Four goals, a red card, VAR controversy, and a plethora of chances later, Saturday’s game against Hibernian was certainly entertaining. Scottish fitba has plenty of flaws, but the one thing it undoubtedly gets right is its drama.
Over the piece, a point was a fair result at the weekend. Being 2-0 up at home of course you’re thinking that’s the game more or less done and dusted, with just a steady showing required to see the match out. However, when you have players sent off after being found guilty for a perfectly normal challenge, much like Corrie Ndaba, then that task becomes 10 times harder.
The on-loan Ipswich left-back was given his marching orders by referee Grant Irvine on 73 minutes, a little while after Hibs pulled one back through a stunning Joe Newell strike. He put in a strong tackle on Jair Tavares around the halfway line. Initially, the on-field official waved play on as Hibs broke up the park on a counter-attack before then brandishing a yellow card. At this point, most punters probably thought ‘Fair play,’ good refereeing.
However, as every fan, player, coach and reporter has become rudely accustomed to, VAR signaled their intention to get involved. It was announced over the tannoy that a check was ongoing for a possible red card. Understandably, everyone of a Killie persuasion was baffled. Yes, it was clear Tavares was hurt, but in real time it looked like a perfectly timed challenge. Robust, sure, but one you’d file under the hard but fair category. Replays backed this up. I really can’t get my head around the argument from a certain former Celtic player on Sportscene that Ndaba was overstretched and out of control. He was stretched slightly, but it was as well-timed and controlled a tackle as you’d ever want to see from one of your team’s players. Not something I ever thought I’d write, but fair dos to Neil McCann for making absolute sense when reviewing the game-changing incident.
And it was exactly that. By Derek McInnes’ own admission, there were no guarantees that Hibs wouldn’t have got back into the game even if Killie did keep 11 men on the park. Regardless, there would’ve been a period of sustained pressure for Stuart Findlay, Lewis Mayo and Joe Wright to withstand. But that decision swung the encounter in Hibs’ favour. In the end, it actually ended up being a draw to celebrate with Christian Doidge missing a golden opportunity to win it just minutes after Myziane Maolida equalised. That said, Kyle Vassell should’ve, at the very least, hit the target when he was played clean through on goal with the score still 2-1, but his lack of pace saw Will Fish make a vital intervention.
It would be wrong to suggest the red card was the only reason for Killie losing their two-goal lead. Hibs have some bloody good players in their team. Emiliano Marcondes, who has not long joined on loan from Bournemouth, looked terrific in the first half. He’s barely kicked a ball all season yet his sharpness, awareness and overall quality were clear for all to see. There’s a reason he’s played for Premier League clubs. Hibs fans must be rubbing their hands at the prospect of getting more of his type as part of their new close connection with The Cherries. Newell was also impressive in midfield, and while he’s not exactly been a great signing, Dylan Levitt’s ball for Hibs’ second showcased his abilities. Tavares looked dangerous at points, although his influence definitely fizzled out as the match progressed. During the first half, he got the better of Wright on numerous occasions.
Danny Armstrong once again showed why he deserves all the praise and attention he gets. He put in another solid performance, doing both sides of the game as a winger well. While he didn’t dazzle with a bit of skill or a goal of his own, he added two assists to his tally, taking him to eight for the season. He’s created the most amount of chances in the Premiership with 68 and sits top of the pile again for ‘big chances’ on 17. Make sure to point out stats like these the next time you speak to anyone who doubts his influence. We need to enjoy him while he’s here, because, at 26, he’s not going to be at Rugby Park forever.
Somebody who has left Ayrshire’s finest and is highly unlikely to pull on the blue and white stripes again is Jack Sanders. The big defender last week joined A*r United on loan. As much as there is a strong local rivalry between the clubs, I think he deserves our best wishes. As McInnes said post-match, he wants to play and with his contract due to expire in the summer, it allows him the best possible chance to earn a new club elsewhere rather than sitting on the bench.
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