David Watson and Danny Armstrong scored early in either half for Kilmarnock to leave St Johnstone’s William Hill Premiership survival hopes hanging by a thread.
Watson’s fifth goal of the campaign after 12 minutes sent the visitors on the way to a comfortable 2-0 success.
Saints missed chances in the first period in the hunt for a leveller, but did not cause Killie any serious problems after Armstrong netted a 53rd-minute penalty.
Simo Valakari’s side once again failed to take advantage of a Ross County defeat.
They remain six points adrift at the bottom with three games to play and enter the last-chance saloon when hosting the Dingwall side next Saturday.
Valakari rolled the dice by giving Uche Ikpeazu his first start for the club.
The striker stepped up on two substitute outings since 11 months out with knee trouble.
Yet Kilmarnock were initially the dangerous team in the final third on and were rewarded with the opener.
Saints had multiple opportunities to get a foot in and prevent play from building.
However, Sven Sprangler slipped as Corrie Ndaba cut inside from the left and found Watson lurking on the edge of the penalty box.
Daniels Balodis stood off as Watson shifted the ball onto his right foot and sent a terrific effort into the far corner beyond goalkeeper Andy Fisher’s reach.
Armstrong’s miskick and a Fisher save from Stuart Findlay prevented Killie doubling their advantage.
Saints then took over and spurned opportunities to level. Makenzie Kirk collected on the turn from Ikpeazu 10 yards out, but lost his way and shot wide.
In the 34th minute, Kirk flicked on for Ikpeazu to stare down Kieran O’Hara from six yards.
However, on his first start since April 27 last year for Port Vale, the big forward fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Kilmarnock struck eight minutes into the second half to assume control.
Rory McKenzie, a half-time substitute for Swansea-bound Bobby Wales, won a penalty belatedly awarded by VAR.
The veteran tumbled under a lazy challenge from Victor Griffith. Only after Ikpeazu missed a headed chance at the other end did referee Iain Snedden take a trip to the monitor to the award the spot-kick.
Armstrong’s kick down the centre of the goal was almost blocked by the legs of Fisher.
However, the out-of-contract winger was able to lap up the celebrations of only his second goal of the season.
Ikpeazu was kept on the pitch much longer than expected and joined by Adama Sidibeh and Nicky Clark in search of a late spark.
Yet the Kilmarnock defence was entirely comfortable with what the home side mustered.
Derek McInnes’s deservedly moved on to 41 points, six ahead of the relegation play-off berth.
Coventry manager Frank Lampard said his side need no reminding that their promotion hopes are still alive despite a deflating defeat by Sunderland.The Black Cats flipped the form book on its head in the first leg of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final, ending a five-match losing run with a 2-1 victory at the Coventry Building Society Arena.Second-half goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer ...
Eliezer Mayenda scored a late winner as Sunderland flipped the form book on its head to beat Coventry 2-1 and steal a march in their Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final.Despite finishing seven points ahead of their opponents, Sunderland’s form had flat-lined towards the end of the regular season with five successive defeats and just one goal in a six-game winless streak.But, after defen...
Brian Graham netted a match-winning brace including his 100th goal for Partick Thistle as the Jags claimed a dramatic play-off quarter-final victory over Ayr United.Thistle trailed 1-0 from the first leg at Firhill, but Graham headed home after six minutes to level matters on aggregate.The tie looked destined for extra time after both sides passed up opportunities in the second half, before the Ja...
Ruben Amorim felt Manchester United’s fighting spirit helped mask their weaknesses as Mason Mount inspired a comeback victory against Athletic Bilbao to help set up an “all or nothing” Europa League final against Tottenham.The Red Devils overcame a slow start to win 3-0 at a stunned San Mames and did so again having stuttered in Thursday’s semi-final second leg at Old Traff...
Ange Postecoglou launched an impassioned rant against Tottenham’s critics after a 2-0 win over Bodo/Glimt sent them through to the Europa League final to keep the club on course to end their 17-year trophy drought.Spurs have not celebrated winning silverware since their 2008 League Cup success but set up an all-English final with Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21 with second-half goals b...
Chris Wilder and Liam Manning disagreed over the red card for Rob Dickie that proved the turning point in Sheffield United’s 3-0 play-off win at Bristol City.The Blades took a huge step towards the Sky Bet Championship play-off final as Harrison Burrows – converting from the spot after Dickie had felled Kieffer Moore – and second-half substitutes Andre Brooks and Callum O’H...
Manchester United will face Tottenham in an all-or-nothing Europa League final after substitute Mason Mount’s magical brace helped secure a 4-1 comeback win against battling Athletic Bilbao.Last week’s fantastic 3-0 semi-final first-leg win at San Mames put the Red Devils within touching distance of a return to Bilbao for the May 21 showpiece, but Ruben Amorim’s side rarely do th...
Sheffield United seized control of their Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final by beating 10-man Bristol City 3-0 at Ashton Gate.Harrison Burrows gave the Blades the lead from the penalty spot just before the break and substitutes Andre Brooks and Callum O’Hare punished tiring hosts in the final quarter.The tie’s defining moment came in first-half stoppage time with a huge dollop of...
Tottenham remain on course to end their 17-year trophy drought and to win silverware in Ange Postecoglou’s second season after a 2-0 win in Bodo/Glimt sent them through to the Europa League final.Spurs held a two-goal lead after last week’s first leg in north London, but had been warned to expect a stern examination on Bodo’s notoriously difficult artificial surface in the Arctic...
Chelsea will play in the Conference League final on May 28 after they beat Djurgarden 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to round off a 5-1 aggregate victory.It was a measure of this most unusual European season, in which Enzo Maresca’s side have coasted to the showpiece in the Polish city of Wroclaw using largely their second string and swatting aside teams from Armenia, Kazakhstan and the Republic of ...
- 1 McTominay set to lose MILLIONS after loaning cash to collapsed firm run by Wag
- 2 St Johnstone’s Scottish Premiership survival hopes dented by loss to Kilmarnock
- 3 Joe Garner bags brace as Oldham go into play-offs with win over downed Ebbsfleet
- 4 Kevin Schade’s double proves decisive as Brentford see off Manchester United
- 5 Ruben Amorim believes fighting spirit carried Man Utd to Europa League final
- 6 Daily Laugh - Finally. Good job Kane.
- 7 Liverpool want Julian Alvarez to replace Nunez
- 8 Adam Idah equalises for Celtic as Rangers are denied third straight derby win
- 9 Daily Laugh - Bye Arsenal, PSG to UCL Final
- 10 World’s sexiest tennis influencer Rachel Stuhlmann in leggy