Kilmarnock were able to provide plenty of festive cheer for their fans as they turned in their best performance of the season in a 4-0 home win over Aberdeen on Boxing Day.
The win sees the Rugby Park side jump to within three points of the top six and extend their unbeaten run to four games.
In a scintillating display against the Dons, they could have already been in front prior to Kyle Vassell bundling the ball home from close range on 18 minutes as the striker got on the end of a terrific Fraser Murray delivery.
A string of saves from Dimitar Mitov kept the scoreline down prior to the break but the Bulgarian was beaten three times in the second half as Killie picked up the points.
Danny Armstrong’s ball into the box was met by David Watson just before the hour mark with substitutes Innes Cameron and Bruce Anderson rounding things off. The former produced a delightful dink into the far corner before former Dons striker Anderson turned the ball home at the back post in injury-time.
Derek McInnes elected to make three changes to the side that drew at Motherwell on Friday night with goalkeeper Robby McCrorie being recalled, while Armstrong returned to the starting line-up and Bobby Wales was given the nod up front alongside Vassell.
Killie went into the game with the better form as Aberdeen had failed to win in their previous six games and it was the hosts who started the brighter. A crucial interception from Angus MacDonald – making only his second league appearance of the campaign – prevented Vassell from being through on goal within 90 seconds.
Neat play moments later saw Armstrong received the ball in space down the right flank. He cut inside but his curled effort was comfortable for the returning Mitov, while a Wales header on six minutes went narrowly over the bar.
They went even closer just before the quarter-hour mark as Killie looked to press home their early pressure. Inside a congested box, the Joe Wright mishit an effort that was hooked off the line by Peter Ambrose.
Killie deservedly got themselves in front on 18 minutes when Fraser Murray’s wonderful delivery from the left flank was met by Vassell. The skipper produced an unconventional finish from the floor to stab the ball beyond Mitov for his third goal of what has been a largely frustrating campaign for the striker.
That seemed to wake Aberdeen up and they almost hit back immediately with their first effort of the game when Nicky Devlin barged through the Killie defence but could only budle the ball wide before Duk waltzed beyond Corrie Ndaba with Ambrose unable to provide the finishing touch from close range.
The hosts showed no signs of letting up after the break, either, as they started the second half on the front foot. Mitov was at full stretch to save a curling Murray strike that appeared destined for the top corner before sclaffing an effort wide in their next attack.
Just as Dons gaffer Jimmy Thielen was lining up a triple substution around the hour mark in a bid to get back into the game, their task was made all the more difficult as Kilmarnock doubled their advantage in fine fashion.
A wonderful delivery into the box from Armstrong was met by the onrushing Watson who produced the perfect touch to beat Mitov.
A disjointed Aberdeen should have been further behind just three minutes later as Wales did well to get in behind the defence down the right flank and find the unmarked Murray across goal but the winger fluffed his lines and dragged his effort the wrong side of the woodwork.
Killie were in no mood to take the foot off the gas and went searching for a third. Vassell almost produced the goods twice when he was denied by Mitov from close range before showing neat footwork inside the box and seeing his effort blocked.
Barely two minutes after coming off the bench, Cameron was played in on goal by Murray and found the far corner before he turned provider with a header towards the back post being turned home by Anderson to complete the rout.
Kilmarnock: McCrorie; Wright, Mayo, Ndaba; Armstrong (Donnelly 84), Watson, Lyons, Polworth (Magennis 84), Murray (Bainbridge 89); Vassell (Anderson 84), Wales (Cameron 84). Subs not used: O’Hara, Burroughs, McKenzie, Mackay-Steven.
Goal: Vassell (18), Watson (59), Cameron (87)
Aberdeen: Mitov; Devlin, Rubezic, MacDonald, MacKenzie; Nilsen (Palaversa 60), Shinnie (Nisbet 69); Keskinen (Clarkson 60), McGrath, Duk; Ambrose (Morris 61). Subs not used: Doohan, Polvara, McGarry, Sokler, Molloy.
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