Partick Thistle produced an outstanding attacking display at Rugby Park to put Kilmarnock to the sword and move above them into ninth place in the Premiership table.
An early double from Kris Doolan looked to have Thistle on easy street, but Josh Magennis hit back for the home side to drag them back into the game midway through the first half.
Gary Fraser restored the visitors’ two-gaol cushion shortly after the re-start though, and the game looked wrapped up just after the hour as Robbie Muirhead produced a thunderbolt into the top corner.
Mark Connolly headed a goal back for Kilmarnock with just over 15 minutes remaining, but Muirhead got his second of the day almost immediately to eliminate any remaining doubts about the destination of the points.
Magennis had a glorious chance for the home side in the opening minutes as a ball from Greg Kiltie found its way to the striker on the penalty spot, but he fluffed his lines and his tame stab at the ball rolled into the grasp of Ryan Scully.
He was to rue the miss as the visitors moved ahead after just 7 minutes, as Doolan scored his second goal in consecutive games.
A lovely passing move down the right involving Abdul Osman and Mustapha Dumbuya saw the ball land at the feet of Stevie Lawless 25 yards from goal. He drove across the box before slipping a clever reverse ball into the run of Doolan, who took his time before wrong-footing Jamie MacDonald as he slipped the ball home at the near-post.
Killie failed to heed the lesson though and Doolan again punished them to double Thistle’s advantage just 14 minutes in.
Lawless was fouled by Mark O’Hara wide on the Thistle left, allowing Gary Fraser to bend in a glorious in-swinging ball deep to the back post where Doolan had all the time in the world to plant a header past MacDonald.
Kiltie might have pulled a goal back immediately for Kilmarnock, but he dragged his effort wide from a good position on the edge of the area.
The got the reprieve they so badly needed after 24 minutes, and it was a goal created by former Thistle player Conrad Balatoni.
A free-kick from Kallum Higginbotham was cleared wide to the Killie right, where Balatoni collected and curled a wicked cross into Magennis who produced a tidy finish on the volley beyond Scully.
Both sides adopted all-out attacking philosophies for the remainder of the half despite not troubling the scoreboard as they flew forward at every opportunity, perhaps in a futile attempt to keep warm in the atrocious overhead conditions.
The second period started exactly the same way as the first, with Thistle making the early breakthrough just 7 minutes into the half.
A strong run down the right by Muirhead ended with him drilling a low ball across the area that MacDonald’s outstretched fingertips managed to divert away from the on-rushing Lawless.
The ball landed at the feet of Fraser at the back-post though, and the midfielder took his time before smashing the ball home to restore the visitors’ two-goal advantage.
The visiting fans were in dreamland on 62 minutes as former Kilmarnock youngster Muirhead produced a moment of outstanding quality to move them further ahead.
Picking the ball up fully 30 yards from goal, he got his head up and unleashed a rocket of a shot into the top corner, to leave MacDonald with no chance.
The home side restored some hope on 73 minutes, as Stevie Smith’s looping free-kick to the back post was nodded over Scully and into the net by Connolly.
It was short-lived though, as 2 minutes later Muirhead got his second, finishing well on the half-volley from Lawless’s clipped cross.
Liam Lindsay smacked a free header off the post from a corner, but the misery was complete for Kilmarnock in any case as Thistle lapped up a stunning win.
KILMARNOCK: MacDonald; O’Hara, Connolly, Balatoni, McHattie (Slater, 55’); Obadeyi (Boyd, 55’), Robinson, Kiltie, Smith; Higginbotham (Carrick, 69’); Magennis.
Scorers: Magennis (24’), Connolly (73’)
Booked: Connolly (28’), Higginbotham (66’), Kiltie (87’)
PARTICK THISTLE: Scully; Dumbuya, Lindsay, Seaborne, Booth; Osman, Bannigan (Welsh, 83’); Muirhead (Amoo, 79’), Lawless, Fraser; Doolan (Pogba, 88’)
Scorers: Doolan (7’, 14’), Fraser (52’), Muirhead (62’)
Booked: Bannigan (28’), Muirhead, (43’)
Man of the match: Robbie Muirhead (Partick Thistle)
Referee: Craig Thomson
Attendance: 3860
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