Dundee United cemented third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a 2-1 win over a dire Kilmarnock side at Rugby Park.

Burnley target Barry Robson fired the visitors into the lead just before the half-hour mark then in the 65th minute Killie keeper Alan Combe misjudged Robson's cross which allowed Craig Conway to head into an empty net.

United seemed to be cruising all the way to the final whistle until they received a late fright.

Kilmarnock substitute Gary Wales, on at the break for Paul Di Giacomo, pulled a goal back with nine minutes remaining with a low drive but the visitors deservedly held out for all three points.

The Ayrshire side could have no complaints on a miserable day both on and off the park.

Contrary to the team sheet, Killie midfielder Mehdi Taouil did not start with Allan Johnston taking his place, the confusion typifying the home side's inept first-half performance.

In fairness, there was little action at either end until Robson's goal just before the half-hour mark.

After possession changed hands in quick succession again, Noel Hunt drove his pass to the Scotland international on the right-hand side of the Killie box.

Robson jinked around Rugby Park defender Frazer Wright all too easily and toe-poked the ball past Combe at the near post.

In the 14th minute Robson swung in a corner from the right with Combe doing well to rise above a crowd and push the ball away for a corner.

Killie survived several more corners but never threatened themselves until the 35th minute when defender Simon Ford had the ball in the United net with a close-range header but was ruled offside.

In the closing seconds of the first half Combe pulled off a good save from a Darren Dods header following a Conway corner.

For the start of the second period Killie replaced Johnston and Di Giacomo with Wales and Willie Gibson while Prince Buaben came on for Morgaro Gomis.

It was United who almost doubled their lead in the 50th minute when Combe made his first mistake of the day when trying to claw away a Robson cross under his crossbar, but the ball was eventually cleared to safety.

Moments later, Gibson enthusiastically fired in Killie's first dangerous ball of the afternoon from the left but found no takers.

The play soon dropped to the depressing standards of the first half but United still had the upper hand.

On the hour mark another Gibson cross from the left fizzed dangerously through the Tannadice six-yard box to no avail but it gave some fleeting encouragement to the home fans.

However, in the 65th minute that evaporated when United grabbed a second through a surprising blunder by Combe.

The Killie keeper looked favourite to gather Robson's deep cross from the right but, with Martyn Corrigan by his side, he misjudged the flight of the ball and slipped, leaving Conway to nod into the empty net from 10 yards out.

Minutes later Combe was called upon to deal with a cheeky long-distance chip from Robson under his bar but, in front of the small band of baying travelling fans, the Killie keeper stood firm.

In the 81st minute the Rugby Park side pulled a goal back when Wales slammed home a pass from substitute David Fernandez, who had earlier replaced Craig Bryson.

The goal set up a tense finale and with one minute remaining Wright's header following a Garry Hay corner bounced agonisingly past the United post.

Teams:

Kilmarnock Combe, Fowler, Frazer Wright, Ford, Hay, Hamill, Corrigan, Johnston (Gibson 46), Bryson (Fernandez 67), Di Giacomo (Wales 46), Invincibile.

Subs Not Used: Harpur, Locke, Taouil, O'Leary.

Goals: Wales 83.

Dundee Utd Zaluska, Dillon, Dods, Kenneth, Grainger, Flood, Gomis (Buaben 46), Kerr, Robson, Hunt, Conway (De Vries 88).

Subs Not Used: McLean, Swanson, Kovacevic, Odhiambo, Milligan.

Goals: Robson 30, Conway 66.

Att: 4,803

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).