This was a chance for Caley Thistle to ensure SPL survival but for the second time this week a 79th minute goal proved decisive.

Site viewpoint: We were the better side until the latter stages of the second half, we could and maybe should have been at least one goal ahead by half-time. We looked like we were going to continue in the same vein in the 2nd but then Killie scored a quick breakaway with Lionel posted missing at the back post, and from then on it was all them. No potency in the 2nd half, and lacked imagination.

Disappointing, but it does set up the biggest match ever next Saturday.

The ICT starting eleven was unchanged from the midweek match at Motherwell but Russell Duncan returned from injury to the bench, replacing Iain Vigurs.

The visitors came close in eleven minutes when Roy McBain sent the ball across goal and Richie Foran just failed to connect. Killie ‘keeper Alan Combe produced a fine save in 19 minutes when he pushed a fierce Filipe Morais drive round for a corner.

Just on half time Killie came close when a Willie Gibson free kick was headed goalwards but Roy McBain cleared off the line. Jamie Hamill followed up but his shot was tipped over by Mike Fraser.

The Caley Thistle pressure continued in the second half but it was Killie who scored what proved to be the winning goal in 79 minutes when Kevin Kyle touched home a high Garry Hay cross. In the closing minutes the best chance for an equaliser fell to Filipe Morais but his shot was deflected for a corner.

The defeat set up a tense finish to the season with all to play for when Falkirk visit Inverness next week.

tm4tj had this view:

A few posters mentioned the wee spat in the first half which brought about a spate of yellow cards. As I saw it, Proctor fouled one of the Killie players. Free kick no problem. The ref would have left it at that but the Killie player reacted and jumped up and appeared to push/strike Proctor, this resulted in more players getting involved in an almighty melee, none running more distance to get involved than Irishman Foran.

I think it was the player that was fouled that reacted, if not him, then a second Killie player was close by. All in, the ref would have awarded the free kick and nothing more said, but for the over reactions from the Killie player, who I thought might well have been the one to get sent off for pushing Proctor. All he succeeded in doing was getting four or five players booked.

Killie were woeful in the first half, booting the ball into the stands on numerous occasions. Roy McBain fizzed a low ball across the face of the six yard box but there were no takers, alas that was the last we saw of Roy. Foran who was working well up front turned his man on the edge of the box but his shot was angled across the keeper and missed the target. Kerr had a shot from 18 yards deflected wide as we controlled the pace of the game and Morais looked lively in the first half, but was to fade badly in the second half as Killie upped the pace. Killie sprung to life just before the break but we mopped up the efforts in the six yard box as they forced a couple of corners which were delivered menacingly, Fraser miscuing one badly and punching the ball skywards.

Big Lionel looked like our most dangerous attacker after the break drifting past the Killie midfield with ease and firing a couple of long range efforts goalwards. As the game wore on, our midfield slackened their grip of the main arena and Killie began to ease their way into the match. Neither keeper really had anything to do, such was the impotency of both attacks. We lost the goal due to slackness at the other end of the pitch. From a good attacking position, McBain seemed to be upended, but as play raged on we could not keep possession and Kerr for one was ball watching as the Killie midfielders released the ball the to Gary Hay who did well before crossing a deepish ball over Fraser who had gone to cover the front post. The result was a tap in for one of two unmarked Killie players with Kyle getting the goal. All our players were stranded up the park. Killie almost made it two at the end but the ball rebounded off the post and Fraser recovered to block the ball.

Disappointing result and best from my viewpoint were Lionel, Rossco, Black with Foran running himself to a standstill. Morais and Kerr in the first half, but nothing from them in the second half. Imrie again inconsistent, wrong ball a couple of times might have played someone in, but he was not alone in that.