But the centreback paid the price for not throwing caution to the wind with a penalty-kick goal when he was left cursing in the 39th minute after bringing down Rovers captain Fergus Neil cold inside the box. Kilkolly converted from the spot for a 1-0 lead that heralded carnage.
Yes, it takes two to tango and the Blues, no doubt, pushed the envelope at times as well.
But were the Chris Sambrooke outfit guilty of trying to make a point after Rovers defender James Hoyle had alluded to how Stop Out were physical in their approach to the game?
When approached after the game, a surly Sambrooke replied: "Not now."
Maybe after the prayers in the changing rooms?
"I'm busy right now. Maybe not at all," he said.
That Sambrooke was incensed was understandable. He had used a few choice expletives and the Blues faithful weren't shy to vociferously admonish him for that.
Not surprisingly the 90-plus minutes on the park were still festering inside the coach who had marched on to the field, confronted the officials, then walked back off it to put Riley under cross examination.
Not only did Stop Out lose the plot but they also robbed fans of a decent spectacle in a game which turned dour.
However, Blues player/coach Bill Robertson and his troops had embarked on a fortress mentality at home for the remainder of the winter and they showed mental fortitude yesterday after an energy-sapping, extra time 5-4 loss to Wairarapa United here the previous Sunday.
"Obviously the sending off had an impact on the game," said Robertson, who would normally stay within the confines of the coaching perimeters on the sideline but was in the starting XI yesterday.
Patience, he stressed, was imperative as they created opportunities to yield three more goals to Ross Willox (66th minute), vice-captain Joshua Stevenson (82nd) and Kilkolly (85th).
"Overall I don't think they created too many chances but it was a good three points for us to take. Regardless of red card or no red card, it's a great win for us."
Robertson said pre-match and at halftime he had briefed his players about the need to lift the physicality stakes to match Stop Out.
"Be controlled with it but match their work rate for a team that typically work very hard for each other and have got results doing that."
He said that, confronted with the "fight fire with fire" approach, some Stop Out players had let frustration get to them.
Robertson said it was easy for people to expect a team to find the net the second the opposition were a man down but, with about 70 minutes to go, the message was to be patient.
He said the relentless wave of counterattacks from the visitors typified Stop Out who were an "honest bunch of players who worked incredibly hard for the coach and each other".
"When they went down to 10 men they weren't going to roll over and die."
Justin Gulley pulled a goal back, 4-1, in referee's time although Blues reserve goalkeeper Kyle Baxter got his mitts to the ball but it rolled in between his legs.
"We were strong defensively as well so it was disappointing not to get a clean sheet with a little slip at the end but, overall, a good performance," said Robertson
