Head coach Grant Scott reflected on a “massive” three points after his St Johnstone stars found second half form at Rugby Park.
Laura Wight had given the Perth side the lead against Kilmarnock but Eva Gray levelled for the hosts just before the interval.
Scott urged his players to step it up a level after the break and his players duly delivered - running out 4-1 Scottish Women's Premier League 2 winners.
Leia Glading, Brodie Clark and Fern Newbigging hit the back of the net in the second half to secure a very important three points.
“The result was massive for the players and I was really chuffed for them,” Scott said. “It was a great three points away from home.
“It probably wasn’t quite a fair reflection on the game as Kilmarnock had a really good spell in the first half. They put us under real pressure and we struggled a little to get into the game.
“Despite going in front, we were fortunate to be 1-1 at half-time. We questioned the girls at half-time because we were convinced they could do better. They had to prove that.
“And they gave us everything in the second half. We got the reaction we were looking for. The value of three points to us right now is massive.”
While Saints didn’t create a host of clear-cut chances on the day, they were clinical and that is what counted.
Scott said: “Being honest we didn’t have 20 or so chances. We had six or seven and managed to bury four of them. That is not a bad ratio.
“I’d like us to be a bit more comfortable with the ball in possession but when you convert four goals, you can’t grumble.
“Kilmarnock is a really tricky place to go. They absolutely hammered us for half an hour but we again showed great fight.”
The three-point haul edges fifth-placed Saints within striking distance of both Kilmarnock and Boroughmuir in the league standings.
“We truly believe we have a squad that should be higher up in the division, but you need to work for it,” Scott told the PA.
“We’ve pulled Kilmarnock in a bit and Boroughmuir lost on Sunday, so we’re only two points behind them. There will be bumps along the way but the targets we’re setting the players are realistic.”
An all-round tougher challenge awaits Saints this weekend when they welcome top-tier Hibs to Perth in the Scottish Cup.
“It’s a whole different proposition for us,” Scott said. “We’ll set the team up to keep us in the game as long as we can.
“Hibs knock the ball about great and play with pace. We’ll need to be careful but it’s a challenge you need to embrace.”
