Added time complaints clutching at straws admits Kilmarnock captain
Brad Lyons has described Kilmarnock’s dramatic late loss to Celtic as the most painful moment of his time at the club…Benjamin Nygren scores. Kilmarnock 2 Celtic 3. Scottish Premiership. Sunday 15 February 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)AdvertisementThe Rugby Park captain insisted the defeat at the hands of the Hoops was down to their own errors rather than any decisions made by the match officials.Kilmarnock were left heartbroken after Julian Araujo struck deep into stoppage time to seal victory for Martin O’Neill’s title chasers.Julian Araujo celebrates at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock 2 Celtic 3. Scottish Premiership. Sunday 15 February 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)While Celtic had already snatched a late win in Ayrshire earlier this season with an injury-time penalty courtesy of Kelechi Iheanacho, Lyons believes this collapse was far more difficult to take.AdvertisementHaving led 2-0 at the break, the skipper admitted the team only had themselves to blame for letting the advantage slip, pointing to costly mistakes that ultimately proved decisive.Speaking via Daily Record, Lyons said: “It was probably the sorest defeat I can remember to date, but it makes it even more sore when we concede from two long throw-ins.“I think that’s three long throw-ins in two games we’ve conceded from and then we’ve lost the game. The way we implemented our game plan was absolutely brilliant, but we shot ourselves in our own foot, so it’s devastating.Advertisement“We have chances to maybe put the game to bed because obviously 3-0 is more comfortable than 2-0. It’s always that dodgy scoreline, but if you give us a 2-0 lead at half-time, we would snap your arm off against anyone, even though Celtic has their qualities. But, against anyone at half-time going in 2-0, you should be winning the game.”Neil McCann, Media Conference at Rugby Park. Kilmarnock 2 Celtic 3. Scottish Premiership. Sunday 15 February 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)AdvertisementKilmarnock manager Neil McCann cut an angry figure over the decision to add seven minutes of stoppage time. However, when questioned on whether he felt the duration of added time was excessive, Lyons refused to criticise the officials.“It’s clutching at straws really, isn’t it?” Lyons said. “I went down with a head injury, Dom [Thompson] went down with a head injury, there’s a few subs and stuff. So, no, we’re not blaming anyone, we’re blaming ourselves for conceding those two late goals.“You’ve seen it again, we’re 2-0 up and then we make two mistakes like that towards the end of the game and it just kills us. That’s football, especially football at the highest level. I would say if you go through more or less every goal, there’s a mistake in it, so you try and cut them, you try and keep them to a minimum.Advertisement“It’s sort of been a story all season that mistakes has killed us and big mistakes, but we’ll dust ourselves down, we’ll take the positives out of it, we’ll work on our negatives and go again next Saturday.”Seven Minutes added at Rugby Park as Martin O’Neill looks on. Kilmarnock 2 Celtic 3. Scottish Premiership. Sunday 15 February 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)So there you have it Neil McCann. Not even your own captain can bring himself to distort reality enough trying to claim that the time added on was unjustified. All it achieved was making Celtic’s victory all the more delicious knowing just how much it got to YOU. Cheer up Neil.AdvertisementIncidentally here are the highlights from Rugby Park WITHOUT the commentary. Listen to that CELTIC ROAR!Conor SpenceCeltic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to orderMore Stories / Latest NewsAdded time complaints clutching at straws admits Kilmarnock captainFeb 18 2026, 12:11Multiple trophy winner Callum McGregor has upset the right peopleFeb 18 2026, 11:43It’s remarkable that Celtic’s still in contention for the title
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