Ten-player Kilmarnock fought again from an interval deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with St Mirren in a fiery William Hill Premiership encounter in Paisley.
Saints striker Toyosi Olusanya headed the house aspect into the lead within the seventh minute earlier than Killie attacker Marley Watkins levelled 4 minutes later in a sport that threatened at occasions to boil over.
Buddies skipper Mark O’Hara restored the house aspect’s lead with a penalty within the fortieth minute earlier than visiting defender Joe Wright was despatched off for violent conduct – simply earlier than the break – after clashing with Shaun Rooney, his second and Killie’s fourth purple of the season.
The Rugby Park aspect refused to simply accept their destiny and levelled within the seventieth minute with an personal objective by Jonah Ayunga and fellow Saints substitute James Scott had the ball within the web within the closing levels solely to see it chalked off, finishing an eventful afternoon.
How Kilmarnock snatched a degree in Paisley
Derek McInnes can take encouragement from his aspect’s want and willpower if not their self-discipline.
A wholesome travelling assist noticed Killie win a nook after which watched Danny Armstrong curl a shot simply over the crossbar within the first couple of minutes.
Nevertheless, it was the house aspect who took the lead in opposition to the run of play when defender Jaden Brown took possession large on the left and threw a cross into the Killie field for Olusanya to go previous goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara, whose positioning appeared suspect.
Killie’s equaliser got here after St Mirren stopper Ellery Balcombe tipped a long-distance drive from left-back Corrie Ndaba over the crossbar.
From Liam Polworth’s nook, Armstrong’s shot from the sting of the field was helped on by Watkins into the web, the objective surviving a VAR examine for offside.
Within the 18th minute, St Mirren striker Mikael Mandron – who was booked earlier for a foul on Wright – fortunately escaped additional punishment from referee Matthew MacDermid for a hefty problem on Stuart Findlay, however was instantly changed by Ayunga as boss Stephen Robinson took no possibilities.
Amid blustery circumstances, the sport turned more and more tetchy with MacDermid having to work exhausting to maintain management of tussles everywhere in the pitch and particularly within the penalty areas.
Armstrong’s nook from the correct within the thirty third minute was clawed away from below the crossbar by Balcombe after which MacDermid checked his pitchside monitor on the behest of VAR for a penalty, after a Rooney shot had hit the hand of Wright within the field moments earlier.
The busy official pointed to the spot and O’Hara despatched his namesake the improper method for St Mirren’s second.
There was extra drama in added time when, after one other pitchside monitor examine when Rooney went down within the Kilmarnock field, MacDermid despatched Wright packing.
The Ayrshire aspect remained within the sport after the restart and carried a risk which bore fruit when Matty Kennedy’s nook from the left got here off Ayunga and flew into the web to attract the perimeters stage once more.
The house aspect got here again, albeit unconvincingly and from an O’Hara nook, Alex Gogic’s header skimmed the again put up earlier than going behind.
There was rather more drama to return. As the sport entered three added minutes, Scott had the ball within the web following a nook however after MacDermid checked his pitchside monitor but once more, he dominated the objective off for a foul – a raised boot – and Killie breathed once more.
