Kris Boyd struck two minutes before the interval to secure all three points for Kilmarnock against Dunfermline at Rugby Park.

The Ayrshire side took the lead through Steven Naismith, who hit his second goal of the season in the 12th minute.

But Jesper Christiansen was on hand seven minutes later to cancel out the lead.

However, the win was gifted to Killie when Scott Thomson played a needless pass-back to goalkeeper Derek Stillie and Boyd grabbed the winner from 16 yards when Peter Leven played the subsequent indirect free-kick to him.

Killie enjoyed some early chances and only the best efforts of goalkeeper Stillie kept the scoreline level when Naismith threaded the ball through to Boyd and he managed to stand up well to block the striker's effort.

But there was little Stillie could do in the 13th minute though when teenager Naismith handed Kilmarnock the lead.

Allan Johnston punted a dangerous-looking ball into the box and Andy Tod cleared straight to the feet of Naismith.

Stillie was left with no chance when he bulleted home from just inside the area.

The goal seemed to spur Dunfermline into action and they were back on level terms in the 20th minute.

Tod was involved again, this time to provide the flick-on which allowed Christiansen to nod home from close range.

The game should have been level heading into half-time but Thomson gifted Kilmarnock their second goal of the day when he played a needless pass-back to Stillie after 43 minutes when he should have cleared the ball out of the park.

The Pars' keeper was booked for kicking the ball away in frustration.

But there was worse to come when Boyd fired home from 16 yards with the subsequent indirect free-kick, which Leven had played into his path.

Leven found himself the next player to find his way into referee Kenny Clark's book for diving five minutes after the re-start.

A Christiansen cross into the box was met by Billy Mehmet, but his effort lacked both pace and power and was easily held by the Kilmarnock goalkeeper. The Dane was replaced by Simon Donnelly soon afterwards.

Killie had already proved themselves to be dangerous at set-pieces and they had another chance to put their visitors under pressure when Andrius Skerla was booked for hauling down Johnston just outside the box.

But Boyd's free-kick was far less effective this time and did not make it past the Dunfermline wall.

Disarray in the visitors' defence should have allowed Kilmarnock to seal the points.

Naismith managed to steal the ball from the clutches of Stillie, leaving the goalkeeper scrabbling desperately on the deck and it was left to Skerla to hook a Johnston shot off the line.

Stillie went some way to redeeming himself when he managed to tip a thunderous Leven effort just over the crossbar.

But it was too little too late as Kilmarnock held on for all three points.

Teams

Kilmarnock Combe, Fowler, Hay, Lilley, Fontaine (Ford 45), Leven, McDonald, Invincibile, Johnston (Murray 77), Boyd, Naismith.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Dargo, Dodds, McGregor, Johnstone.

Booked: Leven, Hay, Fowler.

Goals: Naismith 12, Boyd 43.

Dunfermline Stillie, Ross, Tod, Scott Thomson, Skerla, Makel, Nicholson, Mason, Mehmet (Donnelly 59), Christiansen (Hristov 71), Hunt (Darren Young 45).

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Derek Young, McKeown, Campbell.

Booked: Stillie, Skerla.

Goals: Christiansen 20.

Att: 4,701

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).