Kilmarnock vs St Mirren; Scottish Premiership
Kilmarnock vs St Mirren. Scottish Premiership.
The BBSP Stadium, Rugby ParkAttendance6,124.
Kilmarnock 1-1 St Mirren: Kyle Magennis own goal allows St Mirren to draw and maintain unbeaten league start
Match report as St Mirren continued their unbeaten start to the cinch Premiership season
Saturday 30 September 2023 21:09, UK
St Mirren remain undefeated in the cinch Premiership after recovering from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Brad Lyons scored for the second time in two games to give the hosts the lead after 19 minutes, but Saints levelled 12 minutes later when Kyle Magennis turned Scott Tanser's driven cross into his own net.
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The second half was broken up by a series of fouls and stoppages, with neither side offering much of a goal threat.
Having extended their unbeaten league run to seven games, St Mirren stayed in second place, four points behind Celtic, with Killie in eighth.
How St Mirren won a point at Rugby Park
Mikael Mandron could only manage a weak header into the arms of Will Dennis asthe visitors created the first opportunity in what was a scrappy opening 15 minutes.
The home supporters screamed for a penalty after the ball appeared to strike the hand of Marcus Fraser, though referee Chris Graham waved play on after consulting VAR.
Kilmarnock opened the scoring when Lyons seized on some sloppy defending by Charles Dunne and then beat Zach Hemming to the loose ball to head home.
St Mirren were almost the architects of their own downfall again eight minutes later when Alex Gogic was dispossessed and it required a good block by Fraser to divert Matty Kennedy's shot behind for a corner.
St Mirren levelled just after the half-hour mark. Tanser did well to fizz the ball across the six-yard box and Magennis diverted the cross into his own net.
Conor McMenamin worked the Killie keeper as the visitors looked to build on their equaliser and Derek McInnes was dealt a blow when Magennis hobbled off after 34 minutes to be replaced by David Watson.
Danny Armstrong's tantalising cross somehow evaded everyone inside the six-yard box and Lyons had a low effort saved as the home team began the second half brightly - but chances were at a premium as the half progressed.
The Saints players and supporters were incensed when the referee booked Ryan Strain for simulation after the player hit the deck under the challenge of Watson.
Liam Polworth passed up a glorious opportunity in stoppage time when he blazed over after being picked out by Kyle Vassell.
Watson was booked in the final minute for a cynical pull back on Mark O'Hara, the last action of a underwhelming second half.
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "I thought we were arguably the better team in the first half - we concede and we show great character to come back again straight away,"
"We go behind and listen, I'm miles away so my opinion doesn't really matter, though Zach (Hemming) is telling me that it (Brad Lyons) hit him first with his arm before his header - whether that's right or wrong, I don't know.
"In the second half, the game sort of fizzled out a little bit and we cancelled each other out a little bit."
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes said: "I thought we were the better team in the second half but over the course of the game it would be churlish for me to say we wholeheartedly deserved to win it.
"We were up against a team who have had a lot of plaudits and are going well. I'm just annoyed we've not enjoyed being in front for longer, we get a break with the goal - a really committed goal from Brad.
"We've played 13 games now and we've not been second best in any of them in terms of performance.
"We feel as though we are competing really well but you know and I know that in these type of games it's just finding that extra bit of determination, that extra bit of quality and in moments and instances in the second half if we'd shown that, then we'd have won the game."
What's next?
Live SPFL
Kilmarnock's next Scottish Premiership match is away to Celtic on October 7. Kick-off 3pm.
St Mirren host Rangers on October 8, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 12pm.
