Aidan Connolly's last-minute goal may have been the sugar coating on the cake for Dundee United, but this defeat undoubtedly left a bad taste in the mouths of their Ayrshire visitors in the great Tannadice bake-off.

Goals from Connolly, Nadir Ciftci and Stuart Armstrong were enough to keep the Tannadice club simmering nicely in third place in the Premiership table.

In contrast, the result brought only frustration to Kilmarnock, a team which has now conceded 11 goals in their last four matches - losing three in each of their last three games - a statistic which was eagerly seized on by United. The hosts could be described crudely as having four attacking players, but they are coached to appear in greater numbers. Ciftci, Armstrong, Chris Erskine and Gary Mackay-Steven each took it in turns to occupy the varying roles of the front four, while Paul Paton alone was obliged to sit deep in midfield.

He broke forward on three occasions yesterday, each time to celebrate a goal. Erskine, Armstrong and Ciftci trickled passes between one another as Kilmarnock leaked the first goal after six minutes, with the Turk thumping a low shot into the net, and Armstrong restored that advantage before the break. United had been subdued by Manuel Pascali's scudded equaliser just four minutes earlier. That goal was a consequence of awful defending since a delicate pass from Alexei Eremenko had allowed Rory McKenzie to prod a shot against a post initially, interrupting those who were on song for United. It was similar to blowing one's nose in the midst of an aria.

Ciftic seemed the most put out. He has now scored five times this season, but his value to United is calculated by more than his goal tally; the forward has the ability to hold the ball up in attack, to drop into pockets of space to receive possession, and to wind up anyone in close proximity.

When he clipped one shot wide early in the first half he was made to listen to a rant from Erskine, who tracked the wayward shot from an empty space in the middle of the penalty area. United manager Jackie McNamara said: "Nads is a fantastic talent, but the frustration is there at times."

United show forbearance to such moments as they understand Ciftci's significance to their play, with one delicious pass towards Mackay-Steven in the first half being hacked clear by Chris Chantler as the defender faced his own goal and a puckish flick later spoiled only by an offside flag.

Such passages of play are easy on the eye and also exposed the uglier features of Kilmarnock's performance.

Sammy Clingan and Pascali were provoked into spats with Ciftci, with Kilmarnock's goalscorer also reproached by United's coaches for pursuing Mackay-Steven as the players made their way down the tunnel at half-time.

Defeat also brought a rebuke from Kilmarnock manager Allan Johnston since his side have now lost four successive league ties as the Ayrshire side continue to undermine a solid start to the campaign with unsteady form.

"The second goal was really frustrating. We gave them too much space," said Johnston. "They are a quality side which makes it so frustrating to lose a goal like that after coming back into the game."