Ross County vs Kilmarnock. Scottish Premiership.
Victoria Park, DingwallAttendance3,518.
Wednesday 30 December 2015 13:15, UK
Michael Gardyne's double made club history and helped Ross County to another three points in an action-packed Premiership match against Kilmarnock.
Gardyne's two goals in a man-of-the-match performance at Victoria Park saw him usurp Sean Higgins to become County's record scorer with 60 goals and help them to a 3-2 win.
Craig Curran gave the home side an early lead but Tope Obadeyi levelled against the run of play. Josh Magennis gave Kilmarnock a shock lead early in the second half but Gardyne netted twice in six minutes to restore County's lead, decisively.
The home side threatened as early as the fourth minute when Liam Boyce got on the end of a Jonathan Franks cut-back but his misplaced shot flew wide of target.
It was all County and the pressure paid off in the 12th minute when a clever pass from Jackson Irvine sent Gardyne into the Kilmarnock box, and his ball across the face of goal was forced over the line by Curran.
Kilmarnock had their first effort at goal in the 26th minute when Obadeyi cut inside and let fly but his shot went a couple of yards wide of Scott Fox's left-hand post.
But the visitors got back on level terms against the run of play seven minutes later. Obadeyi latched on to a pass from Magennis, beat Jamie Reckord on the edge of the 18-yard box and sent a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.
Kilmarnock were growing in confidence and Adam Frizzel flashed a shot narrowly past Fox's right-hand post in the 38th minute.
The visitors made a strong start to the second half too, and they went ahead in the 48th minute when Magennis swept home a Steven Smith corner from 10 yards.
The lead did not last long, with the contest all square again in the 50th minute when Irvine found Gardyne on the edge of the area and the midfielder drove into the box and sent an angled drive into the far corner of the net.
County had the momentum and they took the lead in the 56th minute when Boyce released Garydne on the right and he left defender Mark O'Hara in his wake as he smashed another angled shot past Jamie MacDonald.
County saw out the remainder of the match without any major scares to pick up the points.
