Scottish Premiership: Dundee 1-1 Kilmarnock

Dundee's chances of finishing in seventh place in the Premeirship suffered a blow after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Kilmarnock.

Rory Loy gave the home side a first-half lead with a header after dominating proceedings.

They had chances to increase their lead, the best of which fell to Loy, but he could not find a second.

And Conrad Balatoni earned Kilmarnock a draw with a second-half header from Craig Slater's free-kick.

Kilmarnock know they can finish no better than 11th and face a play-off next week against either Hibernian or Falkirk to remain in the top flight next season.

The home side began brightly with the carrot of a seventh-place finish still very much within their grasp.

Greg Stewart fired in a free-kick from an angle that evaded the Killie defence, but the ball cannoned off the legs of goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald in the visitors' goal and the danger was cleared.

The home fans didn't have to wait too long for the opener as Paul Hartley's side took command.

Nick Ross floated a ball into the box and Loy glanced a header beyond MacDonald into the top corner of the net.

It was Loy's ninth goal of what has been an injury-interrupted season for the former Falkirk striker.

Kilmarnock's Stuart Findlay was having a torrid time at left-back as he tried to keep tags on the impressive again Stewart.

There was a scare for the home side when a Ross pass back looked destined to head into the bottom corner of Scott Bain's goal, but the keeper scampered along the line to clear.

Loy should have doubled Dundee's lead before the break when clean through on goal but a heavy touch took the ball into the path of MacDonald and the chance was gone.

Kilmarnock looked a different proposition after their half-time cup of tea and the small band of supporters who had made their way up from Ayrshire were rewarded with an equaliser.

Balatoni soared above the home defence as a free-kick was floated into the box and nodded the ball beyond Bain into the net.

The goal woke up the home side who almost responded instantly but Darren O'Dea's header was cleared off the line by Miles Addison.

Dundee always looked lively going forward and substitute Arturo Juan-Perez chipped the ball over as he looked to restore the lead for the home side.

Loy was next to try his luck on goal but again he was denied by a wonderful save by MacDonald and as Stewart looked set to fire the rebound home Balatoni cleared the six yard box.

Dundee had the final chance of the game but not for the first time MacDonald denied Arturo and both teams finished with one point apiece.

Dundee boss Paul Hartley: "We had enough chances to win the game by four or five goals, especially in the first half when the game should have been out of sight.

"The first half was excellent - our combination play, our movement - but everything in the second half wasn't quite the same.

"We lost a really bad goal. We didn't defend the ball in the box. You've got to pick people up."

Kilmarnock boss Lee Clark: "We were very, very disappointed in our performance in that first half. It was very lethargic, very flat and nothing like what we had based some of our previous performances on.

"But we had a good conversation at half-time and came out much, much better. We got the goal and had other opportunities to score.

"However, when the players can produce what they did in the second half, you have to put that first-half display down to a mental situation because it was such a huge difference.

"We are not a group who can switch off like that. Our success has come off the back of real hard work and organisation. But we won't start like that again."