COMEBACK kings Kilmarnock roared back from behind for the second week in a row as Greg Stewart’s virtuoso display helped them turn over Motherwell at Rugby Park.

It was a match that probably should have been beyond even Kilmarnock's powers of recovery though, as Motherwell threw away the early lead they established through a fine Curtis Main finish and spurned the opportunity to go two clear from the spot. It was Main who went from hero to villain, dollying his spot-kick up the middle for Jamie MacDonald to flop onto after Stephen O’Donnell had felled Aaron Taylor-Sinclair. From that moment on, the match turned on its head.

“I thought we started a bit slowly, a bit hesitantly,” said Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke. “The momentum probably swung with the penalty save.

“Greg Stewart has been a big player for us since he came in. He’s got a good connection with young Eammon (Brophy).”

After the penalty miss, Kilmarnock – and Stewart in particular – moved up a gear, and the visitors simply had no answer. But for all that their defending at times was shambolic, the attacking prowess of Kilmarnock was impressive.

It was Jordan Jones who was the architect of the leveller eight minutes before the break, cutting inside off the left and drawing a great low save from Trevor Carson. Chris Burke was the quickest to react as the ball broke across goal though to bundle home.

It was to quickly get worse for the visitors as Brophy showed great strength to hold off Liam Donnelly, allowing Stewart to pick up the ball 40 yards from goal and advance towards the area. The visiting defence parted like the red sea to invite the attacker to shoot, and he didn’t need to be asked twice, rolling it into the bottom corner.

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson didn’t want to name individuals for the stark turnaround in their fortunes, but there was no doubt he was referring to Gael Bigirimana when it came to apportioning blame for Kilmarnock’s second.

“I am not going to nail an individual,” Robinson said. “[Curtis] has missed a penalty and it was like giving their home crowd a lift, like scoring a goal, and it gave them momentum.

“However, for their goal, a runner ran off our midfielder like he isn’t there. People only see what happens on the ball, but that is as bad for me. For the second and third goals, it wasn’t good enough.”

Indeed it wasn’t. The third when it came was the result of a lazy leg dangled out by Donnelly as Stewart ran at him in the box, and Brophy was clinical where Main was not, rolling the ball into the corner to end the game as a contest with half an hour still to play.

The only surprise was that Kilmarnock didn't add to their tally, as Motherwell's miserable start to the season rolls on.