Kilmarnock must match Falkirk's never-say-die attitude - Lee Clark

Lee Clark has been Kilmarnock manager since February

Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark is warning his side they must match the never-say-die attitude of Falkirk if they are to retain their Premiership status.

The sides meet on Thursday and Sunday in the Premiership play-off final.

Falkirk scored in stoppage time to defeat Hibernian in Friday's semi-final and Clark knows Peter Houston's side will battle to the final whistle again.

"That is certainly what they will be doing and that is what I will be demanding from my team," he said.

Clark would not be surprised if the final against the side who finished runners-up in the Championship went all the way to a penalty shoot-out.

"I wouldn't put it past it with the team I saw last week," he told BBC Scotland. "No matter what the scoreline is, they never give in.

"It doesn't matter what has happened in the first-leg, it doesn't matter the situation in the second-leg, the game is going to have to go to that final kick of that final ball."

Despite Kilmarnock struggling for most of the season, and a 4-2 defeat by Dundee United in their final league game at the weekend, Clark insists the atmosphere around Rugby Park is far from doom and gloom.

Falkirk defeated Hibs 3-2 in their play-off semi-final on Friday

"Really positive," he insisted. "We know that we are approaching two big games, two cup finals in every sense of the word.

"There is a freshness about the players who will be performing in those games because of my decision at the weekend."

Clark rested several of his squad for the match against relegated United.

"It is crystal clear what is required and the players are looking forward to the challenge," he said.

"Of course, it is not where the club set out to be at the start of the season.

"We have two cup finals, we have to get a positive result to stay in the division and then we can move forward as a club and I can have my first opportunity to put some sort of stamp on the group in terms of my recruitment process and then we push on and never have this situation again.

"The club for the last three or four years has been fighting this sort of thing and sooner or later you need to heed the warning or it does not improve. So that is what we are looking to do."