Former Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty netted his seventh goal in his last five matches for Kilmarnock on Saturday in a 3-1 Scottish Cup fourth round win over Montrose as his stunning form continues.
Killie boss Tommy Wright took a gamble on Lafferty in mid-February, a month after his early exit from Italian Serie B side Reggina, in the hope that he’d provide enough goals to help them avoid relegation.
While that objective hasn’t been reached just yet, it’s proving to be an inspired signing.
Lafferty immediately impressed Killie fans with his attitude and work rate and after taking a couple of matches to settle in, he’s been deadly in front of goal in both the Premiership and the Scottish Cup.
The Northern Ireland international opened his account for the Ayrshire club with a brace in a 3-2 win over Ross County last month and since then, he’s netted against Motherwell, Stenhousemuir (hat-trick) and now Montrose.
It took him just six minutes to get on the scoresheet at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon, volleying home a Greg Kiltie cutback from close to the penalty spot.
Fellow former Gers player Chris Burke put the hosts 2-0 up in the 24th minute and Lafferty set up Kiltie for a third by charging down an attempted clearance from Montrose keeper Allan Fleming in the 64th minute.
The visitors pulled one back with eight minutes to go through Cameron Ballantyne but the result was never really in doubt and Wright’s side march on in the cup.
Seven goals in his last five matches is an outstanding return from Lafferty and if he keeps that form up, Killie will surely beat the drop and may well go further still in the Cup.
In other news, Rangers fans have responded to a major announcement regarding the 2021/22 season.
