Scottish Premiership: Kilmarnock v Dundee United

Dundee United eased aside 10-man Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to record a fifth straight win in a run that has now generated 21 goals.

The match turned on the 22nd-minute dismissal of Gabriel Reuben for a second yellow card.

Keith Watson finally broke Kilmarnock's resistance after 60 minutes and that was followed by two in two minutes from Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Gauld.

Kris Boyd headed a late reply, but David Goodwillie fired United's fourth.

For Boyd, the goal broke Henrik Larsson's goalscoring record in Scotland's top flight, but there were few Kilmarnock fans left to celebrate that at Rugby Park as more discontent was aimed at manager Allan Johnston.

United had gone into the game having scored 17 goals in four games - the first time they had scored four or more in four consecutive games since 1936, when their run lasted for six.

They did so against a side they had swept aside 5-2 at Tannadice two weeks earlier in the Scottish Cup.

However, Kilmarnock looked buoyed by last weekend's victory away to Ross County, a result that ended their own run of four straight defeats.

A powerful Reuben drive was deflected wide, a Jackson Irvine overhead kick was held on the line by goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak and Chris Johnston appealed for handball after his drive from just inside the United area was blocked by Watson at close range.

United's neat midfield work had done nothing but draw a couple of yellow cards from the opposition until Reuben's third rash challenge of the game ensured the balance of play swung in the visitors' direction along with numbers on the park.

Brian Graham headed wide, goalkeeper Craig Samson flew fish-like to push wide a Gauld free-kick and Gavin Gunning fired powerfully over from the resulting corner.

Kilmarnock regrouped during the break and it was the 10 men who looked the more threatening in the early stages of the second half.

Sean Clohessy had a close-range effort blocked in front of goal and a Boyd shot on the turn was well gathered by Cierzniak.

Just when it looked like Kilmarnock might overcome the odds, United's clever, persistent probing finally paid off when Graham sent Armstrong clear inside the penalty box and the midfielder's low ball across the face of goal was thumped into the roof of the net by Watson.

Kilmarnock threatened an equaliser immediately, with Cierzniak saving well from Craig Slater at the end of a move in which they also claimed for a penalty.

However, hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Armstrong weaved past Lee Ashcroft before firing low past Samson from eight yards.

United extended their lead two minutes later, when Armstrong dispossessed Clohessy as the defender messed up his attempted clearance and, although Samson beat away the midfielder's shot, Gauld was on hand to calmly kill the game as a contest.

There was still time for Boyd to head in from a Jeroen Tesselaar cross, but United restored the three-goal advantage when substitute Goodwillie fired in from close range.