Matty Kennedy’s last-gasp winner earns Kilmarnock first victory of the season

PA Sport staff
Press Association
Matty Kennedy earned Kilmarnock victory (Steve Welsh/PA)
Matty Kennedy earned Kilmarnock victory (Steve Welsh/PA)

Kilmarnock secured a dramatic last-gasp victory in a William Hill Premiership five-goal thriller against Dundee at Dens Park.

The Dark Blues took the lead through Ziyad Larkeche but had Mo Sylla sent off before half-time.

Despite that, the home side increased their lead thanks to sub Oluwaseun Adewumi.

However Killie pulled one back through Matty Kennedy before Bruce Anderson equalised with Kennedy scoring his second late on to clinch his side’s first Premiership win of the season.

Dundee made just one change to the side that lost to Aberdeen last week with striker Curtis Main coming in for Sammy Braybrooke, who dropped to the bench.

Killie made four changes to the team that drew against Dundee United last week with keeper Robbie McCrorie, David Watson, Robbie Deas and Liam Donnelly being drafted in for Kieran O’Hara, Liam Polworth, Stuart Findlay and Jack Burroughs.

Dundee opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Larkeche was played in by Lyall Cameron with a lovely disguised pass and the French wing-back drilled a low emphatic finish off the inside of the post and into the back of the net.

However, the Dark Blues were reduced to 10 men in the 43rd minute when Sylla, who had been booked earlier, received another yellow followed by a red from referee Grant Irvine after catching Kennedy in the face with the Killie winger requiring lengthy treatment before continuing.

The visitors looked to make their one-man advantage count immediately with Vassell sending a pinpoint cross in from the right but Marley Watkins put his header just wide of Jon McCracken’s goal.

Killie had the first chance of the second half when Corrie Ndaba embarked on a barnstorming run before hitting a low shot but it was easily gathered by McCracken.

The visitors came agonisingly close to equalising in the 80th minute when sub Anderson crashed a shot off McCracken’s left-hand post.

Instead, it was the home side who netted next just two minutes later when Seb Palmer-Houlden flicked the ball onto fellow sub Adewumi who produced a superb lob over McCrorie.

Killie pulled one back in the 86th minute when McCracken failed to hold a Kennedy shot with the ball squirming over the line.

Then just two minutes later, the visitors equalised when Anderson headed home at the back post.

And Kilmarnock’s comeback was made complete deep in stoppage time when Bobby Wales cut the ball back to Kennedy for a tap-in to the absolute delight of the away fans behind the goal.

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Scottish PremiershipDundee FCKilmarnock