THESE are grim times indeed for Kilmarnock.

A draw away to Partick Thistle last weekend stopped a run of five successive defeats but normal serviced was resumed against St Johnstone.

Without a win since mid- October, yesterday's narrow loss saw the Ayrshire slide out of the top six and gives manager Allan Johnston plenty to think about as he looks to find a way to arrest his team's poor form.

St Johnstone, in contrast, are a side on the up. It is they who take Kilmarnock's place in the top half having secured a fifth victory from their last six games. They left it late on this occasion, winning and converting a penalty seven minutes before the end. Darryl Westlake's rash tackle halted the run of Michael O'Halloran and the defender offered little complaint when referee Don Robertson pointed to the spot. Brian Graham slid home the kick and Kilmarnock seemed to sense their fate was sealed.

"The referee must have good eyesight to see it from 40 yards," lamented Johnston, who was otherwise satisfied with his team's performance. "It's a sore one to take as I thought the least we deserved out of the game was a draw. The pleasing thing is we created chances."

Until the late penalty, it was a match that needed a spark from somewhere, anywhere, and in James McFadden, St Johnstone looked to have the most likely candidate to provide it.

The erstwhile Scotland forward, though, lasted only until the 48th minute before trooping off disconsolately, having sustained a hamstring injury. McFadden once said he would never sign for a club that played on an artificial surface but for once the pitch was not to blame.

He had looked sprightly enough in the first half, creating two of the better chances of an otherwise humdrum affair. He steered a volley on target after David Wotherspoon bamboozled Westlake before crossing to the back post. McFadden's shot crept past Craig Samson but not the diligent Mark Connolly who hoofed it off the line. There was one more moment of McFadden magic before he departed, a flick from a Wotherspoon corner kissing the crossbar. It was about the closest either side came to a goal from open play.

Kilmarnock had a shot on target within the first minute - Robbie Muirhead's effort was saved by Alan Mannus - but it would prove something of a false dawn. Josh Magennis had an effort deflected over by Steven Anderson and Chris Chantler fizzed in an effort that required intervention by Mannus, but beyond that they looked largely bereft of ideas.

Even when Mannus vacated his goal, Kilmarnock couldn't take advantage. Tope Obadeyi beat the goalkeeper to a long ball but his cross went beyond Magennis, who was waiting to turn it into the empty net, and fell to substitute Rory McKenzie who lashed it well off target.

Rugby Park groaned in frustration. St Johnstone were marginally more inventive but, like their hosts, were hardly raining shots on goal. A Simon Lappin free-kick that Samson paddled away was a rare example of a goalbound effort, but the decisive penalty kept their good run going. "It was an excellent performance," said manager Tommy Wright. "In the second half we controlled the game and looked like the team who would win it. Fortunately we did."