Kilmarnock 3-2 Ross County

Kilmarnock extended their unbeaten run to nine matches, despite a late comeback from Premiership bottom side Ross County.

Lee Erwin fired Killie in front before the break and Kris Boyd and Eamonn Brophy struck in the second half.

County, co-managed by Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson following boss Owen Coyle's resignation replied through Billy Mckay.

Alex Schalk also netted but the Highlanders slip four points adrift.

Killie, who are fifth, move four points clear of Hearts, who have played a game more.

The visitors had an early claim for a penalty turned down when Davis Keillor-Dunn went down in the box after a collision with Kirk Broadfoot, referee John Beaton waving aside the appeals.

Brophy's goal proved to be the winner

Kilmarnock, looking to extend their impressive unbeaten home form to 10 games, had the first real effort when Erwin's shot from a Stephen O'Donnell cut-back took a deflection off Ross Draper before being parried away by Aaron McCarey.

Killie took the lead with the same combination of O'Donnell crossing and Erwin pouncing six yards out to volley past McCarey for his fifth goal of the season.

County's Michael Gardyne also looked for a penalty when Greg Kiltie seemed to barge into him on the edge of the box but referee Beaton was close to the incident and saw nothing untoward.

The first half ended with Rory McKenzie's 25-yard effort tipped over by McCarey.

Within two minutes of the second half starting Killie increased their lead. Substitute Aaron Simpson, who had replaced Greg Taylor in the first half, provided the cross and Boyd took a touch before blasting in his 19th goal of the season and his 13th in his past 15 appearances.

Boyd went close again a few minutes later with a left-foot strike which McCarey did well to save.

Schalk was one of two substitutes to get on target for County

County brought on Schalk and Mckay for David N'Gog and Keillor-Dunn to see if they could provide a better attacking option. However, the tenacious and creative Killie midfield ensured the service to the County frontmen was sparse until the last few minutes of the match.

Brophy came on to replace Boyd in attack and within two minutes of entering the field got on the scoresheet for Killie's third. It was the ideal present for the Killie striker on the day he celebrated his 22nd birthday.

County did though provide a late rally, prompted by Mckay scoring his first goal for the Dingwall club after taking advantage of a mistake by Tshibola.

Schalk further reduced Killie's lead in the final minute with a close-range volley but County's late push could not detract from another confident and productive performance from Steve Clarke's side.

Post-match reaction

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke: "Excellent performance I thought we were very good almost from start to finish. We switched off a little bit in the last five minutes and if you switch off at any level in football you tend to get punished and that's what happened.

"Maybe a little bit of mental tiredness as we've played a lot of games recently, we had good control of the game from start to finish and we should ignore the last five minutes and look at the positives - I thought we were really good.

"That's what they get paid all the money for - I keep saying the strikers have to score the goals. It's good I managed to get all three on the pitch at various stages today.

On whether Kris Boyd should get a Scotland recall: "That's for [national head coach] Alex [McLeish] to decide.

"I'm just delighted that Kris is playing the way that he is for us. We've found a system and a way to play around him that allows him to do what he's good at which is get the ball in the box and score goals and long may it continue."

Ross County interim co-manager Stuart Kettlewell: "We're obviously disappointed possibly more so in the manner of defeat.

"I know we had the late rally and we managed to score two late goals. I just felt we didn't have a big enough goal threat, certainly in the first half. That was a little message at half-time that we had to be a little bit more expansive to try and work their goalkeeper and make ourselves look like a threat - we didn't do that.

"Certainly the second goal early in the second half has a massive effect on the game and from that point of view when you find yourself in the position we're in just now there has to be that bit of a rally, a little bit more energy.

"We have to go and maybe take a leaf out of Kilmarnock's book because obviously we see the transition there and how they've managed to effect games now and the run that they're on.

"We can take heart from the attitude the two substitutes gave us coming on that was the one positive, but we gave ourselves a mountain climb."