Paatelainen (right) exchanges views with the fourth official at Inverness

Manager Mixu Paatelainen was delighted with Kilmarnock's stylish 3-1 victory away to Inverness.

"We controlled the game," he said. "The way we passed the ball was pleasing against a very spirited Inverness.

"They are a difficult team to play against because they are a solid unit and they get the ball up front early.

"We put an emphasis on passing the ball properly and making good movement. That's the key. But we had to defend well and that was the platform for us."

Craig Bryson grabbed the opening goal for the visitors in a highly entertaining match, packed full of goalmouth action, with Liam Kelly adding a header in the second half and Jamie Hamill scoring after his penalty had been saved.

Ultimately, the aim is to survive in the Scottish Premier League comfortably - we want to finish as high up as possible and we'll just keep working Kilmarnock manager Mixu Paatelainen

"I thought the movement was excellent and Craig Bryson was absolutely outstanding," added Paatelainen. "His passing and work-rate was top drawer.

"But it's a team effort, it's not just one or two players who make it happen.

"We always set out our stall to be very positive, getting our full-backs forward."

The win takes Kilmarnock up to fourth in the table and the Ayrshire men have picked up an impressive 20 points from their last nine outings.

However, the manager was not getting carried away or setting any targets for his side.

"Ultimately, the aim is to survive in the Scottish Premier League comfortably," he said. "We want to finish as high up as possible and we'll just keep working."

The form of players like Bryson, Mehdi Taouil, Conor Sammon and on-loan pair Ben Gordon and Alexei Eremenko has seen them linked with other clubs but Paatelainen is not phased at the prospect of his squad being raided in January.

"I'm not worried. It's quite pleasing that our players' efforts have been recognised," he explained. "That means they are doing a good job.

"If our players move on, it's a feather in our cap.

"Then it's our job to replace them and make sure we stay solid and keep progressing.

"That's the nature of football. Players come and go."

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