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Kris Boyd scored late as Kilmarnock took all three points against hosts Ross County in the Premiership.

Jason Naismith hit the bar for the hosts, but it was Kilmarnock who took the lead when Conor Sammon was left unmarked from a throw-in.

Liam Boyce levelled with a drilled 22-yard shot, then Kenny van der Weg also hit the bar from six yards.

But the points went to Ayrshire after Boyd managed to slip in behind the defence to poke in a late winner.

Clinical Kilmarnock

They say you have to take your chances and Kilmarnock did, both of them.

Boyd was the hero, latching on to a long ball and bundling home for what is a crucial win, one which looks likely to end any thoughts of relegation.

It was Sammon who put them on track with a strikingly simple finish. A throw in was not defended with any authority, Boyd nodded into Sammon's path and he made no mistake.

County will point to superior chances but credit must be given to Lee McCulloch's side for containing them for long spells, weathering a storm after the home side's equaliser and then having the nerve to take all three.

McCulloch is getting results and must now be a very strong candidate for the manager role on a permanent basis.

County crumble

Liam Boyce (right) equalised for Ross County with a 22-yard shot

This is another damaging result for the home side after such a promising win at Hearts.

They've struggled at home but would have pinpointed this as a real opportunity to move up the table.

They started fairly well with Naismith's cross clipping the bar before Alex Schalk hooked over then saw a free-kick deflect behind.

However, that threat petered out until they fell behind.

When they did, urgency appeared. Chris Routis went close as did Boyce before he produced a great finish into the corner.

They pushed on. Schalk was unlucky with a free kick then Kenny van der Weg saw a great volley hit the bar. It was not to be County's day.

They may say Kilmarnock had few chances but their role in both goals was questionable. Both could and should have been defended better and it proved costly.

For the hosts, a tantalising Highland derby with Inverness Caledonian Thistle awaits next weekend with just four points separating the two.

Post-match reaction

Ross County manager Jim Mcintyre: "We had far more of the game than Kilmarnock. We made good opportunities to score, we've hit the woodwork a couple of times.

"The bottom line is we've not defended a throw-in, which is ridiculous. We've got men in place to deal with it but we switch off and we get punished.

"It's happened too often this season when we've done a lot of good things in the game but yet again we've been turned over.

"Everyone from sixth place down is in this. We've got to get wins on board. That today is a real kick in the teeth for us because with the amount of the game we had we deserved more.

"The goals that we give away are criminal, really poor."

Kilmarnock interim manager Lee McCulloch: "It's a fantastic result for us. We had a game-plan, stuck to the game-plan and I felt it worked today.

"We've had a lot of chances in the previous two or three games and just been a little unlucky. Today we knew that chances would be few and far between.

"We got the goal and in Kilmarnock fashion as soon as we score we retreat. I thought we defended set plays really well and defended well.

"We're sitting okay just now but nobody is getting carried away. We need to get back to work, keep working on the basics."