Aberdeen got off to the perfect start, when a flowing move saw
Miller flick a header into the path of Mackie, who in turn shifted the
ball to Clark on the left wing.
The Dons midfielder moved into the penalty area, only to be
fouled by Sylla and Nicholson slotted the resultant spot-kick low into the
bottom right-hand corner of Combe's goal.
Shortly afterwards, Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies was adamant
Russell Anderson should have been punished for a foul on Colin Nish just
outside Aberdeen's 18-yard-box, but it was questionable whether there was
any serious contact made between the two players.
Nicholson's strike may have given the hosts an early advantage,
but it also served to turn this game into an extremely scrappy affair,
where both teams squandered possession far too easily.
Nish eventually registered Kilmarnock's first shot on target in
the 37th minute, but his powerful drive was easily gathered by Jamie
Langfield.
However, Aberdeen took control as the half progressed and when
Nicholson's cross reached Miller six minutes before the break, the Dons
striker was extremely unfortunate to see Combe push his header on to the
post, before Gordon Greer hacked the ball away.
One minute later, a Nicholson corner was met with a header from
Anderson.
Had it not been for Gary Locke knocking the ball off
Kilmarnock's line, Aberdeen would have taken a two-goal lead into the
break.
It took only four minutes for Aberdeen to double their
advantage after the restart though, as Richard Foster's cross from the
left wing travelled all the way to Jamie Smith at the back post.
When the winger knocked a pass across the six yard box, Miller
was on hand to smash the ball high into the Kilmarnock goal.
The visitors had replaced Sylla with Willie Gibson for the
start of the second half and, thanks to a strong surge by the substitute,
they almost pulled one back in the 53rd minute.
Gibson's low cross was only flicked up into the air by the
right arm of Langfield, but when the ball broke to Nish the striker
aimlessly volleyed over the bar.
The game was over as a contest not long after though, as
absolutely catastrophic mistake from Combe gifted Aberdeen a third goal.
The Killie keeper did well to gather a drive from Nicholson
but, in attempting a quick throw out, succeeded only in striking the back
of Mackie's head with the ball, which bounced directly into the net.
Aberdeen came close to scoring a fourth goal with 10 minutes
remaining, when Zander Diamond's header from Nicholson's cross was pushed
away by Combe - who went someway towards redeeming himself from his
shocking error.
Kilmarnock retaliated with a header from Steven Naismith, which
was parried by Langfield.
But, try as they might, the side from Rugby Park were all out
of luck in this game.
