SO contrasting was the body language at New Douglas Park yesterday that you had to remind yourself that it is Hamilton, and not Kilmarnock, who retain a four-point advantage in the race to avoid the dreaded play-offs. "Hamilton Accies, we're coming for you," sang a sizeable and jubilant visiting support, after their heroes - seemingly playing without a care in the world - racked up this emphatic four-goal victory.

Having performed party tricks with a bouncing ball in the technical area during the match, afterwards manager Lee Clark was performing a variation of the Ronny Roar. Hamilton, on the other hand, trudged off to a soundtrack of jeers and catcalls from disgruntled fans, with the PA announcer taking it upon himself to withhold the man of the match award because "quite frankly, none of them deserved it".

In fact Ziggy Gordon was quietly given this bauble later on, but the end result is that it is very much game on in the race to avoid finishing 11th. Kilmarnock now sit just four points behind the Accies, with an eight-goal swing also leaving the Rugby Park side with a superior goal difference. Victory against Partick at Rugby Park next week would also drag the Maryhill side back into the mire, while anything but a United win would see Dundee relegate their city rivals on Monday night. While Clark was cautious afterwards, this was night and day from last week, when they had self-destructed at home to Inverness.

"We still have it all to do, we are not getting excited, we are four points behind Hamilton so they are still in charge," he said. "But if we can get three wins from three, which is a big ask but one that we certainly can do it if we play to that sort of level, we give ourselves a great opportunity to get out of where we are. When they perform like that it makes you wonder what has gone on before and why we are in this predicament."

There is always a grim fascination about survival scraps like these in the nether regions of the Ladbrokes Premiership. Hamilton had it in their power to condemn the Ayrshire side to that fate immediately but it was Kilmarnock who prospered in the pressure.

Rangers assistant manager David Weir was in attendance - perhaps casting his eye over Accies goalkeeper Michael McGovern - but it was the likes of Greg Kiltie and Craig Slater who stole the show. Kilmarnock made a positive start, with a Slater cross being met inadvertantly by the backtracking Darian McKinnon, who sent the ball over McGovern and off the bar. The Northern Ireland stopper was quickly up to defy Kiltie from the rebound.

The 19-year-old won the next two duels, though, even if the first goal contained a generous slice of controversy. Hamilton complained bitterly that lineswoman Kylie McMullan had missed the ball going out for a goal kick before Rory McKenzie kept it alive. While some amongst the home side made the cardinal sin of stopping, Kiltie sensed the opportunity and lashed it into the top corner.

"I know, for the first goal, that the ball was out," said Canning afterwards. "We have seen it back and it is about a yard out. We shouldn't have stopped. You've got to play until the whistle. But it was so clearly out they thought the officials wouldn't miss it."

This match soon became a question of how many, as the visitors racked up the goals and the home team picked up silly bookings. The lead was doubled when Kiltie and Kris Boyd worked a sweet one-two on the edge of the area and the youngster finished smartly. The third came from the penalty spot, just before the hour mark, Boyd converting expertly after Lucas Tagliapetra used an arm to clear. Josh Magennis had one ruled out for offside before he was credited with the fourth, a low shot from a Kiltie cross which bobbled around between McGovern and Danny Redmond before rolling apologetically into the corner.

Hamilton 0 Kilmarnock 4 (Kiltie 13, 33, Boyd 58 pen, Magennis 78)