Kilmarnock sent themselves into the fourth round of the Tennents Scottish Cup with a comfortable, if uninspiring, 3-1 win over Raith Rovers at Stark's Park.

The visitors raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, thanks to goals by Gary McSwegan, Gary McDonald, and Colin Nish.

Rovers defender Vincent Talio scored just after the interval to offer some hope to the first division side but the visitors held firm and in the end were worthy winners.

The home side started brightly and had several chances to open the scoring but when Kilmarnock got the break through in the 28th minute it was uphill for the first division side from then on in.

The goal was a personal disaster for Raith keeper Ramiro Gonzalez who let a header from Freddie Dindeleux squirm out of his hands under no pressure and McSwegan had the easiest of tasks to stick the ball into the empty net.

The home side were stunned and four minutes later another mistake, this time by defender Cristian Patino who failed to control the ball, allowed McDonald to pounce and slide an angled shot past Gonzalez.

In the 35th minute the Raith defence were posted missing again when Kilmarnock midfielder Stevie Fulton found Nish unmarked inside the box and the big striker slotted the ball away from 12 yards.

The home players were jeered off the pitch at half time and there was a possibility that the visitors would go on and run up a cricket score after the break.

But after the interval the home side battled back and striker John Sutton was unlucky with a deflected shot which almost fooled Kilmarnock keeper Francois Dubourdeau.

Kilmarnock looked well in control but in the 56th minute the home side were given a life line when they pulled a goal back.

Talio broke forward and played a one-two with Craig Stanley and when he picked up the return ball his right-footed shot from 14 yards gave Dubourdeau no chance.

Rover sensed they could still rescue the tie and pushed Kilmarnock back into their own half.

But in the 66th minute they should have made it four when Nish got onto the end of a Jamie Fowler cross but this time Gonzalez redeemed himself a little by diving to his left to push a ball past the post for a corner.

As the second half wore on the visitors started to look more comfortable and indeed looked dangerous on the break. With the aerial power of Nish always a problem for the Raith defence.

Raith continued to battle, forcing a series of corners but could not get the second goal to set up a grandstand finish.

By the full-time whistle the home side had run out of steam and Kilmarnock had done enough to see them through into the next round.

Teams

Raith Gonzalez, Patino, Stanic, Talio (Martin 82), Calderon, Brady, Stanley, Paquito, Sutton, Boyle (Prest 62), Evans (Pereira 45).

Subs Not Used: McKeown, Sweeney.

Goals: Talio 55.

Kilmarnock Dubourdeau, Shields, Greer, Dindeleux, Hay, Fowler, Locke, Fulton, McDonald, McSwegan (Invincibile 83), Nish (Boyd 84).

Subs Not Used: McLaughlin, Murray, Meldrum.

Goals: McSwegan 28, McDonald 32, Nish 35.

Att: 3,610

Ref: M Ritchie (Scotland).