Ross County moved seven-points clear of bottom-placed St Mirren with a deserved 2-1 victory against Kilmarnock.
Goals from Michael Gardyne and Craig Curran proved enough to see off Gary Locke’s side despite Lee Ashcroft pulling one back for the visitors late on.
The Staggies could have won by more were it not for some crucial saves from Killie goalkeeper Craig Samson, however Jim McIntyre’s men took full advantage of St Mirren’s 2-0 loss against St Johnstone to move seven points clear of the bottom.
County made two changes from the side that drew 2-2 against Hamilton Accies last week, with Marcus Fraser ruled out through injury just days after signing a new two-year contract extension, while Jake Jervis dropped to the bench. The pair were replaced by Jackson Irvine and Liam Boyce who were fit again following injury.
Killie were able to call upon the services of Darryl Westlake following his suspension, and he replaced Alexei Eremenko who was forced off during last weekend’s 1-0 win against St Mirren through injury.
There was little to separate the sides in the early stages, with County shading the early possession. The hosts threat slowly began to increase and they edged into the lead on 23 minutes. Boyce nipped in ahead of Killie skipper Manuel Pascali, nodding the ball into the path of Gardyne who lashed the ball past former County stopper Samson.
Gardyne, Curran and Boyce had attempts saved by Samson early in the second-half, but County eventually doubled their lead on 55 minutes, as Gardyne swung in a cross which was turned home by Curran from close-range for his fourth goal in five games.
County had chances to extend their lead further, with Samson saving from Raffaele De Vita’s shot, before he tipped Irvine’s header over the bar.
However Killie began to creep back into the game, with Greg Kiltie bending a shot off the post, before Pascali’s shot trickled just wide. However they halved the deficit on 87 minutes, when Paul Cairney’s free-kick was nodded home by defender Ashcroft.
That set up a tense finish, but County held on to claim their fourth successive home win.