Two goals in four minutes at the end of the first half secured victory for Kilmarnock in a cracking Tennent's Scottish Cup third-round tie against Motherwell at Rugby Park.

Gary McDonald tucked the ball home four minutes before the break following a goalmouth scramble and Kris Boyd added a second with a header in added on time which referee Craig Thomson adjudged to have crossed the line.

The Steelmen made a bright start but Terry Butcher's side failed to capitalise on their early superiority, Richie Foran wasting their best chance with a poor header from close range.

Motherwell centre-half Stephen Craigan's dismissal in the 86th minute for two bookable offences capped a miserable day for the visitors.

Killie fans will now be dreaming of a repeat of their famous 1997 cup final triumph - over Falkirk at Ibrox - not least because one of the Old Firm will exit the competition at the third round stage.

It was Motherwell, roared on by a large and vocal visiting support, who went on the attack first and after just 45 seconds a cross into the box bounced up off the slippy surface appeared to strike Freddie Dindeleux on the arm.

Well's 2,400 fans screamed for a penalty but the referee waved play on as the game began in a fierce hailstorm.

Three minutes later the visitors should have taken the lead from Martyn Corrigan's cross but Foran headed wide of the far post from just six yards.

Then, from what seemed an innocuous punt forward, Killie midfielder Danny Invincibile was denied a goalscoring chance by a magnificent last-ditch tackle from Craigan.

Motherwell were playing the more fluent football though and it took a muscular challenge from Dindeleux to deny Scott McDonald the chance to test Alan Combe from the edge of the box.

Killie's first real opportunity came in the 28th minute when a Garry Hay cross was headed just wide by Invincibile, the Well defence perhaps distracted by an incident between a small section of Motherwell fans and the police behind Gordon Marshall's goal which was quickly controlled.

Marshall was called into action 10 minutes before the break when Boyd was played in down the right channel and he got a powerful shot off which the former Killie keeper parried out to safety.

Killie were now carrying a much greater threat and McDonald was unlucky to see a goalbound effort deflected behind by Corrigan.

But from Steven Naismith's resulting corner - and a crazy goalmouth scramble - midfield man McDonald fired the ball home to give Killie the lead after 41 minutes.

Then, in first-half injury time, Boyd made it 2-0 when he headed home another left-wing Naismith corner despite the desperate efforts of Kevin McBride on the back post.

It was difficult to judge whether the ball had crossed the line but referee Thomson decided it had and sent Killie into the interval with a two-goal cushion.

Motherwell began the second period as they had started the first, with McDonald again being denied a goalscoring chance due to some excellent last-ditch defending.

Killie remained a threat though, particularly from set pieces, and from a 59th-minute Peter Leven corner which Marshall misjudged, Boyd should have made the game safe but shinned the ball wide from five yards.

Five minutes later Hay and Boyd combined beautifully on the edge of the visitors' penalty box but, just as the left-back seemed set to shoot, he stumbled and could only slice wide.

Butcher tried to mix things up when he brought on Shaun Fagan for the anonymous David Clarkson in the 64th minute.

Eight minutes later Jefferies replaced Dindeleux with Killie club captain Gary Locke and in the 77th minute Allan Johnston came on for midfield starlet Naismith.

Scott Leitch produced a fantastic 25-yard effort 10 minutes from time which beat Combe in the Killie goal but slammed against the post and rebounded to safety.

The Lanarkshire side's luck was summed up when Craigan was sent off for two bookable challenges, the second coming in the 86th minute.

It was tough to take for the visitors, who had contributed to a an entertaining clash.

Teams

Kilmarnock Combe, Greer, Hay, Lilley, Dindeleux (Locke 73), McDonald, Invincibile, Leven, Naismith (Johnston 77), Nish, Boyd (Wales 89).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Murray.

Booked: Dindeleux, McDonald.

Goals: McDonald 42, Boyd 45.

Motherwell Marshall, Corrigan, Hammell, Kinniburgh, Craigan, Fitzpatrick, McBride, Leitch, Scott McDonald, Foran, Clarkson (Fagan 63).

Subs Not Used: Corr, Cowan, Paul Quinn, Wright.

Sent Off: Craigan (87).

Booked: Hammell, Craigan, Foran.

Att: 6,093

Ref: C Thompson (Scotland).