If both sides were determined to make it to the top-six come the split of the Scottish Premier League in a fortnight, they certainly did not show it in the first 45 minutes.

Both managers had talked up the importance of this fixture and must have been angry with the scrappy play and lack of composure shown by all the players.

However, Dunfermline won with an excellent second-half display, scoring two fine goals and propelling themselves to sixth place in the table.

Despite chances being few and far between in the opening period, it is Dunfermline who will feel aggrieved for not to have opened the scoring before half-time, when Mike Panopoulos delayed too long on his shot.

Killie, meanwhile, lacked a cutting edge to their play and came closest through a speculative Andy McLaren effort at the back post, which had Marco Ruitenbeek at full stretch.

Jimmy Calderwood's half-time pep talk had the desired effect and it was the home side who came out in the second half and asserted themselves.

Seyni N'Diaye was introduced with 30 minutes left and his influence seemed to lift the home side.

The on-loan Tranmere Rovers striker's pace and skill was too much for the Killie defence and they struggled to cope.

However, it was route one stuff that yielded the opening goal, after Stevie Crawford was fouled by Jesus Sanjuan.

From the resultant free-kick the ball was launched into the area and onto the head of Lee Bullen. The big striker's header fell to the feet of N'Diaye six yards out and he slammed it past Marshall.

The Pars then began to take a grip of the game and a second goal looked inevitable. It came through Steven Hampshire, after some more good work by Bullen.

The winger flashed a low cross through the Kilmarnock penalty area and found Hampshire unmarked at the back post. The striker crashed the ball into the empty net, with Marshall scrambling.

Once the second goal went in, the game was over and Dunfermline played out the remaining minutes with some slick passing moves.

Kilmarnock struggled to cope with N'Diayi's pace and it was the Senegalese star who was at the heart of most of the Pars good work in the closing stages.

Kilmarnock had no answer to the Pars two goals and they looked a forlorn bunch.

Dunfermline are now looking to the top six as a real possibility.

Teams

Dunfermline: Ruitenbeek, Skerla, McGroarty, Kilgannon (Dair 57), Bullen, Scott Thomson, Nicholson, Ferguson (Skinner 87), Panopoulos (N'Diaye 56), Hampshire, Crawford.

Subs Not Used: Scott Y Thomson, Nicholls.

Goals: N'Diaye 67, Hampshire 76.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, Canero, Hessey, Innes, Fowler, Hay, Mitchell (Pizzo 77), Mahood, Sanjuan, McLaren (Boyd 86), Dargo.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Canning, McDonald.

Booked: Sanjuan, Dargo.

Att: 5,618

Ref: M McCurry (Scotland).