Ladbrokes Premiership

RANGERS 0

KILMARNOCK 1

FREE-scoring striker Kris Boyd came back to haunt his old club as Killie defeated Rangers for a second time this season.

This victory, coupled with Celtic's goalless draw against Motherwell, has guaranteed them a place in the top six for the first time since 2010-11.

This is the Rugby Park side's best run against the Ibrox club since 1938 and Steve Clarke's team bounced back in style following their agonising penalty shootout defeat against Aberdeen in the William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final replay last Tuesday.

Later jubilant boss Clarke said: "That was the seventh game in 21 days, which was a big ask for the players. There was a bit of fatigue in the 20 minutes, and it took us time to grow into the game, and the last 15 minutes we were digging in. I haven't got a word to praise this group of players enough. They always find a way to get results. The run of wins we are on, the way we compete with the top teams, it has to be great for the Kilmarnock fans to watch because as a coach I am really proud of the players."

The game began at top speed and in two minutes Killie were unlucky in two minutes when Eamonn Brophy cut in from the left and let fly with a shot which shaved the top of the crossbar.

At the other end Greg Docherty got onto the end of a Jamie Murphy flick on but visiting goalie Jamie MacDonald foiled him with a great save at the near post.

In 22 minutes Russell Martin headed wide for Gers.

Two minutes after the break Jordan Jones laid a pass on a plate to Brophy, who shot wide when he should have scored.

However in 54 minutes Killie went ahead when Kirk Broadfoot nodded the ball into the path of Youssouf Mulumbu and his saved was saved by Wes Foderingham, but he merely palmed it away and the ball fell perfectly for Boyd to net from close range for his 20th goal of the season,

Rangers had a chance with 14 minutes remaining, but Martin's powerful header crashed off the bar and was booted away.

Killie comfortably saw the game out.

KILMARNOCK: MacDonald; O'Donnell, Broadfoot, Findlay, Taylor, Dicker, Mulumbu, Tshibola, Brophy, Jones, K Boyd. Subs: Fasan, Erwin, Power, Simpson, McKenzie, Kiltie, S Boyd.

STARMAN: Kirk Broadfoot 3

Gary Dicker 2

Yousouff Mulumbu 1.