Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock

Feb 10 2008 Scott Mcdermott At Fir Park

MOTHERWELL hitman David Clarkson grabbed a last-gasp winner then refused to condemn Killie defender David Lilley for head butting him in the box.

The Fir Park striker nodded home in injury time to seal a vital three points for Mark McGhee's side after Ross McCormack had missed a first-half penalty.

Clarkson was brought down for the spot-kick by Lilley who furiously accused the young forward of taking a dive.

The raging Killie defender left Clarkson in no doubt about his opinion and appeared to headbutt the 22-year-old as he lay on the ground.

Lilley escaped punishment but was later sent off for a crunching challenge on McCormack.

Clarkson denied going down easily for the pen and hinted ref Mike McCurry must have missed Lilley's antics.

David said: "When you're tackling someone in the box you have to time it perfectly - if you don't there's every chance of giving away a penalty.

"He claimed I dived but that wasn't the case. Was I head butted?

It was just one of those things. I'm not sure if the ref had a good view of it.

"I'm just pleased to get the goal and the win in the last minute.

"We got our legs back today after so long without a game and we want to finish as high up the table as possible."

Clarkson's gaffer McGhee felt it was a head butt by Lilley and insisted Killie's Danny Invincibile should also have been cautioned in the build-up to the goal for a stamp on Marc Fitzpatrick.

He said: "Obviously the referee didn't see those incidents because if he had he'd have taken action.

"It was a stonewall penalty but Ross missed it anyway. I just hope Wigan were watching and decide not to sign him!

"I told our boys at half-time just to keep going and it paid off for us at the end."

It was clear Killie were pumped up for this one from the off. After just one win in 13 SPL games it was as if they suddenly realised the predicament they were in.

Their bigger than usual travelling support chanted "we want Johnson out" at their under-fire chairman.

It was Jim Jefferies' job to get the players up for it and he had.

Unlike recent weeksKillie had a snarl about them again, fighting for every ball and contesting every challenge.

Clarkson had an early spot kick claim turned down by McCurry when he felt he was barged by Garry Hay but on 23minutes the game exploded - with the striker at the heart of the controversy.

The former Scotland Under-21 star picked up a loose ball and drove into the box only to be tripped by Lilley It looked a clear penalty and McCurry didn't hesitate in giving it. But ex-Aberdeen star Lilley reacted furiously and rushed to Clarkson who was on the deck.

He appeared to headbutt the striker during the stramash but the ref only waved a yellow card.

McCormack stepped up but the 21-year-old screwed his kick wi of Alan Combe's right-hand post.

It was ironic the highly-rated frontman should squander such a chance in the week when he was being courted by Premiership outfits Wigan and Middlesbrough.

Killie continued to battle in the second half, stifling McGhee's side. But McCormack almost breached the defence when he dummied a Stevie Hammell pass and ran on to Clarkson's reverse ball but he couldn't hit the target.

As the game wore on the home side looked more likely to break the deadlock and they were helped when Lilley saw red for a late tackle on McCormack.

The big centre-back could have no complaints this time.

A brilliant save from Combe from Hammell's 25-yard free-kick appeared to have ended Well's hopes of snatching the win. But in the dying seconds Simon Lappin's cross was headed past the Killie keeper by an ecstatic Clarkson.

REF WATCH

MIKE McCURRY got the penalty right but missed Lilley's headbutt on Clarkson and Invincibile's stamp on Fitzpatrick.

Rating: 5/10.

MATCH STATS

5 SHOTS ON 2

7 SHOTS OFF 2

2 OFFSIDE 2

12 FOULS 20

5 CONRNERS 5

0 BOOKINGS 2