Brad Lyons completed a memorable week with the goal that took Kilmarnock into the Premier Sports Cup last eight.
The Killie skipper sealed a 2-1 victory over Dundee United at Rugby Park to set up a home quarter-final against St Mirren in five weeks’ time.
The midfielder was back in the team after missing the previous weekend’s draw with Hibernian after his wife went into labour.
And he made the difference in the 69th minute when he volleyed home from 12 yards after Lewis Mayo had headed substitute Greg Kiltie’s deep free-kick back into his path.
United had fought back from Marcus Dackers’ early opener as substitute Owen Stirton netted an equaliser.
But they suffered a second knockout of the week after exiting the Conference League on Thursday night following a penalty shootout defeat against Rapid Vienna.
United also sustained a further injury blow, having lost Zac Sapsford midway through the second leg against the Austrians. Another forward, Max Watters, went off injured in Ayrshire after appearing to jar his lower leg.
Manager Jim Goodwin made two changes from the team that started the European tie. Luca Stephenson came straight in after re-signing on loan from Liverpool, while Amar Fatah replaced Sapsford.
The United fans showed their support for on-loan Troyes player Fatah with a banner of his name after his missed penalty cost them a place in the play-offs.
Killie made a bright start, with 6ft 7in Dackers the focal point of their play. The striker held the ball up well and nearly got on the end of a dangerous cross from David Watson.
Dackers soon gave Killie the lead in the sixth minute.
Ben Brannan scored a goal-of-the-season contender at Easter Road last week and the wing-back produced what could be one of the best assists of the campaign.
Brannan’s diagonal ball over the top sent Dackers through and the former Salford forward guided the bouncing ball home.
United responded well with a number of balls into the box.
Ivan Dolcek fired wide from a crowded penalty box just before Stirton, who was on for Watters, notched an excellent striker’s goal following a 25th-minute break.
The 18-year-old took a neat touch from Fatah’s pass that took him beyond Robbie Deas and slotted home with his left foot.
The game settled down into a tighter affair, but Killie appeared to have the edge.
Deas and Brannan both shot narrowly over from half-chances before Lyons netted with a powerful strike.
Killie held firm as they extended their unbeaten run under new manager Stuart Kettlewell to seven games and nearly added to their lead when sub Bruce Anderson was denied by Yevhenii Kucherenko after latching on to Dackers’ header on.
