Father time is in our favour

Ketts hails new dad Lyons as skipper caps a massive week by teeing up bout with Buddies

- MICHAEL BAILLIE AT RUGBY PARK

KILMARNOCK manager Stuart Kettlewell hailed new dad Brad Lyons as his stunning volley sent them into the Premier Sports Cup quarter final.

Lyons missed Killie's 2-2 draw with Hibs the previous weekend as his wife Aishlyn had been induced ahead of the birth of their first child Theo, born on Wednesday.

But he was back skippering the side for their last-16 tie with Dundee United and came up with the match-winning moment as his sweet strike sealed a victory and set up a quarterfinal clash with St Mirren.

Kettlewell said: "Brad's had a turbulent four or five days but he's come in really focused to try to have an impact on the game, which he has done. He had a big say in it.

"That probably makes it feel all the bit sweeter for him and his family tonight, just to be able to sit in the house and enjoy the win but also the new arrival.

"We're delighted for him as a club but Brad has always known that as soon as the baby's here safe, that he moves on to his job. Credit to him, he has been first class."

Killie went ahead after just six minutes through Marcus Dackers. That came moments after the summer recruit from Salford City spurned a chance when getting the connection to Lyons' cross all wrong.

Teen star Ben Brannan played a dangerous ball over United’s defence and Dackers outpaced Bert Esselink to latch on to it and slot past Yevhenii Kucherenko.

That strike was cancelled out before the interval by Owen Stirton — brought on after Max Watters hobbled off - as he dispatched Amar Fatah’s cross beyond keeper Max Stryjek and into the far corner.