Alan Cochrane @ Rugby Park

If the first half was pretty even, Kilmarnock dominated most of the second, but despite making more and better chances than the visitors, once again we have to be content with a share of the spoils. Chances spurned, some good saves by Jamie Langfield, and eventually a Danny Invincibile goal, were all undone when Mark Smith couldn't hold onto a Charlie Mulgrew free kick, and the Killie defence were slower than Gary McDonald in picking up the scraps.

But before all that, a bright opening, despite a very blustery wind, saw both sides trying to get the ball down and play along the turf. Killie had the best two early chances, with Danny Invincibile shooting wide from a Bryson cross, and then Aberdeen having to scramble to keep out a Garry Hay cross-cum-shot.

Aberdeen did have the ball in the net after 10 minutes when Miller found McDonald in space, but the centre was adjudged to be offside. Kilmarnock again came close when Old beat Jamie Langfield to an O'Leary lob, but his header hit the top of the bar with the goal gaping. For Killie, Mark Brown did well to turn a Paton snap-shot onto the bar and over, while a solo run to the other end by Connor Sammon pulled a similarly good save out of Langfield again.

Both teams played well through the first quarter of the game, but they flattered to deceive as neither could find the net, and the next 20 minutes didn't give the crowd as much to get excited about.

The second half almost started with a bang when Garry Hay hit a curling free kick which was headed for Aberdeen's top left postage stamp, but Langfield did well to get across and claw the ball away for a corner. This started a period of Kilmarnock pressure, and Old just failed to get on the end of a sweeping Hay cross, but an even better chance fell to Connor Sammon when David Fernandez was set free by Hamill, and the Spaniard put a perfect cross in front of the centre. With only the keeper to beat, Sammon slipped on the wet turf, sclaffed his shot, and Langfield was able to block it away for a corner.

With an hour gone, Aberdeen began to fight their way back into the game, and Wright had to get back quickly to block a dangerous Aberdeen cross, but it was Connor Sammon who nearly broke the deadlock in Killie's favour . With an exquisite shimmy he turned his marker and unleashed a right foot shot which fairly whistled past the post. Next it was Bryson having a long range pop, but with exactly the same result.

However, the breakthrough did come after 77 minutes, and it was via newly introduced substitute Allan Russell. He collected the ball in the middle, released Danny Invincibile at exactly the right moment, and the Aussie drilled it below the diving Jamie Langfield.

Five minutes later it was all square again. Charlie Mulgrew lashed in a free kick from 30 yards, Mark Brown could only block it, and ex-Killie man Gary McDonald got to the goal line first to squeeze it in. With three minutes left Russell nearly won it. The big centre picked up a pass in mid-field, bore down on goal, only to see his shot deflected for a corner by Langfield's legs.

After the match Danny Invincibile was clearly disappointed after scoring with 10 minutes left and being in control of the game, and Aberdeen not causing us too many problems. Like Danny, Jim Jefferies was very pleased to see Allan Russell available again, and his introduction towards the end was a definite bonus, but also like Danny, he felt we had done enough to win. He was pleased with the performance, and with the number and quality of chances, but we have to put them away. When they start going in, a resounding victory is coming.

Kilmarnock: Brown, Hay, Wright, Bryson, Invincibile, Skelton, Old (Fowler), O'Leary, Sammon, Fernandez (Russell), Hamill

Aberdeen: Langfield, Mulgrew, Foster, McDonald, Considine, Maguire, Kerr, Duff, Miller, Pawlett (Megginson), Paton

Referee: Willie Collum