Kilmarnock

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

It was hoped our incredible comeback at Dundee would act as the catalyst to kickstart our season and judging by the performance against Rangers that may just be the case.

We could easily have been two ahead at the break and although the visitors were more of a threat in the second half Killie always looked comfortable.

It was one of those games where every single player played their part. Corrie Ndaba really looks a class act again and is a player we might get decent money for in the future.

The game did look to be heading for a goalless draw, but David Watson once again introduced some enthusiasm and quality when he came on.

The Prestwick Pirlo provided the assist for the tireless Marley Watkins to grab the all-important goal and suddenly we have climbed to seventh in the table.

The run of tough games continues as we head to Dingwall this Saturday, not a happy hunting ground for us in recent seasons. However, confidence will be sky high and a third win on the trot would take us into the top six.

I hope the manager leaves the defence alone as a central pairing of Robbie Deas and Stuart Findlay with Lewis Mayo beside them is our best option. I predict another narrow victory.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

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Marley Watkins insists Kilmarnock are getting back to their durable best after recovering from a "weird" start to the season by racking up back-to-back Premiership wins.

Derek McInnes' men struggled earlier this campaign with Europa League, Conference League and domestic duties as well as red cards in four different games.

But they followed up a 3-2 victory at Dundee by taking Rangers' scalp on Sunday for a first home win of the season, with Watkins netting the only goal late on to send his side up to seventh.

The 34-year-old forward said: "It was a weird, slow start with sending-offs and shooting ourselves in the foot.

"We set standards last season and we have got to make sure we kick on again and strive to do as well.

"I think we've had a reset. I don't think it was as bad as it seemed, but obviously it's great to get two wins in a row. Now we just need to build on it next game and keep it going.

"I think we can beat anyone at Rugby Park. We can beat anyone anywhere, but especially at home.

"We are hard to beat when we're at it and at our best and organised. Hopefully we kick on again."

Watkins' goal came when substitute David Watson's lofted pass sent him racing through on goal where he got the better of defender John Souttar to knock the ball past keeper Jack Butland.

The former Inverness, Norwich and Aberdeen striker said: "Great win. I should have taken the first-half chance and just buzzing for the boys, I got the winning goal.

"I thought we deserved it, we had the better chances, obviously, against a quality team.

"A great ball by Davie, another great impact off the bench, and just buzzing to slot it away."

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Derek McInnes was proud of the mental resilience shown by his Killie side to not settle for a 0-0 draw against Rangers.

Marley Watkins scored the winning goal at Rugby Park on 87 minutes after a superb all-round display, and McInnes says he always fancied his side to take all three points.

"I don’t think any of my players at any point settled for 0-0," the Killie boss said.

"That wouldn’t have been the worst result. Getting a clean sheet and you would take positives from the performance.

“Still, I felt and still hoped it was a bit more on the bone for us. Thankfully, we managed to get that.

“I thought tactically we were good. But more important when you play Rangers and the Celtics, when they come here, it’s that mental part of it.

“I thought the mental strength of the team was good. They always felt there was something, a win there for us. Thankfully, we managed to see that through.”

Watch highlights from Kilmarnock's win over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Robbie Deas was one of the heroes in the Kilmarnock backline as the home side held firm for a clean sheet to help seal a huge three points against Rangers.

He is a really trusted and solid lieutenant on the field for Derek McInnes and delivered a superb performance on Sunday. Also had the ball in the back of the net but it was rightly ruled out for offside.

Brad Lyons knows a bit about felling Rangers at Rugby Park, having scored the winner against them in a 1-0 win last season. No goal this time round but a buzzing, energetic, hounding performance in midfield.

Killie fans, we asked for your thoughts after Marley Watkin's goal earned your team all three points against Rangers on Sunday.

Here's what you had to say:

Paul: First half I thought we were the better team. We gave up more possession second half but I think we were happy to let them have the ball and try break us down. That is the worst Rangers team I've seen us play in years. We were confident we could take something from the game today and it wasn't a shock to take all three points. A well-deserved first home win.

Stephen: At last, a home win, clean sheet and a full 90-minute performance. The back four were composed, the midfield supported our defence and drove forward when winning possession, and the front two didn’t give the opposition defence a minute's peace. The right subs made at the right time too. Never mind storm Ashley, Rangers couldn't cope with storm Marley. Great win.

Robert: Absolutely superb. We were the better side throughout the whole game and it was as comfortable a game against one of the Old Firm we've ever had. Rangers are a very poor side, we were much better than Rangers despite not being at our best.

Anon: A great team performance, but special mention to Robbie Deas. Whenever called upon, he more than steps up and has contributed massively to some of our best defensive performances under Derek McInnes. We are lucky to have him and he deserves to start more often.

Anna: A hard-fought but well-deserved win for the boys. A good solid defence with Deas and Stuart Findlay in the middle. The midfield caused no end of problems for Rangers. I feel David Watson should have started instead of coming on from the bench. As for Watkins, need I say any more?

Derek: As comfortable a win against either half of the Old Firm as I can remember. Absolutely brilliant to see Brad Lyons and Liam Donnelly winning the midfield battle with a man disadvantage, and with the exception of Jefte-Armstrong it felt like Kilmarnock resoundingly won every individual battle. Phenomenal performance, and hopefully a sign of things to come.

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• Marley Watkins has scored three goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Kilmarnock player.

• Kilmarnock are undefeated in their last five games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 2 March 2024 to 27 April 2024, a run of six games.

• Rangers have failed to score in three of their eight games, only St Johnstone (four) and Ross County (four) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.

• Kilmarnock have scored in their last five games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 15 games from 23 December 2023 to 13 April 2024.

Former Rangers midfielder John Lundstram branded former Ibrox team-mate Robby McCrorie a "muppet" after the goalkeeper celebrated his Kilmarnock side's victory over the Glasgow visitors online on Sunday. (Daily Record), external

Rangers' 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock means Philippe Clement's side are now ranked as the joint-worst team in the Scottish Premiership for finding the net away from home. (Daily Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Kilmarnock fans will have enjoyed the 1-0 victory over Rangers.

It was a well-organised display full of energy and determination.

Give us your thoughts on the game here.

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"It was good to get back to being resolute and organised," Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland. "Our press was terrific throughout.

"We had good strength through the middle. I thought we were the better team in the first half and we reminded the players of that, but we still needed that moment.

"At no time did we settle for 0-0, we thought there was a result there for us. Marley's timing was terrific and he takes his big moment in the game.

"The clean sheet is so pleasing as well."

Colin Moffat
BBC Sport Scotland

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Home form has been a traditional strength for Kilmarnock, but they had five draws and one defeat in all competitions on their own plastic patch coming into this game.

A first league win of the season came in their last outing, an unlikely comeback from 2-0 down at Dens Park, and they looked more like their old selves, getting in the faces of Rangers and getting the ball forward quickly.

Kyle Vassell gave centre-halves John Souttar and Robin Propper a torrid time in the first half, with muscular support from match-winner Marley Watkins.

Matty Kennedy and Danny Armstrong provided good width and energy in attack and defence, tracking back to form a back six, as the full-backs pushed inside to support the centre-halves.

Derek McInnes kept telling us we would see the "real Kilmarnock" after a couple of sluggish displays on the back of European outings and it looks like he was right, with nine points garnered from five unbeaten league outings.

Captain Kyle Vassell led the Kilmarnock line with aggression - and a few lovely touches. John Souttar kept Ronaldo & co at bay for Scotland but struggled to deal with the striker's power.

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Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Mayo, Deas, Findlay, Ndaba, Armstrong, Lyons, Donnelly, Kennedy, Watkins, Vassell.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Burroughs, McKenzie, Watson, Murray, Anderson, Mackay-Steven, Bainbridge, Wales.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Propper, Souttar, Jefte, Barron, Diomande, Cerny, Lawrence, Bajrami, Dessers.

Substitutes: Kelly, Dowell, Kasanwirjo, Balogun, Igamane, Raskin, McCausland, Fraser, McKinnon.

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Kilmarnock have Stuart Findlay back and midfielder David Watson is set to play through a shoulder knock. Joe Wright completes a three-match suspension while Liam Polworth (calf) remains out alongside long-term absentee Kyle Magennis.

Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi is suspended but Danilo, Ross McCausland and Tom Lawrence could return. Oscar Cortes, Ridvan Yilmaz and Rabbi Matondo remain out.

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Lewis Mayo wants Kilmarnock to take a positive mindset into Sunday's Scottish Premiership match against Rangers.

Derek McInnes' side beat both Rangers and Celtic at Rugby Park last season, and Mayo firmly believes they are capable of another upset despite their indifferent early season form.

"At the core of it, I think it's that positive mental attitude that we're turning up and we're going after the result," he said.

"We're well set up and well organised but we talk about if we see that, can we go and press them? Are we pressing high, are we waiting for them? Can we get after them?

"I think that's something we did really well last season here. And you can see it in the European games, teams that come here, they get rocked a wee bit sometimes."

Mayo says confidence was a key part of their success against the Old Firm last season.

"In terms of performance, everyone needs to be playing well," Mayo added. "Because when you’re not, the better teams, the better players, they punish you quicker.

"I think at the base of it is that confidence. And then I think even getting one result last season bred confidence for the other games that we get a result.

"And all of a sudden teams come here thinking that's in the back of their mind as well. So I think that’s the core of it."

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While Neil Critchley and Simo Valakari will be trying to find the infamous 'new manager bounce', a much more experienced head will be bidding to build on an unlikely boost.

It looked like curtains for Kilmarnock when they fell 2-0 down after 81 minutes to 10-man Dundee last time out, but the Ayrshire side came roaring back for their first league victory of the campaign.

Now Derek McInnes must turn his attention to improving home form, usually such a strength.

Killie are winless in five top flight games at Rugby Park (D3 L2), which is their longest run since a bleak sequence of nine from May-November 2017.

The problem is Rangers are Sunday's opponents and they have won four of their previous six visits. The Ibrox team have also kept seven clean sheets in their last nine games.

After a slow start, Kilmarnock have certainly improved in front of goal, scoring eight in their last three outings, but McInnes will need to tighten up a defence that has conceded 17 in seven to have a chance of repeating his win over Rangers on the first day of last term.

Read the rest of this weekend's Premiership picks

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Derek McInnes wants to break the cycle of coming from behind as Kilmarnock chase their first home win of the Premiership campaign against Rangers on Sunday.

The Ayrshire side are yet to open the scoring in seven league outings, although they are unbeaten in their last four, with three draws followed by a dramatic 3-2 victory away to Dundee last time out.

"We know we've got that performance in us to beat Rangers and hopefully we can deliver that," said McInnes.

"We've allowed the opposition to score the first goal too many occasions this season and it's something that we want to stop.

"Stop having to come from behind, stop giving ourselves a mountain to climb and start to really impose ourselves in the game - particularly when you play against a team like Rangers."

Killie fans have not been able to celebrate a win at Rugby Park so far this term, with five draws and one loss in all competitions.

Last season, they picked up 35 points from 19 home games in the top flight.

"We want to be a team that's confident at home as we've shown in the past," said McInnes.

"We're only one point less off when we were at this stage last season and that was after having beaten Rangers in the first game, so it was a wee bit of a slow burner last year and we went on to have a brilliant campaign.

"I think we'll get that familiarity of selection and that was a real benefit to us last season. We've scored eight goals in the last three games, so we're finding our feet."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has been talking with the media prior to hosting Rangers in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Here are his key lines:

• McInnes believes the manner of the late 3-2 comeback win against Dundee before the international break was "fantastic" and "exactly what we needed" after waiting so long for their first Premiership victory.

• He pointed to being now five games unbeaten but conceded there have been too many draws within that: "Wins take us where we want to be, draws don't," he said.

• McInnes suggested teams know Kilmarnock are traditionally strong at home and that his squad have "that performance in us to beat Rangers."

• The manager pointed to starting games better and needing to "impose yourself on the game" as too often they have given themselves "a mountain to climb".

• After such a successful campaign last season that led to European football, McInnes also reminded everyone that the club are only one point worse off than they were at this stage of last season and that they're now "finding our feet".

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• Kilmarnock have lost nine of their last 10 league meetings with Rangers, winning the other 1-0 on the opening matchday of last season.

• Rangers have won four of their last six league visits to Kilmarnock (L2), this after failing to win their previous six beforehand (D2 L4).

• Kilmarnock are winless in five home league games (D3 L2), their longest such run in the Scottish Premiership since going nine without winning from May-November 2017.

• In all competitions, Rangers have kept seven clean sheets in their last nine games. In the other two, however, they lost by a margin of three goals – 0-3 v Celtic in September and 1-4 v Lyon this month.

• Rangers have used more different players (26) than any side in the Scottish Premiership this season. Despite this, however, they have had just five different goalscorers (excl. own goals), with only three sides having fewer in the competition this term.

We asked for your views on what you want to see from Killie.

Here's what some of you said:

Samuel: I think maybe Gary Mackay-Steven needs to get a start, he brings so much more skill than Danny Armstrong brings and he can actually beat a player. When he started against Motherwell in the cup he was excellent for 60 minutes. I also think Robbie Deas could become a first-team starter now, I think he is a quality player, he deserves a run in the team.

John: It's time we had a no-nonsense defender and a captain at the back instead of up front.

Sandy: Europe didn't do us any favours this season so we are needing to catch up. We battled hard to get a result against Dundee and we need to keep that going. Our biggest problem seems to be with our attack. Our scoring threat seems to be coming from midfield this season and not from our strikers. That needs to change.