Burchill and Kyle combined for the winning goal in Perth

By Clive Lindsay

Kevin Kyle's first-half strike ensured a backs-to-the-wall first win for Kilmarnock since October - when their victims were also St Johnstone.

Filipe Morais squandered an early chance and forced goalkeeper Mark Brown into a good save, as did Jody Morris as the Saints dominated possession.

But, in between those chances, Kyle placed a shot into the net after 15 minutes from 14 yards.

Saints pressed for an equaliser but rarely created clear-cut chances.

And it allowed Killie to move to within a point of St Johnstone when a defeat would have enabled the Perth side to establish a seven-point advantage between the two possible relegation rivals.

Burchill, who came into the side with Simon Ford to replace Ryan O'Leary and David Fernandez, was making his first start since joining Killie on a short-term contract and did much to stake his claim for a longer contract.

St Johnstone controlled possession throughout, but Kilmarnock were dangerous on the break thanks largely to Burchill's fleet of foot.

Yet it was the home side who threatened first and Morais should have done better than blast over when found unmarked at the far post from 10 yards.

Home keeper Graeme Smith had to be quick off his line to deny Burchill as the striker raced clear, but Saints moved up the other end immediately and Morais forced Mark Brown to concede a corner with a 12-yard drive that deflected towards the inside post.

St Johnstone squandered another good opportunity when Liam Craig, who had replaced Kevin Moon in the starting line-up, met a Morais cross, but the midfielder's volley was too close to Brown to trouble the goalkeeper from 15 yards.

Kilmarnock took the lead when Burchill skipped past his marker and former Scotland Under-21 colleague Kyle met the low cross with a shot that trundled low into the net, splitting the two defenders on the goal-line.

St Johnstone were unfortunate not to draw level when a long-range effort from Morris was turned away by Brown at full stretch.

Saints continued to do most of the pressing without troubling the goalkeeper and the home side continued to dominate after the break.

Morais drifted in from his right-wing, turning superbly past James Fowler's challenge on the edge of the box before arrowing a fierce shot towards the bottom corner of the target.

Kilmarnock defended vigorously at McDiarmid Park

But Brown produced a magnificent one-handed stop to tip the ball round the post for a corner.

Kilmarnock were always likely to threaten on the break, however, and Danny Grainger had to look smart to block Burchill's shot after a Craig Bryson cutback.

Grainger's low cross-cum-shot almost produced an equaliser when it deflected off Ford but powered across the face of goal before spinning wide.

They ought to have been level when Rutkiewicz could only nod down and wide from close range after Morais' tempting cross to the edge of the six-yard box.

Saints boss Derek McInnes threw on striker Peter MacDonald for his first appearance since March after an extended injury lay-off, but there was to be no late breakthrough.

St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes:

"There's a real frustration. We lost a poor goal and it gave Kilmarnock something to hold on to.

"Being the away team it possibly galvanised them and it made it more difficult for us to score.

"We were the better team in the way we played and we certainly worked their goalkeeper. But we need to look at our own failings and the fact we haven't scored.

"We know we should've scored today and the very least got a 0-0. It was a poor goal we lost today and it won't stack up at this level."

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies:

"We really got at them at half-time. We said they would come back - and they're a decent side. One of the best we've played this year.

"It's not about how well we go out and play, it's about showing resilience.

"They pinned us back, but you could see Mark Brown's handling, it was terrific.

"I was quite pleased with the resilience we showed. We've played better and got beat.

"This week it was all about the three points, and it doesn't matter how you get them - we got them today."

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