Barry Wilson's first-half goal effectively ended Kilmarnock's season and kept alive his side's slim hopes of a remarkable top six finish.
Killie's Alan Combe produced the first of a number of top quality saves as early as the third minute when he stretched to tip Craig Brewster's vicious volley over the bar.
Both sides were guilty of passing up gilt-edged chances, and both were denied by the woodwork. In the ninth minute, Killie's Peter Leven fired in a curling free-kick which Mark Brown seemed to misjudge as his attempted touch over squirmed on to his right-hand post. It would not be the last time that the home fans had their heads in their hands.
Caley skipper Stuart Golabek ventured out of defence in the 13th minute and found himself unmarked in front of goal, but again Combe reacted quickly to block his shot. The ball broke perfectly to Graham Bayne who seemed to have a simple task to steer the ball past Freddy Dindeleux on the goal-line, but he seemed to lose his nerve and meekly trundled the ball against the post.
Killie's Gary MacDonald was next to fluff his lines when he was set up by Stevie Murray, but he dragged his shot wide from a good position.
Combe produced a great double save to deny Barry Wilson and Brewster in the 18th minute, but he was helpless as his defence fell asleep and left him completely exposed in the 33rd minute. Brewster and Ian Black combined on the right and a simple pass found the run of Barry Wilson, who calmly took the ball round the stranded keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net.
Gary Wales should have levelled within a minute when he latched on to Kris Boyd's knock-down, but he dallied inside the box and had to settle for a corner.
Killie pushed forward, but the giant Caley defence gave keeper Brown an easy ride. He was flustered five minutes into the second half when Gary MacDonald muscled his way into the six-yard box but couldn't squeeze his shot past the keeper's outstretched leg.
For all Killie's possession, it was Caley who came closest to scoring again, with both Brewster and Bayne failing to beat Combe when clean through