Alan Cochrane @ Rugby Park

A result that can't quite be called disastrous, but was certainly very disappointing, saw Killie slump once again, and left the four and a half thousand supporters here today wondering just how Jimmy Calderwood can turn this around for the last two games, and keep Kilmarnock in the Premier League. But turn it around they can, because despite this awful run of games, survival is still in our own hands.

It had all started well, and Killie looked the better side as they knocked the ball around, and went at the visitors from the first whistle. That almost constant pressure brought its reward after 37 minutes when Kevin Kyle headed on a Graeme Owens corner for Frazer Wright to dive in and head the ball past Smith and put Kilmarnock ahead. The good work was undone a minute before half time though, when Samuel chased a ball down the right, cut it back to Davidson, and Kenny Deuchar met his excellent cross to head St Johnstone back level. It was an equaliser that was scarcely deserved at that point, for Killie had dominated that first 45 minutes, with Maguire shooting wide, a Hamill cross almost bringing an own goal, and Owens, on his first game on from the start, causing all sorts of problems on the right wing.

But that equaliser, caused by the Killie defence not pushing out, knocked the confidence out of Kilmarnock, and the second half belonged to the visitors. Instead of continuing playing football, Killie resorted to route 1 tactics, and St Johnstone took control. Their winner came with 15 minutes left when Samuel latched onto a loose ball and volleyed past Bell. Although Killie never gave up; Clancy had a header go just wide, Kelly had a shot saved, and Hamill got himself booked for diving with the crowd screaming for a penalty, the Saints deserved the victory.

Once again, Jimmy Calderwood wouldn't criticise the players for effort, but he did think it was laziness in not getting out quickly that lost both goals, and yet again bemoaned the lack of fortune following Kilmarnock at the moment.

Kilmarnock: Bell, Clancy, Hay, Wright, Ford, Bryson (Fowler), Kyle, Owens (Sammon), Kelly, Hamill, Maguire

St. Johnstone: Smith, Mackay, Grainger, Rutkiewicz (Gartland), Duberry, Morris, Millar, Davidson, Craig, Deuchar, Samuel (Sheridan)

Referee: Iain Brines

Listen to Jimmy Calderwood, and the kicktalk team, at www.kicktalk.co.uk.