Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies could not hide his delight after a solitary goal by Kevin Kyle against Inverness confirmed the club's Clydesdale Bank Premier League status for another season.

Kyle scored with 10 minutes left to delight the home supporters in the 6,096 crowd at Rugby Park although the visitors will feel unlucky not to have collected at least a point.

Jefferies could hardly contain his joy at the score which helped his side to safety and said: "It wasn't a great game but it was a great result for us. This was always going to be a tough match."

The long-serving Killie managed underlined it had been a tough season for so many clubs in the SPL, saying: "It's not often that five teams are involved in a relegation battle at this stage in the season. There has been no bad team in the league."

Killie were outplayed for long periods of the match and only after Inverness had dominated the home side did they get the break that won the game.

It came as no surprise Kyle was again the hero, getting on the end of Gary Hay's cross to score from close range.

Jefferies heaped praise on the striker, who has been touted for a return to the international set-up.

He said: "He has come good at the right time. And I think he can be even better next season.

"He has not trained since Wednesday and he took an injection. I said to the physio before the game, that he was like Charlton Heston in El Cid."