Source: Team_Talk
Driver stunner sinks battling Killie
Starting his first match of the campaign after injury, the winger netted a superb half-volley to see off Kilmarnock at Tynecastle and earn the Jambos their first league success this term.[LNB]Craig Bryson hit the post for the visitors as both sides missed a succession of chances in a match postponed from Saturday due to a lorry fire on the M8.[LNB]Driver had been missing with heel and thigh problems but was one of three changes to the home side from the 2-2 draw at St Johnstone 16 days ago, with Ruben Palazuelos recalled and Marian Kello starting in goal after Janos Balogh reported ill.[LNB]On-loan Celtic goalkeeper Mark Brown made his Kilmarnock debut, while the fit-again Jamie Hamill came in for Manuel Pascali.[LNB]The additional recovery time allowed Killie captain Kevin Kyle to be named among the substitutes following the knee injury which forced him out of the Scotland squad.[LNB]After a slow start, the visitors created a good chance in the 14th minute when an unmarked Gavin Skelton headed Mehdi Taouil's cross over from 12 yards.[LNB]Conor Sammon then sent an angled shot straight at Kello after a mistake in the home defence moments before Suso Santana almost caught out Brown with a swerving effort at the other end.[LNB]Craig Thomson almost picked out Jose Goncalves with a corner but a Killie defender got a vital touch.[LNB]The visitors were playing some nice stuff at times but got caught committing too many men forward in the 31st minute.[LNB]Palazuelos broke and although Killie initially looked to have survived, Driver pounced on a poor clearance to score a stunning half-volley on his weaker right foot.[LNB]Gary Glen could have doubled the lead eight minutes before half-time but he could not direct his header from Lee Wallace's whipped cross.[LNB]Thomson then tried his luck from long range before Driver had the ball in the net again only to be hauled back for a foul on Taouil.[LNB]Killie should have levelled on the stroke of half-time when David Fernandez headed a long throw-in over from six yards.[LNB]And the visitors were desperately unlucky not to score soon after the restart when Fernandez's delicious flick set up Bryson for a first-time shot that hit the near post.[LNB]Sammon then blazed over from the inside-left channel before Suso missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 when he headed Thomson's cross too close to Brown from six yards.[LNB]Killie boss Jim Jefferies waited only 10 minutes to introduce star striker Kyle, who replaced Fernandez.[LNB]Suso was now rampant and he put the ball on a plate for Michael Stewart, only to see his skipper blaze over.[LNB]Kyle demonstrated his threat with a header which drifted narrowly wide, before Killie withdrew Skelton for Danny Invincibile.[LNB]Suso was beginning to tease Killie defenders and followed up a couple of stepovers with a low shot just the wrong side of the far post.[LNB]Kello then hurt himself snatching Frazer Wright's header from the top corner before David Obua continued the theme of missed headers when he powered Suso's cross over the bar.[LNB]With just over 15 minutes remaining, Hearts brought off Glen for Christian Nade, who had been dropped from the starting XI.[LNB]Stewart's first-time strike then cleared the woodwork before Kyle volleyed into the side-netting after being put through by a long clearance.[LNB]Killie made their final change when Graeme Owens came on for Gary Hay before Suso was just wide again with a low shot.[LNB]The visitors should have stolen a point when Invincibile scuffed his finish after he and Sammon got in each other's way.[LNB]And Invincibile's late header was another chance which went begging.[LNB][LNB]
