text: They were armed with weapons when they entered their victim's home at 22:45 on Thursday.
  The 29-year-old suffered head and body injuries in the incident, which spilled out on to the street outside the property in Herbertson Crescent.
  Det Con Gavin McKellar appealed for help in tracing the attackers, who were wearing balaclavas.
  "This is a quiet area and we do believe that the attack was targeted, however, even so, this was a vicious attack on the man," he said.
  The injured man managed to get help from a neighbour before he was taken to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock by ambulance.
  Det Con McKellar added: "Quite a few people came to the aid of the man but we still need to speak to anyone who was in the area and who saw the two suspects making off.
  "We believe they may have got into a small black car in Tollerton Drive and then drove off.
  "We want to hear from anyone who saw the two of them together, putting on or taking off their masks, or if they saw them hanging about prior to the attack either in the car or on foot."
  Police do not know whether the pair, who were wearing dark clothing, were male or female.
target: Police are hunting two masked attackers who launched a "vicious" assault on a man in his own home in Irvine.