Date	Saturday, 19 October 2013
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Kilmarnock 2:0 Ross County
Venue	Rugby Park
Attendance	3,582
Referee	Stephen Finnie
Comments	Match Report Report from the BBC. Kilmarnock 2 Ross County 0 Kilmarnock's agonising wait for a first Scottish Premiership victory came to an end thanks to a brilliant piece of play from Jackson Irvine. Kris Boyd had initially given the hosts the lead, angling the ball away from Mark Brown under pressure from Michael Gardyne. Boyd then had another effort off the underside of the bar. But it was Irvine's sweet strike from a short free-kick that emphatically sealed the points for Killie. The Ayrshire outfit's chairman, Michael Johnston, might have been looking on content with the performance and the result as they extended the gap at the bottom between themselves and Hearts to 13 points. However, a Killie fans' protest both in the 18th minute and the 69th minute of the game - to symbolise 1869, the year the club were founded - would have felt bittersweet. Red cards were raised as the hosts' supporters continued to vent their frustration at the way the club has been run, but fans were already shouting after Boyd's opener. Just 90 seconds before the protest erupted, Gardyne's attempt to win an aerial challenge in the box saw the ball break to the former Scotland striker. His first attempt was blocked by County defender Scott Boyd, but while he and team-mate Brian McLean failed to show the necessary urgency to clear their lines, the Killie frontman pounced to poke home. Boyd had another chance midway through the first half, but he fired over the bar as another ball into the box caused confusion in the visitors' defence. An injury to Kilmarnock's Rabiu Ibrahim, who was stretchered off after a collision with Darren Maatsen, did not knock the hosts off their stride as they went close to extending their lead. Darren Barr's back-post header from Barry Nicholson's inswinging free-kick caused McLean more problems. The defender was forced to hack away from underneath his own bar after he almost put through his own net with a dodgy first touch. Boyd passed up another gilt-edged opportunity three minutes into the second period when Irvine fed Gardyne in midfield before the on-loan Dundee United man produced a perfect through-ball that Boyd could only redirect onto the bar from 15 yards out. County sought a way back into the match and Mihael Kovacevic thought he had found an equaliser after Kilmarnock goalkeeper Craig Samson had slipped, but the shot-stopper redeemed himself to deny the defender. Just as another protest had died down from the home support, they were up on their feet again as Irvine's stunning strike from a short Barry Nicholson free-kick ensured a vital victory for Allan Johnston's men. Ross County manager Derek Adams was disappointed with the way his side defended against Kilmarnock. County suffered a 2-0 defeat to Killie courtesy of goals from Kris Boyd and Jackson Irvine, but their manager was unhappy in the manner they conceded. "We started the first half well in a positive frame of mind," Adams told BBC Scotland. "We got the ball into good areas and caused Kilmarnock problems, but we gave away a very poor goal." Adams blamed hesitation at the back for the home side's opener. "We weren't under threat from Kilmarnock until that point and it was indecision in the backline," he said. "In the second half, we came back into the game and looked likely to score first. "However, then they got a free kick and Jackson Irvine put it in the top corner and we're 2-0 down." Mihael Kovacevic had the visitors' best chance, but Kilmarnock goalkeeper Craig Samson thwarted the defender, but Adams still felt as though a goal was coming. "I thought we were going to score," Adams added. "We had good opportunities and we really had to score while at 1-0. "When it got 2-0, we still had opportunities to score and we didn't. Overall, it's a disappointing result." County's next opponents are high-flying Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Highland derby and Adams is pleased that the match is at home. "We've played very well at home this season, but we have found it difficult coming away from home," Adams said. "We are looking forward to the derby match where we have to get back to winning ways. "Playing away from home has definitely affected us this season from what point of view I don't know, but we haven't done well away from home. "I don't want to make excuses, though, Kilmarnock deserved their win."
Ross County
Manager	Derek Adams
Starting 11	1: Mark Brown, 2: Mihael Kovacevic, 3: Benjamin Gordon, 4: Stuart Kettlewell, 5: Scott Boyd 1, 7: Ivan Sproule, 8: Richard Brittain, 10: Rocco Quinn, 11: Melvin De Leeuw, 17: Steven Ross, 21: Brian McLean 1
Bench	20: Michael Fraser, 6: Branislav Micic, 14: Darren Maatsen, 15: Gary Glen, 18: Mark Klok, 19: Kevin Luckassen, 22: Steven Saunders
Kilmarnock
Manager	Allan Johnston
Starting 11	Craig Samson, Sean Clohessy, Ismael Bouzid, Darren Barr, Jeroen Tesselaar, Barry Nicholson, Manuel Pascali 1, Jackson Irvine 1, Rabiu Ibrahim, Michael Gardyne, Kris Boyd 1
Bench	Antonio Reguero, James Fowler, William Gros, Kyle Jacobs, Rory McKenzie, Mark O'Hara, Mendes David Silva