Dundee's survival instincts came to the fore at Rugby Park as they claimed an unexpected point with a late flurry to leave Kilmarnock left to rue what should have been.

The visitors had been ripped apart by both sides of the Old Firm in the past week, but defeat to bottom club Kilmarnock would have proved much more damaging.

It looked all but certain after Frederic Dindeleux's 56th-minute strike doubled an early lead secured by Ian Durrant to put the home side firmly in control and on course for a crucial victory.

The Dens Park outfit have lost 13 goals to Rangers and Celtic in recent days, but knew their Scottish Premier League survival would always hinge on results against their closest rivals.

Their plight looked desperate until the 75th minute when substitute Eddie Annand scored within moments of joining the fray - and suddenly Kilmarnock lost their swagger and started to sway.

Dundee poured forward in numbers and pulled level just nine minutes later through James Grady's flying header to transform the match and perhaps even their season.

Last term cash-strapped Dundee were written off at the halfway stage only to finish fifth by the end and that fighting spirit is clearly still in the ranks.

Dundee demoted Annand, Robbie Raeside and Frank Van Eijs to the bench, while Kilmarnock offered a home debut to on-loan West Ham striker Samassi Abou.

With both sides short of form it was a scrappy opening, but the game's first real chance produced a goal after 10 minutes and it was Kilmarnock who got it.

Gary Holt's threaded pass was paced superbly for Ian Durrant, who allowed the ball to run on before slotting it low past Robert Douglas for his first goal of the season.

The former Rangers midfielder almost grabbed his second of the campaign moments later when trickery from Christophe Cocard set up another shooting chance, but this time he was off-target.

Dundee, deflated from 7-1 and 6-2 losses to Rangers and Celtic within the past week, tried to hit back and Willie Falconer dragged a shot across the face of goal after 15 minutes.

The heavy pitch appeared to be hampering both teams' efforts going forward, though Dundee's Steven Boyack should still have done better with a weak curling effort when well-placed.

Both sides were being reduced to ambitious efforts from distance, Hugh Robertson firing wide for Dundee, Jim Lauchlan responding in wayward fashion at the other end.

Kilmarnock earned a free-kick when Barry Smith handled after 36 minutes and after protests which brought a booking Abou hit a fierce effort goalward that Douglas did well to hold.

Too often Kilmarnock's neat approach play was being let down by a poor final pass and despite most of the possession they were unable to extend their lead before the break.

Dundee offered an early threat after the restart when Graham Bayne's cross almost deceived fit-again home keeper Gordon Marshall before being tipped over the bar.

But it was Kilmarnock who struck, doubling their advantage after 56 minutes when after Tosh McKinlay's corner unsettled the Dundee backline, Frederic Dindeleux hooked in a shot on the turn.

It was the French defender's first goal for Kilmarnock and, as with Durrant's earlier strike, could hardly have been more timely for the basement outfit.

On the hour mark it was almost 3-0 when a Holt burst preceded a tapped pass to Ally Mitchell, whose powerful snapshot was blocked by Dundee's Barry Smith.

Durrant was put through again by Abou after 69 minutes but let the ball run away from him and the chance was spurned as Kilmarnock sought to close out the game - only to see it disappear.

Dundee made a switch on 74 minutes replacing Bayne with Annand and a minute later, from Falconer's pass, with his first touch the substitute raced clear and beat the advancing Marshall.

It was a goal virtually out of nothing - but suddenly a game which had looked settled came alive again, McKinlay crossing for Durrant to guide a glancing header onto the top of the bar.

But Dundee were not finished yet and with just six minutes remaining they made it 2-2 when Gavin Rae's cross was turned in by James Grady's close-range diving header.

A minute later that comeback was almost undone when Dundee defender Lee Wilkie came within a fraction of heading into his own net and from the resulting corner Durrant shot just over.

But after 88 minutes, Dundee almost won it when Falconer's cross set up Annand again - but this time Marshall was equal to the task to ensure at least a draw for a shaken Kilmarnock.

Teams

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, Lauchlan, Dindeleux, McKinlay, Mitchell, Durrant, Holt, Reilly, Cocard (Vareille 69), Abou (Mahood 83).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Hessey, Fowler.

Goals: Durrant 10, Dindeleux 56.

Dundee: Douglas, Smith, Tweed, Sharp, Wilkie, Boyack, Rae, Falconer, Robertson, Grady, Bayne (Annand 74).

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Raeside, Van Eijs, Maddison.

Booked: Smith, Grady.

Goals: Annand 75, Grady 82.

Att: 8,460

Ref: Willie Young (Scotland).