Kilmarnock 2 Partick 1

Last updated : 16 August 2003 By Footymad Previewer

It is easy to point to the 20th minute dismissal of Thistle's David Lilley as a pivotal moment of the match but in truth Kilmarnock had already shown themselves to be superior to Gerry Collins' side.

Indeed the injury sustained by Danny Invincibile from Lilley's savage tackle hampered Killie more than Thistle's loss of their right back.

Up until that moment the movement and power of Invincibile, Kris Boyd and Gary McSwegan had run the Jags defence ragged as only wayward finishing and one terrific save by Jakup Mikkelsen kept the match level.

Invincibile's enforced departure robbed Kilmarnock of much enterprise but it was still against the run of play when ten-man Thistle took the lead in the 40th minute when poor marking allowed James Grady to head John Paul McBride's inswinging corner into the roof of the net.

The real turning point of the match was Kilmarnock's equaliser coming in the opening seconds of the second half which blew Collins' half-time plans apart.

The goal came when, after patient possession play allowed Steve Fulton to lay the ball into the path of Martin Hardie, signed from Partick in the summer, he gleefully passed the ball into the corner of the net from 25 yards for his first goal for Kilmarnock.

The home side went ahead on the hour mark with a screamer again. Fulton was the provider when his free kick was only half-cleared by the Thistle defence.

The ball fell to Boyd ten yards out and the Premiership-bound striker lashed a waist-high volley into the back of the net.

Thistle introduced Emanuel Panther and he brought some much-needed width but Kilmarnock brought down the shutters and there was to be no equaliser.

Boyd's glorious winner and general performance could be enough to rubber-stamp a move to Wolves and if he does go he will have given his adoring fans three points to remember him by.