Kilmarnock end losing run as Bobby Wales late heroics rescue draw against Dundee

Bobby Wales produced late heroics as the youngster ended Kilmarnock's losing run with a thunderous equaliser as his side drew 1-1 at home to Dundee.

The game burst into life in the second half after a turgid opening 45 minutes but it looked like the home side would rue a host of squandered chances as they fell behind on 71 minutes.

Lyall Cameron slammed the ball high into the roof of the net after getting on the end of a cutback from Oluwaseun Adewumi.

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But up stepped Wales, fresh off a hat-trick in a midweek reserves clash, to rescue a share of the spoils. The 19-year-old blasted home from 16 yards after skipper Kyle Vassell teed him up perfectly.

And he had a chance to win it in the dying stages but elected to chip keeper Jon McCracken when he would perhaps have been better served electing for power once again.

Despite ending their skid, Killie sit precariously above the bottom two thanks to Hibs picking up all three points away to Motherwell with the Rugby Park side making the trip to Ibrox midweek.

Coming off three straight defeats, Killie would have been desperate for a fast start but almost shot themselves in the foot on a couple of occasions inside the opening five minutes with slack clearances.

Robbie Deas was on hand to thwart any dangers after Lewis Mayo's blocked clearance fell into the path of Simon Murray, before Robby McCrorie was called into action to deny Jordan McGhee after Deas' mishit led to the defender being teed up by Josh Mulligan as the Dees controlled the opening exchanges.

Mulligan appeared to have assisted the opener on 10 minutes when he got in behind a slow Killie defence - only for the unmarked Simon Murray to miss the cutback with the goal at his mercy.

The hosts were able to weather the early storm, but offered little themselves going forward in a display that often looked disjointed. Bruce Anderson was well placed and should have done better with his header from Marley Watkins' delivery but was unable to get a proper connection as the ball drifted harmlessly wide just before the hour mark.

Having offered little in the first half, it took less than two minutes for the hosts to threaten after the interval as they started brightly.

Watkins went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when he cut inside from the left and fired narrowly wide of the far post before Fraser Murray enjoyed space down the same flank only for a delivery into the box that was too far ahead of the onrushing Anderson.

The striker was able to get on the end of Killie's next effort but fluffed his lines with a tame header after Brad Lyons, on his 100th appearance for the club, produced a neat touch before fizzing a delivery into the box before they tested Jon McCracken for the first time when the keeper was forced to palm away a fierce Gary Mackay-Steven strike from the edge of the box.

The veteran winger should have found the net moments later when Murray's cut back found him unmarked 12 yards out, only for the 34-year-old to sky high over the bar.

It didn't take long for that miss to haunt the hosts as Dundee promptly went up the other end and opened the scoring through Cameron. The midfielder took full advantage as Killie were unable to clear their lines with the 22-year-old slamming his fifth goal of the season high into the roof of the net from 10 yards out.

McInnes elected to make three changes in quick succession and they paid immediate dividends. Less than two minutes after coming off the bench, Wales blasted a thunderous equaliser beyond McCracken after being set up perfectly by Vassell's clever backheel.

Killie threw everything at the away side in a bid to pick up all three points, and they should have got themselves in front five minutes from time. McCracken rused from his goal to produce a terrific save from Watkins, with the rebound falling perfectly for substitute Danny Armstrong. He failed to get a clean connection with the ball rolling agonisingly wide of the wrong-footed keeper's right-hand post.

Wales almost produced the goods once again with the game's final action but his attempted dink over McCracken was repelled by the Dees defence with the final whistle blowing seconds later as both sides were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

Kilmarnock: McCrorie; Mayo, Wright, Deas; Mackay-Steven (Armstrong 74), Lyons, Ndaba, Murray (Wales 78); Anderson (Polworth 78); Watkins, Vassell (Cameron 87). Subs not used: O'Hara, Burroughs, McKenzie, Watson, Bainbridge.

Goal: Wales (80)

Dundee: McCracken; Astley, Portales, Koumetio; McGhee, Mulligan (Adewumi 66), Sylla (Ingram 45), Cameron, F. Robertson; Palmer-Houlden, Murray. Subs not used: Sharp, Tiffoney, Kelly, Braybrooke, Vetro.

Goal: Cameron (71)