Ricky Mullen