IT may have been a weekend for reflection but there is one moment from Saturday afternoon that Rocco Quinn will still be trying to banish from his bonce.

The incident occurred at around 3.43pm. The Ross County midfielder, who until that point had enjoyed an incident-free return to his former stamping ground, was gifted the opportunity to score the Dingwall club's first ever competitive goal at Rugby Park. Kilmarnock's Ryan O'Leary slipped while attempting to intercept the ball, leaving Quinn free to run in on goal and pick his spot.

Unfortunately for him – as well as Derek Adams, the Ross County manager – the 26-year-old failed to read the script and shanked his right-foot shot wide from the edge of the area, letting Kilmarnock off the hook and affording them the opportunity to regroup for the second half. It was the sort of chance that Quinn's former club obligingly converted on more than one occasion in the 45 minutes that followed.

"It wasn't meant to be," said the former Celtic youth player. "It was a good chance. I think O'Leary has just tried to clear the ball and it broke to me. I choked the shot a bit. There wasn't a bobble or anything.

"Chances are harder to come by in the SPL. Kilmarnock are a very decent side, they play some lovely stuff at times. It is hard to get the ball back when you lose it, so when you get it and create chances it's important that you take them."

If only he had. At the point when Quinn fluffed his line just seconds before the break, their hosts had grown weary and frustrated that they were not able to play the free-flowing football on which their manager, Kenny Shiels, prides himself.

However, his front line, rejuvenated by long-term absentee Paul Heffernan returning to the starting line-up for the first time since March, were not to misfire in the second act as they had done earlier.

Three goals in a spellbinding 16 minutes, including a brace for the Irishman, as well as a 25-yard thunderbolt from the dynamo that is Gary Harkins, highlighted just the sort of potent force the Rugby Park side could be this season if Heffernan, Cillian Sheridan and Borja Perez combine.

There was little respite for Ross County in the second period as Kilmarnock slowly turned they screw, with Harkins and Liam Kelly dictating play in the middle of the park, allowing the front three to use their abilities to decisive effect.

The victory took them up to fifth place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table before yesterday slipping back to sixth after St Johnstone's draw with Celtic.

And, despite the row between Shiels and the Scottish Football Association's head of referee development John Fleming looking likely to rumble on, fans of the Ayrshire club may look to the next three games – against Dundee United, St Johnstone and Dundee – with a renewed sense of optimism. What a difference a week can make.

"We played quite well, passed the ball well and created plenty of chances," said Harkins, quick to play down claims by Adams that Kilmarnock opted for a more direct approach in the second half. "I've never heard the gaffer tell us to go long ball. He's never said that in his life. We have had arguments with goalies in training, all sorts of arguments over long balls, so there was no chance of that."