Rugby Park has been a dark place this season. The home fans had just one victory – four months ago – to enjoy and watched seven defeats in their last eight on their own patch.
As a result they would have been rubbing their eyes in disbelief after 16 minutes as they swarmed around Aberdeen with ferocity and conviction.
Liam Polworth had already missed a virtually open goal before captain Lyons glanced in Kiltie’s superb cross from the right to give them a deserved lead.
In keeping with their start, they gave Aberdeen no time to recover as they immediately pressed high and got the ball up to John-Jules, who laid it to Anderson to flash a low shot past goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov.
John-Jules’ slick first-time finish from Anderson’s low delivery showed the confidence Kilmarnock played with – as did his overhead kick effort shortly after.
McCann hopes new faces in attack Findlay Curtis, on loan from Rangers, striker Joe Hugill, and winger Nicky Clescenco would inject energy and freshness.
And though Curtis and Hugill made good debuts from the bench, it was the core squad who showed they still have plenty of life this season under new leadership.