Derek McInnes was thrilled after his Kilmarnock side edged closer to securing European football with a confident victory over St Johnstone.

Killie deservedly took the lead midway through the first half when Joe Wright turned home Liam Polworth’s pin-point delivery – and the visitors were denied on multiple occasions to extend their advantage by the heroics of Dimitar Mitov.

The game was settled with nine minutes remaining after Marley Watkins tapped home his 13th goal of the season.

Kilmarnock have extended their advantage in fourth place to eight points, with just five games remaining.

“I thought first half we were very good,” McInnes said.

“Coming away from home, we tried to impose ourselves. We spoke throughout the week about the importance of matching their motivation.

“We knew we were up against a team with so much riding on the game, we had to match that and a bit more.

“I was bemoaning the fact we didn’t get that second goal, which we maybe merited for our first half dominance as an away team – to have that control was really pleasing.

“We never got started in first 20 minutes of the second half but thankfully we got the second.

“It’s not easy winning games in this league, especially away from home – we did a lot right and credit to our players.”

Despite moving one step closer to returning to Europe for the first time since 2019, the Rugby Park boss insists there is still work to do.

Kilmarnock have lost just one of their 11 Premiership encounters since returning from the winter break in January.

He added: “There’s still work to be done and hopefully a few more special days to have.”

Craig Levein felt his team failed to hit the heights of recent performance during a lacklustre showing.

Saints were unable to build on their excellent victory against Hibernian at Easter Road as they slumped to defeat at McDiarmid Park.

St Johnstone remain 10th in the table and look set for a battle to avoid the play-off position in their post-split fixtures.

“The rollercoaster is back in operation. It was a hell of a frustrating afternoon,” Levein said.

“After the last two games I’ve been talking fairly confidently about continuing at that level.

“We didn’t play with the confidence I thought we should’ve done because of our previous performances.

“Individually we didn’t have that many players who played anywhere near their best.

“Kilmarnock didn’t batter us by any stretch of the imagination and we had some good chances.”

Kilmarnock continued their European surge after a comfortable 2-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Joe Wright opened the scoring midway through the first half, and Derek McInnes’ side could have been out of sight had it not been for the heroics of Dimitar Mitov.

The game would be put out of reach with nine minutes remaining when Marley Watkins tapped home his 13th goal of the season.

Killie have moved eight points ahead in fourth spot in the cinch Premiership, while their hosts remain in a battle to avoid the relegation play-off after another poor home showing.

Kyle Vassell took his goal tally for the season to 10 last weekend and he really should have opened the scoring after getting on the end of Danny Armstrong’s cross in the second minute.

The ball dropped nicely at the feet of the striker, but he failed to make a proper connection, resulting in an important block by Dan Phillips.

It took a brilliant challenge by Andy Considine to prevent a potential breakaway after Luke Robinson carelessly surrendered possession to Vassell.

St Johnstone had failed to create anything of note going forward. However, Matt Smith’s wind-assisted cross almost caught out Will Dennis.

Kilmarnock made the breakthrough on 23 minutes, Liam Polworth sent over a tantalising delivery, which Wright stretched to turn beyond Mitov from six yards.

Armstrong went close to doubling the visitors’ lead with a free-kick that narrowly missed its mark, while at the other end, Robinson worked Dennis after a positive forward run.

The chances kept coming for Killie. Watkins was denied by a smart stop from Mitov, before Matty Kennedy’s quickly taken corner struck the face of the crossbar with the Saints keeper still organising his defence.

Mitov was having a busy afternoon and was called into action again when Watkins latched on to Armstrong’s clever through ball.

Craig Levein’s side looked brighter after the restart. David Keltjens sliced over, then Max Kucheriavyi stung the palms of the keeper with a curling strike from the edge of the box.

They were almost punished for their lack of cutting-edge however, as Stuart Findlay struck the side-netting after a rare lapse of concentration by Mitov.

It required a tremendous goal-line clearance to prevent Watkins doubling Killie’s lead with 23 minutes left on the clock.

The loose ball then broke the way of Polworth who fired a goal-bound effort that Mitov brilliantly parried around the post.

There was another scare from the resulting corner for the home side, Liam Donnelly rose highest to connect, but the home keeper produced more heroics to keep the deficit at one.

After surviving an onslaught, Saints almost got back on terms when Dennis somehow pushed Ryan McGowan’s close-range shot on to the post.

With nine minutes remaining, Killie finally got the goal their pressure merited.

A well-worked set-piece routine saw Findlay nod Armstrong’s delivery back across goal – and Watkins was left with the simple task of knocking home from a yard out.

Benjamin Kimpioka tried his luck with an acrobatic attempt that crept over the crossbar, rounding off a disappointing afternoon for the home side.

Joe Shaughnessy headed in a late equaliser as Dundee drew 2-2 with Kilmarnock after a dramatic finale at Rugby Park.

Luke McCowan had given the visitors a first-half lead and they looked to be heading towards a victory until Joe Wright’s header brought Killie level with five minutes remaining.

Substitute Rory McKenzie then gave the hosts the lead in the third minute of stoppage time, lashing home after Gary Mackay-Steven’s cross fell invitingly for him inside the box.

But two minutes later, Owen Beck’s corner landed on the head of Shaughnessy who scored a dramatic leveller to ensure the Scottish Premiership match ended in a draw.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes had opted to just make one change following his side’s 1-0 win at St Mirren in midweek, with Wright starting in place of Corrie Ndaba.

Dundee boss Tony Docherty made three changes following his side’s 3-0 defeat to Celtic on Boxing Day, with Josh Mulligan, Mohamad Sylla and Ryan Howley coming into the starting line up.

Killie were fastest out of the traps and they came close in the fourth minute as Kyle Vassell latched on to a flick-on but he could only drill straight at Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

Dundee’s first effort came in the 17th minute when Jordan McGhee headed well over, but the away side grew into the game and began to dominate possession.

McCowan had been seeing a lot of the ball, coming in off the left wing, and it was the midfielder who broke the deadlock in the 35th minute.

Receiving a pass 25 yards out, McCowan showed composure to work a yard of space before curling a precise shot beyond Will Dennis into the bottom corner of the goal.

It was Dundee who continued to look the more likely to score and Dennis had to be alert to dive at the feet of Scott Tiffoney, who bore down on goal as the score remained 1-0 at the break.

Dundee almost doubled their lead shortly after the break as the impressive McCowan fired low across the box but Amadou Bakayoko was unable to get on the end of it.

The hosts were then inches away from a leveller on the hour mark as Wright headed against the outside of the post from a corner.

Kilmarnock continued to push and Dundee keeper Carson had to come out smartly to block Vassell’s close-range attempt.

The hosts had been the better side as the match edged towards a conclusion and with five minutes to go they managed to get back on level terms.

Dundee keeper Carson was unable to claim a corner cleanly and as the ball popped up in the air it was met by the head of Wright who nodded home to make it 1-1.

The visitors’ lead was very nearly restored just seconds later, however, as the lively Beck jinked forward before striking the crossbar with a powerful right-footed attempt from the edge of the area.

Kilmarnock then thought they had won it deep into added time as McKenzie lashed home to send the home fans wild.

But their celebrations were to be short-lived, as Dundee captain Shaughnessy headed home from the last move of the match.