Aberdeen stretched their unbeaten Clydesdale Bank League run to six games with Gary McDonald's late equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

In an absorbing game played in occasionally atrocious conditions, Killie striker Conor Sammon missed a sitter just after the break before Danny Invincibile gave the home side a 77th-minute lead, which at that point they had deserved.

However, the visitors fought back and six minutes from the end Killie goalkeeper Mark Brown fumbled a Charlie Mulgrew free-kick down at his left-hand post and McDonald, a former Rugby Park midfielder, gleefully knocked the ball into the empty net from close range.

In the 18th minute Jamie Langfield misjudged Jamie Hamill's long, hopeful punt into his box following a cleared corner. The Aberdeen goalkeeper allowed Killie defender Steven Old to beat him to the aerial challenge 10 yards out and was relieved to see the ball hit the top of the crossbar before going over.

Then it was Aberdeen's turn to hit woodwork when Brown tipped a close-range shot from Michael Paton on to the crossbar and over, following a terrific inswinging free-kick from Mulgrew which had the Rugby Park defence in all sorts of trouble.

The second half resumed in awkward fashion but in the 49th minute, after Mulgrew had been penalised for a foul on Sammon 30 yards from goal, Langfield had to throw himself to his left to keep Hay's curling free-kick from creeping in at the near post.

In the 51st minute Sammon missed a great chance to grab the opener. David Fernandez took a pass from Hamill and raced into the box before knocking the ball inside to the unmarked Irishman, who was barely seven yards out. However, with the Killie fans on their feet ready to celebrate the opener, Sammon mis-hit his shot and the ball hit Langfield before bouncing past for a corner, which the Dons defended.

In the 76th minute Allan Russell replaced Fernandez to make his first appearance of the season and a minute later he set up the opener for Invincibile. As Killie broke against a threadbare Dons defence, Russell rolled the ball to the Australian who drove powerfully under Langfield from just inside the box.

Aberdeen levelled in the 84th minute through McDonald after Brown had fumbled a Mulgrew free-kick into his path only three yards from goal.

There was still time for Langfield to make a crucial save from Russell before Brown made a fine block from Maguire at the other end in a barnstorming finale.