Kilmarnock boss wants 'more' after 'brave' Celtic defeat as key run approaches

Kilmarnock boss Neil McCann believes his side were unlucky not to take anything home from Parkhead on Sunday. Celtic beat Killie 1-0 thanks to Liam Scales' first-half strike, although it could have been two going into the break on another day, with Kasper Hogh having a goal ruled out for a debatable foul in the build-up.

Benjamin Nygren also missed a penalty late in the game, but Celtic were admittedly a long way from their best. The Bhoys have been on a relentless schedule over recent weeks, and it's likely that playing midweek every week since the last break has taken its toll.

Still, Celtic controlled the vast majority of the game, with the only real Kilmarnock chance coming in the opening minutes, when Sam Johnstone had two shots in quick succession blasted straight at him.

So, while Kilmarnock, who are now bottom, can take spirit from hanging in the game and making it a scrap for Celtic, it might be a stretch to say they actually deserved anything from the game in terms of opportunities created.

But Killie boss McCann and his players feel they could have taken something on another day, and that is certainly true given how close the game was in terms of the scoreline. "The boys are really disappointed we didn’t take anything,” McCann told the BBC

“It’s not an easy place to come, especially after Celtic’s good result against Besiktas and them having their tails up and being confident. We were brave and created three of four brilliant chances, but we concede a sloppy goal.

“I certainly think the guys stood up, which is not easy with all of the outside noise. So many good things from the game. So much of the football we play deserves a greater return in terms of points but I’m not going to cry about it, we need to do more in both boxes.”

Killie are now rock bottom and two points from nearest rivals Aberdeen, who have played a game less at this stage. But if they can be as hard to beat as they were on Sunday throughout the rest of the season, they will feel better about their chances of pulling away from a relegation spot.

A key test will come after the break, when they will face Aberdeen in an early relegation showdown. They then face St Mirren, Hibs and Motherwell, meaning their next four games are against the four teams directly above them in the table.