Inverness Caledonian Thistle drop to third in the Championship as Kyle Lafferty gives Kilmarnock victory
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Scottish Championship
Kilmarnock 1
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0
Scorer: Lafferty (9)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle dropped to third in the Championship after defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Kyle Lafferty scored the only goal of the game early in the first half to move Kilmarnock into second place, two points ahead of Inverness who are now in third.
Inverness have now failed to win their last six games in the Championship, with the last win beating Greenock Morton 6–1 in December.
Inverness made two changes to the team that drew 1–1 with Dunfermline Athletic with Wallace Duffy starting at right back for David Carson and Logan Chalmers replacing Manny Duku.
Kilmarnock were in front after nine minutes after Shane Sutherland’s clearance back was pounced upon by Daniel Mackay on the right wing.
He sent a cross into the box found by Lafferty to fire home from eight yards out.
Inverness attempted to get back into the game, with a decent powerful effort from Tom Walsh forcing a great save from Zach Hemming parrying the ball out for a corner.
New signings Joe Hardy and Austin Samuels both made their debuts in the second half as Inverness attempted to get back into the game.
Oli Shaw should have doubled Kilmarnock’s lead midway through the second half after his rebound of his initial shot being blocked fell kindly to him eight yards from goal, but he fired wide of the right post.
Samuels came closest to finding an equaliser when he drove into the box before he was crowded out by the Kilmarnock defence to prevent him getting a shot on target.
But Inverness rarely threatened Kilmarnock after the break as the hosts held on for victory.
Kilmarnock: Hemming, Hodson, Sanders (E.Murray 45), Taylor, Haunstrup, McKenzie, Tait (McGinn 88), Murray, Mackay (Alston 74), Shaw, Lafferty (Burke 68)
Subs not used: Walkers, Waters, Armstrong, Polworth, Cameron.
Inverness: Ridgers, Duffy (Carson 81), Broadfoot, Deas, Harper (Nicolson 81), McAlear, Welsh, Walsh (Hardy 45), Pearson (Samuels 64), Chalmers, Sutherland (Duku 86)
Subs not used: Mackay, Hyde.
Referee Don Robertson
