Andy Walker recalls derby victory

Jan 9 2009 by Mike Wilson

ANDY WALKER had Ayr fans drooling with a cocky chipped penalty that put the seal on a 3-0 derby drubbing.

But the striker reveals it was only at the very last second that he opted to fool his former team-mate Gordon Marshall who was the Killie keeper.

Walker’s sublime finish came after he had a vision in the run-up of Dwight Yorke scoring for Aston Villa against Sheffield United.

Walker, now a radio pundit, recalls: “When I stepped up to take the kick, a picture flashed into my mind of Dwight scoring with a chipped effort right down the middle as the keeper dived to one side.

“I had seen Simon Donnelly do it against Marsh at training when we were all team-mates at Celtic. It caused a great deal of hilarity at the time.

“However, it’s quite bizarre because I had no intention of doing it in the cup tie. I had already scored with my first penalty and it was only at the last moment that I got the idea to emulate Dwight. It all happened in the space of two or three seconds.

“I decided I didn’t want to blast it and then the idea popped into my mind. It’s something I would have loved to have done in an Old Firm game but never got the opportunity.”

Walker still remembers with fondness his one season at Ayr and says the 1999 derby win remains etched in his mind.

He recalls: “I loved playing in derbies for their special edge and the Ayr one had a real occasion about it. I played in derbies at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Lanarkshire, Sheffield and Bolton but I always felt Ayr would be more than a match for Killie.

“Player for player that Ayr side was a good one and we were only another couple away from being a right good team who could have challenged Hibs for the First Division title.

“John Davies and Andy Millen were standouts in midfield, Gary Teale was a big player for us who could get to the byeline while I loved playing alongside Glynn Hurst who was a young guy, full of energy and enthusiasm.

“I was quite happy to be the older head, handing down my experience to Glynn and we formed a good partnership. We had Bill Barr’s money behind us but without that we would have been an average, struggling lower league side. He gave the club a chance and the supporters enjoyed real special moments.”

A 10,153 crowd were crammed into Somerset on January 23, 1999. The bulk were wearing black and white and they were in raptures when Andy Lyons fired Ayr ahead.

Killie hit back hard but Ayr were flying when Ray Montgomerie pulled at Hurst’s shirt. Ref Willie Young pointed to the spot and sent Montgomerie packing for a second booking. Walker blasted home the penalty, the scene was of bedlam, the noise was raucous.

Ayr still weren’t finished, however, and there was more drama when Martin Baker brought down Teale for a second penalty. There were still seven minutes to go, but Walker believed the game was in the dying seconds, so the pressure was off.

His cool finish put the finishing touch on a drama filled tie and gave Ayr fans a talking point that they would still be discussing ten years on.

AYR - Castilla; Robertson, Winnie; Millen, Traynor, Craig; Hurst, Davies, Walker, Teale, Lyons. Subs: Reynolds, Welsh, Ferguson.

KILLIE - Marshall; MacPherson, Montgomerie; McGowne, Baker, Reilly; Holt, Durrant, Roberts, McCoist, Mitchell. Subs: Mahood, Henry, Lauchlan.