Lewis Mayo insists Kilmarnock will take positives from Celtic loss

Kilmarnock defender Lewis Mayo will take confidence from their performance against Celtic despite being on the end of defeat.

Killie recorded 18 shots at goal against the champions with Marley Watkins hitting the post and Kasper Schmeichel pulling off a number of saves, but fell to a 2-0 defeat.

Callum McGregor’s cross evaded everyone to give Celtic the lead in first-half stoppage-time but Killie came out strongly after the break.

However, some impressive pace, skill and finishing from Nicolas Kuhn put the game beyond the home team in the 72nd minute.

Mayo said: “You can’t ever be pleased with getting beat, but you can take confidence from it.

“With the level of performance that was there, we do think there was a real chance for us to get a good result, but I just think they punished us to a degree we didn’t punish them.

“I think the stats suggest that as well. The amount of shots we had, the shots we had blocked, would suggest we put them under as much pressure on their box than ours, maybe even more from us, but as I say, they came up with the clinical moments and we didn’t.

“We’ve had results against them before and that performance felt as good as any for large parts of it.

“Again, it just comes down to that fine detail they produce, moments of quality, and we just couldn’t get the ball in the net, but it felt like it was coming for so long.”

Mayo was up against Daizen Maeda and enjoyed the challenge.

“Whenever we’ve got a result or played well against Celtic, it comes from being brave in the shape,” he said.

“There’s times you need to go and play man for man, and I thought we did that really well. The timing of the goals was crucial, right on half-time and then after we had a good spell of pressure.

“These type of games, when you play one v one as much as you do, especially as a defender, there’s going to be moments where they get the better of you, you feel exposed.

“But if they’re going to be relentless with how they run and how they play, you need to be relentless that no matter what’s happened, you’ve got to win the next duel, you’ve got to win the next ball.

“They just demand so much of your concentration that you’re always under threat, and you’re always thinking where’s the danger? How can we stop them?

“You need to go and back yourself, and the only way you’re going to get better in those kind of moments is going and playing one v one and putting them to the test.”