A winner from Steven Crawford gave Dunfermline the perfect tonic ahead of their vital Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Inverness next Saturday.

Kilmarnock took the lead through Danny Invincibile but the home side took the points through goals from Barry Nicholson and Crawford.

Just as the match kicked off, hail started pouring down from the heavens, leaving a slippery film of water on the synthetic surface.

However, just as Dunfermline seemed to be exerting a grip on the match, the visitors snatched the lead.

An Eric Skora cross was met by Kris Boyd and Pars goalkeeper Derek Stillie tried in vain to palm the ball out of the goal.

Invincibile followed up the effort and slammed the ball into the net from close range.

Dunfermline might have hit back quickly had Derek Young not made a hash of trying to convert a Stevie Crawford cut-back in the 13th minute. His effort trickled by the post with fans ready to celebrate the equaliser.

Just as the half was drawing to a close, the Fifers finally seemed to get a grip of their formation and the conditions and grew more comfortable.

And in the 40th minutes, captain Nicholson pulled them back into the game with a goal which was as effortless as the visitors'.

Derek Young reached the byeline and crossed to the back post where Nicholson was lurking.

He managed to get above Gary Hay to nod the ball past Colin Meldrum for a goal the Fifers barely deserved at this point. However, the Pars looked a completely different outfit in the second period and just about merited their eventual reward.

Scotland international striker Crawford spun inside two defenders at speed in the 65th minute before seeing his shot rebound off David Lilley's shinpads.

Seconds later he ended his run of nine games without a goal as he latched on to a pass from substitute Lee Bullen and stroked the ball beyond Meldrum to make it 2-1 in the 70th minute.

Kilmarnock almost grabbed a point when sub Colin Nish had the ball in the net from a header but referee Charlie Richmond ruled the effort out for offside.

They were also left agonising over a late miss by on-loan Preston playmaker Skora when he shot over the crossbar with just Stillie to beat.

Teams

Dunfermline Stillie, Shields, Skerla, Tod, Byrne (Bullen 67), Nicholson, Darren Young, Mason, Derek Young (Dempsey 72), Crawford, Brewster (Mehmet 89).

Subs Not Used: Ruitenbeek, Labonte.

Booked: Nicholson, Tod.

Goals: Nicholson 40, Crawford 70.

Kilmarnock Meldrum, Lilley, Greer, Dindeleux, Hay (Dargo 75), Fowler (Nish 84), Locke, Skora, Murray (McSwegan 78), Boyd, Invincibile.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Dodds.

Booked: Locke, Nish, Lilley.

Goals: Invincibile 9.

Att: 3,914

Ref: C Richmond (Scotland).