Kilmarnock got back to winning ways in the Scottish Championship with a tight 1-0 victory over Morton.
It wasn’t pretty and certainly won’t live long in the memory of Ayrshire fans but a vital three points to keep Tommy Wright’s side second was all that mattered.
Rory McKenzie grabbed the only goal of the game in the 75th minute as Inverness Caledonian Thistle maintained their position at the summit with victory over Partick Thistle.
Just six minutes in, Morton should have taken the lead when an effort was parried by Zach Hemming to Gavin Reilly just five yards out, but stand-in captain Euan Murray threw himself at the ball and blocked the effort on the line.
Killie had the ball in the net after 12 minutes as they knocked it in from a corner but it was chopped off for a foul in the build-up.
Just before the half-hour mark, former Killie star Robbie Muirhead almost came back to haunt his old team as he fired a low shot goalwards but it fizzed just wide leaving Hemming thankful.
Oli Shaw almost bagged the opener in the 32nd minute as he fired a shot across goal from the edge of the area but it went narrowly wide and was just too far away from the incoming McKenzie at the back post.
Fraser Murray tried his luck a minute later as he fired a shot towards goal from 25 yards but it was well saved by Jack Hamilton.
Reilly was the danger man for the visitors again in the 41st minute as he burst down the wing but a double save from Hemming denied the on-loan Livingston man twice.
Very little was happening in terms of chance creation and it led to Killie chief Wright changing shape just after the hour mark.
Brad Lyons replaced Stephen McGinn and Scott Robinson came on in place of Liam Polworth as Killie went with two up front.
Shaw had a half chance in the 73rd minute when he jumped highest to meet a floating cross but he couldn’t keep his effort down and it dipped over the bar.
But two minutes later, Killie finally got that breakthrough when McKenzie appeared at the back post to slide home after a deep cross.
Shaw had a great chance three minutes from time as he bombed towards goal but his effort went straight into Hamilton’s hands after he got down well to block the shot.
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