Kiltie scores first and last as Killie beat Motherwell and climb off the bottom
Sunday 18 October 2026 · By Ross Paterson
Neil McCann said before the game that he'd happily take a 1–0 against Motherwell. In the end, Kilmarnock gave him something even better. Greg Kiltie scored twice in a lively 3–2 win at Rugby Park, and Killie are off the bottom of the Premiership.
"I did say I'd take a 1-0, but I'm really happy to take a 3-2," McCann told the BBC. "I'm not getting too carried away."
It was a game with plenty of twists. Kiltie put Killie ahead inside two minutes after a Motherwell mistake at the back, and the home crowd were up and running. But Motherwell came back. Lowry equalised on 17 minutes, and when Palmer-Houlden scored on 56 minutes, the visitors were 2–1 up.
This is where McCann's side showed real character. Two minutes later, Jamie Brandon headed the ball back across goal and Tyreece John-Jules levelled at 2–2. Then, on 69 minutes, Brandon set up Kiltie for the winner. It was a big afternoon for Brandon, who was involved in both second-half goals.
McCann spoke afterwards about "the spirit I've got in that dressing room now", and that was clear in the way the players reacted to falling behind.
Killie also had some luck. George Stanger was shown a red card, but it was downgraded to a yellow after a VAR review. Motherwell hit the post through Maswanshise, and substitute Koutroumbis had a shot saved in stoppage time.
That save came from Calum Ferrie, who made several important stops during the game. Ferrie is the club's only fit senior goalkeeper, after Max Stryjek's knee injury and the collapse of the short-term move for Dave Richards. As far as we know, no new goalkeeper has been signed since, so Ferrie is carrying a lot of responsibility.
There were a couple of concerns. Bailey Rice went off injured on 35 minutes, and there's no word yet on how long he might be out. On-loan Hearts right-back MJ Kamson-Kamara was taken off after 33 minutes, which Sky said was for tactical reasons.
The win moves Kilmarnock up to 11th on eight points, level with Motherwell and one ahead of Hibs. That's how the table stood before Sunday's game between Celtic and Hearts. It's not a big jump, but it's a lift for a squad that had been rooted to the bottom. It also means Killie can now look at the teams above them, rather than over their shoulder.
The next few weeks give Killie a chance to keep climbing. They travel to Falkirk on Saturday 24 October, where a win would take them above McGlynn's side. That's followed by a trip to Dundee on Wednesday 28 October (19:45) and a home game against St Johnstone on Saturday 31 October.
Last week, Killie lost 3–1 at Ibrox but finished the game well. This week, they built on that and got the points. If Kiltie and Brandon keep combining like this, and Ferrie keeps making saves, McCann's side will feel they can pull away from the bottom.
Rugby Park has been Kilmarnock’s home since 1899, a compact ground with a proper end-to-end shape. The pitch runs north to south, about 102 metres by 68, so each goal sits in front of an end stand rather than a side. Travelling supporters are housed in the Chadwick Stand at the north end, directly behind the goal. The Moffat Stand matches it at the south end. Along the sides are the East Stand and, opposite it, the older Frank Beattie Stand, which holds the dugouts and the dressing rooms. The ground is also styled the BBSP Stadium Rugby Park.
The plan above has north at the top. The amber Chadwick Stand is the away end, and the northern goal is drawn in front of it, with the net running back toward the stand. The blue Moffat Stand is behind the southern goal and is used by home supporters, including a family area. The East Stand does not cover the full length of the pitch. It tapers and stops about 15 yards short of the ends, because houses sit tight behind it. The Frank Beattie Stand on the west side is shallower than the three newer stands and still has roof pillars, so that is the most interrupted view in the ground. From the Chadwick you look straight down the pitch.
Kilmarnock station is under a mile away. Trains from Glasgow take about 40 minutes, and the walk takes 15 to 20 minutes through the town centre. By car, the south side is best found with the postcode KA1 1UR, which brings you to Dundonald Place. Match-day access is restricted, and Rugby Road is closed to through traffic, but the Chadwick turnstiles are on Rugby Road, so follow the away signs rather than the main car park. The club car park is for permit holders. Street parking and town-centre pay-and-display are the realistic options, and away coaches are usually sent to Burnside Road or Holmquarry Road. The Park Hotel sits next to the ground if you are staying over.
Inside the Chadwick the view is good and the stand is a fair size for a Scottish away following, though the seats are a little tight. There is no internal concourse. Toilets and food hatches sit in the open at the back of the stand, so take a coat if the weather turns. Kiosks are typically card only. Expect a pie, a bovril and a tea, and the Killie pie is worth trying. Smoking areas are outside, near the turnstiles, and searching is a condition of entry.
The Moffat Stand opposite is the family end and has a block of safe standing, as does part of the East Stand. Offices built into the upper Moffat brought capacity down to about 15,000, from just over 18,000 when the three newer stands went up in the mid-1990s. The Frank Beattie Stand, renamed in 2010 after the former Killie player, is lower, pillared, and where the benches are. The pitch is hybrid grass, laid in the summer of 2026 after more than a decade on an artificial surface.
Tickets are sold by Kilmarnock rather than on the gate, and prices step up for Rangers and Celtic. Buy ahead through your own club or the Killie site, and keep the e-ticket ready. Town pubs a short walk away include the First Edition on Bank Street, Fanny by Gaslight on West George Street and the Wheatsheaf on Portland Street, though check they are open for the fixture. Give yourself time for the turnstiles. Rugby Park is an easy ground to visit: one end, one goal in front of you, and the whole pitch in view.