Kilmarnock v St Johnstone

Kilmarnock 0

St Johnstone 0

FT 90 +4
HT 0-0

Highlights - Kilmarnock 0-0 St Johnstone

Dean Shiels and Cillian Sheridan were both sent off for simulation as Kilmarnock and St Johnstone drew a blank at Rugby Park.

Alan Mannus saved a penalty from Shiels and the Killie forward was booked for going in too hard for the rebound.

On 75 minutes he was shown his second yellow card for a dive, while Sheridan, booked earlier for kicking the ball away, went the same way late on.

Killie striker Dieter Van Tornhout hit the crossbar with a first-half header.

Aside from the two red cards, there were few talking points at St Johnstone stay in fourth place in the Scottish Premier League, one point better off than Hearts.

The visitors from Perth had the best of the first-half in terms of play, with Liam Craig testing Killie keeper Cammy Bell with an early free-kick from 25 yards.

Moments later, from Lee Croft's cross from the right, Kilmarnock defender Michael Nelson's clearance cannoned off Sheridan from close range and fortuitously ended up in the arms of Bell.

In the 16th minute, after a great cross from Croft found no takers in the Killie box, the home side almost took the lead when they threatened for the first time.

When Danny Racchi whipped the ball into the box from the right, Van Tornhout crashed his header off the bar before Saints defender David McCracken cleared.

St Johnstone continued to be profligate and Craig mis-kicked high and wide after Sandaza's chip found him alone at the back post and under no pressure.

In the 37th minute Shiels escaped the Saints defence for the first time to cut the ball back across the six-yard box, forcing former Killie defender Frazer Wright to clear.

Shiels then turned sinner after referee Charleston ruled that Callum Davidson had tripped the Gary Harkins in the box following a swift Killie break.

Mannus dived to his right to save a poor penalty, grabbing the ball at the second attempt, with Shiels picking up a booking in his bid to reach the rebound.

In the 50th minute Saints defender Wright did well to clear the ball over his own bar from two yards out, after Killie left-back Ben Gordon had raced on to a Harkins pass before driving across goal.

As play swung from end to end, at times erratically, it looked like one goal would be enough to win the match.

There were few clear-cut chances being created at either end but in the 75th minute Shiels was involved in more drama when he shown a second yellow card for going to ground too easily in the box after going past Dave MacKay, leaving the home side with 10 men.

The latter stages became irritable and fractured and, two minutes from time, Sheridan was shown a second yellow card for simulation inside the Killie box.

Lineup, Bookings (9) & Substitutions (4)

Kilmarnock

01 Bell
03 Hay (Silva - 81' )
04 Fowler Booked
06 Nelson Booked
19 Gordon
88 Sissoko Booked
08 Kelly
11 Harkins
20 Shiels Dismissed after an earlier booking
22 Racchi (Buijs - 83' )
27 Van Tornhout (Dayton - 62' )

Substitutes

17 Letheren
13 Kroca
23 McKeown
07 Silva
09 Buijs
10 Dayton
18 Johnson

St Johnstone

15 Mannus
02 MacKay
03 Davidson Booked
05 Wright
18 McCracken
07 Millar
08 Davidson
09 Croft
10 Craig
11 Sheridan Dismissed after an earlier booking
21 Sandaza (Haber - 73' Booked )

Substitutes

01 Enckelman
12 Maybury
43 Gareth Rodger
16 Robertson
29 McIntosh
22 Oyenuga
23 Haber

Ref: Charleston

Att: 3,768

Match Stats

Possession 48 52

Shots

8 9

On target

2 3

Corners

5 3

Fouls

13 19

Live Text Commentary

93:30 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

90:00 +3:20

Defending throw-in by Ben Gordon (Kilmarnock).

90:00 +2:08

Attacking throw-in by David MacKay (St Johnstone).

90:00 +1:38

Goal kick taken long by Alan Mannus (St Johnstone).

90:00 +1:02

Inswinging corner from right by-line taken left-footed by James Dayton (Kilmarnock) to centre, header by Gary Harkins (Kilmarnock) from centre of penalty area (12 yards), missed left.

90:00 +0:41

Attacking throw-in by David Silva (Kilmarnock).

90:00 +0:04

Foul by Michael Nelson (Kilmarnock) on Murray Davidson (St Johnstone). Free kick taken right-footed by Callum Davidson (St Johnstone) from own half, resulting in open play.

89:47 Booking

Booking Michael Nelson (Kilmarnock) booked for unsporting behaviour.

89:29

Inswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by James Dayton (Kilmarnock) to near post, clearance by Alan Mannus (St Johnstone).

88:46

Shot by James Dayton (Kilmarnock) right-footed from left channel (12 yards), blocked by Frazer Wright (St Johnstone).

87:49 Dismissal

Dismissal Cillian Sheridan (St Johnstone) dismissed for second bookable offence.

87:04

Free kick crossed left-footed by Liam Craig (St Johnstone) from left channel, clearance by Michael Nelson (Kilmarnock).

87:04 Booking

Booking James Fowler (Kilmarnock) booked for unsporting behaviour.

87:01 Booking

Booking Marcus Haber (St Johnstone) booked for unsporting behaviour.

85:45

Foul by Gary Harkins (Kilmarnock) on Marcus Haber (St Johnstone).

85:01

Cross by Lee Croft (St Johnstone), header by Liam Craig (St Johnstone) from left side of six-yard box (6 yards), comfortable save (caught) by Cameron Bell (Kilmarnock).

84:21

Foul by James Dayton (Kilmarnock) on Liam Craig (St Johnstone). Free kick taken left-footed by Callum Davidson (St Johnstone) from left channel, passed.

83:13

Foul by Murray Davidson (St Johnstone) on Liam Kelly (Kilmarnock). Free kick crossed right-footed by Liam Kelly (Kilmarnock) from right channel, clearance by David McCracken (St Johnstone).

82:22 Substitution

Substitution Kilmarnock substitution: Danny Racchi replaced by Danny Buijs (injury).

81:51

Cross by Lee Croft (St Johnstone), weak shot by Cillian Sheridan (St Johnstone) drilled right-footed from right channel (18 yards), missed right.

80:51

Cross by Liam Kelly (Kilmarnock), clearance by Murray Davidson (St Johnstone).

80:51 Substitution

Substitution Kilmarnock substitution: Garry Hay replaced by David Silva (tactical).