Micky Beale’s summer REVOLUTION fell at the first hurdle today as they lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
The master tactician has had nine months to prepare for today’s match but was outsmarted by Derek McInnes and his squad of free agents and journeymen.
Five of the Gumtree Galacticos made the starting XI but with John Lundstram and Borna Barisic selected some doubts started to surface among the loyal bears.
In terms of entertainment it was a brutal 96 minutes on the plastic pitch decided by a defensive howler from John Souttar.
The former Hearts star trapped a long thrown into the box between his knees, when the ball dropped eight yards from goal with Brad Lyons pouncing to send his shot across Jack Butland into the net in the 65th minute.
Beale had already decided to replace two of his summer duds before Lyons found the net with Todd Cantwell and Danilo replacing Kieran Dowell and Sid Dessers.
TikTok looked less than thrilled at being on the bench but the decision was fully justified as he tapped the ball around far from the danger area just like the rest of his ineffective team-mates.
Beale came in last December, won 17 matches in a row outside the games against Celtic then fell to their first defeat at Aberdeen. Today they fell at the first hurdle with the pressure on.
With the pressure on today Beale’s bottle crashed as McInnes’ side barely conceded a chance against their celebrated opponents.
Beale has done away with wingers in his squad, Kilmarnock responded by packing the centre of the pitch and coped comfortably with the predictable patterns from Beale’s Galacticos.
Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe were thrown on late in the match to try and find a goal but former Celtic youths Robbie Deas and Stuart Findlay stood firm at the back and looked like they could have played all night without giving up a half chance.
In the Sky Sports commentary box Kenny Miller was getting increasingly desperate as he willed Beale’s side to take something from the match.
Viewers however were left to wonder about the banter between Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton, either side of James McFadden in the Sky studio.
After an outstanding summer of constant praise Beale now faces up to reality with Servette visiting Ibrox on Wednesday night in a Champions League Third Round qualifier.
The home fans are unlikely to be in particularly forgiving mood as they have to reign in their usual songbook with UEFA looking on.
Willie Collum opted to play six minutes added time even though there wasn’t a single injury during the second half but there was no respite for Beale as reality hits home despite all of the summer plaudits.
KILMARNOCK: Dennis, Ndaba, Mayo, Deas, Lyons, Kennedy (Cameron, 89), Armstrong (Murray, 89), Watson, Magennis (McKenzie, 76), Findlay, Watkins (Vassell, 63).
Subs: O’Hara, Sanders, Davies, Donnelly, Polworth.
OPPONENTS: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic, Dowell (Cantwell, 62), Lundstram (Jack, 72), Raskin, Sima, Lammers (Roofe, 84), Dessers (Danilo, 62)
Subs: McCrorie, Hagi, Cifuentes, Matondo, Balogun.
