Positive signs at Kilmarnock as Oli Shaw has 'special' moment with young fan

Like a little boy in the Rugby Park stand, Kilmarnock are showing all the right signs at the top of the cinch Championship table.

Oli Shaw’s winner nine minutes from time overcame another test of their title credentials. A refusal to crumble and a battling performance sent the supporters home relieved, pleased and still first in the league.

Queen of the South had held out and then equalised, for that moment knocking Killie off the top of the table with rivals Arbroath ahead against Ayr at Gayfield. But the growing tension was released by Shaw’s late goal, his 13th of the season, and again at the final whistle.

“Leaving it as late as we did makes it a wee bit more special and on a personal level it’s good to get the goal,” explained the striker, “although in a team performance we could have had the game dead and buried, I’m happy to be top of the league.”

He later handed out his match-winning jersey to a young fan to round the day off with more smiles.

“I saw a wee boy with my sign earlier in the game so went over, signed the strip and gave it to him. Hopefully he’s away happy.

“I scored the goal to make the fans’ day with three points and then to make the wee boy’s day as well, it was special.”

It wasn’t a particularly special performance, though Ash Taylor’s opening goal was for the centre-half, but it was the type of resilient result which will grow in significance as the final six-game stretch of the promotion race carries on.

What really will make the fans’ day is returning to the Premiership. Arbroath remain right on their heels, ready to pounce if – and like Saturday, when – they stumble. Kilmarnock did it themselves though, regaining composure after Ali Roy’s equaliser and regaining their league position through