The Irishman's delivery resulted in the first shot on target as the ball found its way to Craig Bryson, but the midfielder's effort was tame.
Both sides struggled to find any fluency with basic errors creeping into their games and the flair players failing to show their skills.
Slovakian midfielder Maros Klimpl was spoiler-in-chief for the visiting side as he conceded a series of free-kicks to prevent Kilmarnock advancing.
The scrappy theme continued and the next real chance was again for the home side when Garry Hay clipped a ball into the box from the left, but Kyle couldn't get his giant frame on the end of it.
The ball just evaded the tall striker again in the box after 37 minutes when Mehdi Taouil fed left-back Hay and he delivered another decent cross.
Motherwell's best chance of the half arrived when
John Sutton drove forward from 25 yards and passed
to Stephen Hughes on the edge of the box.
The midfielder's curled cross was met by on-loan Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan, but he headed wide when he had time and space to do better.
It was Motherwell again who had the first real opportunity of the second half when Brian McLean's cross was flicked on by John Sutton and Jim O'Brien volleyed high over the Kilmarnock crossbar.
Mark Reynolds then earned the first booking of the match when he hauled back Taouil on the edge of the box, with the home side appealing for a penalty.
The resultant free-kick from David Fernandez was blocked and Hay sent the rebound yards over the bar.
Hay sent in another of his dangerous crosses just after the hour mark, but the unmarked Kyle could only head over.
Jim Jefferies' side were certainly the dominant team, but could not make their superiority count.
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee reshaped his line-up in a bid to make a breakthrough as he sent on Scotland squad striker David Clarkson for defender Brian McLean.
The visitors were defending well and Steven Hammell did well to head clear as Jamie Hamill threatened for Kilmarnock, then the action switched to the other end where Klimpl's powerful 25-yard effort flew just over.
Time was running out for either side to break the deadlock, but Kilmarnock did their best to change things.
Taouil sent in a dangerous corner from the right which Manuel Pascali got a strong header to, but Motherwell keeper Smith was alert to beat the ball away.
Defences were now getting stretched and Klipml bore down on goal after a decent run only to shoot straight at Kilmarnock custodian Alan Combe.
Motherwell had another chance to steal a late
victory when David Clarkson found space in the box
from a corner, but he shot well over and the game
ended scoreless.
Sandy's Match Pic's are HERE
