Wright red card gives green light for operation

Apr 6 2008 By Euan Mclean

JIM JEFFERIES will send defender Frazer Wright to the operating table after yesterday's red card all but ended his season.

The Kilmarnock stopper's second yellow for a late foul on Christian Nade pushed him through the disciplinary points threshold, earning a three-match ban. Now boss Jefferies, who reckoned the dismissal was harsh, is ready to make the most of Wright's setback by bringing forward ankle surgery that was scheduled for summer.

Jefferies said: "I feel the red card was a bit soft.

"Nade played with his strength to turn him and if Frazer caught him then a red card is harsh. The free-kick would have been enough.

"He was a booking away from a two or three-game suspension anyway so we will probably bring forward the operation.

"It's better to get it tied up now so he is ready for the new season.

"We had a lot of great play and their keeper made a couple of saves he maybe didn't know an awful lot about because the ball was coming in at pace.

"In those circumstances it's all about the break of the ball and every time we had a go it either hit the shoulder of one of their players or the post posed a problem.

"We dominated the first half and deserved to be two or three ahead at half time. But we said to the players that in Hearts' situation they needed to do something so we had to beware them in the second half.

"They pushed up on us - but it would have been a travesty if we had lost because our performance was superb." Meanwhile, striker Danny Invincibile reckons Kilmarnock are playing good football again now the threat of relegation is gone. The Australian ace said: "When you are battling down the bottom you have to fight and scrap for any points.

"People are frightened to be creative in case they lose a silly ball in midfield and it leads to a 1-0 defeat that could be costly for the club.

"We have a lot more freedom to our performances now and the guys are playing with a smile on their faces."