Dundee United are now officially one game away from relegation after Kilmarnock turned on the style against Hamilton Accies.
The result means the Tangerines will be relegated unless they can go to rivals Dundee on Monday night and secure what, on current form, looks an unlikely victory.
United are now 11 points behind Killie with only four games left – meaning even a draw at Dens will not be enough to spare them the drop to the Championship.
An early goal from Greg Kiltie set Killie on their way, and he added another just after the half-hour mark before Kris Boyd (penalty) and Josh Magennis sealed victory in the second half.
Kiltie’s 11th-minute opener was hotly contested as Accies claimed the ball had gone out seconds earlier but there was no doubt about who deserved to win.
The result means Killie are four points off Accies with three games left of the Ladbrokes Premiership season.
Kilmarnock took the initiative and their work-rate and purposeful attacking resulted in a one-sided encounter.
Fit-again midfielder Craig Slater was highly influential with his energy, determination and skill and he set up Killie’s first chance inside 30 seconds, winning the ball and running down the right wing before crossing. Darian MacKinnon’s header bounced off his own bar but Michael McGovern blocked from Kiltie from point-blank range.
Kiltie soon got his goal. Rory McKenzie got in between two Hamilton players to cut the ball back for Kiltie to fire into the top corner from 15 yards but Accies were adamant that the ball had gone out.
MacKinnon, who was closest to the incident, was booked for his animated protests, which involved grabbing hold of McKenzie as he remonstrated with referee Craig Thomson before sprinting over to assistant Kylie McMullan along with several team-mates and manager Martin Canning.
Kilmarnock, backed by 1,360 vocal away fans, continued to close Accies down and their application was rewarded in the 32nd minute.
The Hamilton defence could not get the ball away and Boyd’s reverse pass played in Kiltie, who lifted the ball over the onrushing McGovern. The home fans demanded McMullan raise her offside flag but there were no protests from the players.
Kilmarnock right-back Mark O’Hara was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after a straight-leg challenge on Antons Kurakins as Hamilton tried to push forward.
Kilmarnock goalkeeper Conor Brennan, in for the suspended Jamie MacDonald, made his first save in first-half injury-time, a smart one-handed stop from Ali Crawford.
The other assistant referee, Mark McLean, punished Accies in the 58th minute as he signalled for a penalty for handball as Lucas Tagliapietra battled Magennis for a ball into the channel. Boyd sent McGovern the wrong way from the spot.
Boyd’s strike meant Killie had eradicated a six-goal disadvantage in the goal difference stakes and Kilmarnock set about adding to their haul. McKenzie shot just over the top corner and Magennis had a headed goal disallowed for offside as Accies looked in danger of losing their discipline. Dougie Imrie, Carlton Morris, Ziggy Gordon, Antons Kurakins followed MacKinnon and Tagliapietra, cautioned for the handball, into the book.
The Killie fans looked content to spend the rest of the game chanting for the removal of director Michael Johnston but they were celebrating again in the 77th minute.
Kiltie got in behind Gordon and cut the ball back for Magennis, whose shot squirmed in off Northern Ireland team-mate McGovern.
