Kilmarnock

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Brad Lyons is determined to avoid another spell on the sidelines after coming back "stronger and hungrier" following his injury lay-off.

The midfielder missed nearly fourth months with a knee issue that saw Lyons undergo surgery in the longest spell out of his career.

“I don’t think I want to see a Wattbike ever again but big respect to the physios and I have to give a shout out to my girlfriend and Innes Cameron as well, and all the boys – the way they looked after me when it was in a leg brace and stuff it was so good," he said.

“At the start it was about mobility and then it was about getting strength and getting back running, but I feel like I’ve came by fitter and stronger and more hungry because obviously I’ve seen how well the boys have done in previous weeks. So I want to try and get back into that squad, never mind the team.”

“I’ve had a few injuries but this has been the most long-term one. I think it’ll be 15 weeks on Saturday since I have been out.

“I was out for two weeks and then I got an operation and I was in a leg brace for six weeks. So it was tough at times mentally but with all the boys around me it flew in."

Derek McInnes has hailed the mentality in his Kilmarnock squad this season.

The Killie boss believes the togetherness within the group has played a big part in their success so far.

“I am leaving here sometimes at 16:30/17:00 and they are still all in there," McInnes said.

“They have table tennis, card school and a darts board.

“Sometimes you are actually shooing them up the road, to get home.

“All the wives think I am the bad guy because they think we are doing double sessions and gym work.

“I am probably doing the players in here, but the gym work gets finished at 14:30/15:00.

“They are always around each other. A lot of lads live locally, a lot of lads who have come up from down south.

“It is good to see that and it has to be worked at.”

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• St Johnstone have won seven of their last 10 meetings with Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership (D1 L2). Prior to this run, they had failed to score in each of their six previous league games against Kilmarnock (D2 L4).

• Kilmarnock have lost their last four away league games against St Johnstone. Stephen O'Donnell scored in a 1-0 victory in August 2019 the last time they won at McDiarmid Park.

• After beating Hibernian 2-1 last weekend, St Johnstone could win back-to-back league games for the first time since October/November 2022 (run of three). The first two wins of that run were against Hibernian and then Kilmarnock.

• Kilmarnock have drawn their last four away league games. The last side to draw five top-flight away games in a row were Dundee United between November 2010 and January 2011.

• Adama Sidibeh has scored in both of his last two league games. The last player to score in three successive Scottish Premiership appearances for St Johnstone was Michael O'Halloran in August 2017.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes hopes Marley Watkins will follow Brad Lyons, Rory McKenzie and David Watson in signing a new deal at Rugby Park. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip

Kilmarnock are away to St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, as they look to move a step closer to European football next season.

Who would you like to see start for Derek McInnes' side?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your Killie XI here.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has challenged his players to "achieve something special" with just six leagues games remaining.

The Rugby Park outfit sit fourth in the Scottish Premiership and are on course to secure a European spot, a far cry from their 10th-placed finish last season.

“There wasn’t a lot of enjoyment last season,” McInnes said.

“I think there was an enjoyment in how we finished the season in terms of getting the job done, but this season has been the opposite of that.

“I want us all to enjoy this part of the campaign, but nobody enjoys losing games so we have to keep the shoulder to the wheel, keep doing what we are doing and hopefully we can achieve something special.

“To get top six was good, to do it with two games to spare was brilliant, but where we are in the league now it is important we try to finish the job off.

“We are sitting fourth at the minute, that would guarantee us that European spot; it is important we try to hold on to it.

“The players have been outstanding, they are really punching above their weight, really going above and beyond in level of performances. We want to finish the job and we have six games to do that.”

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Killie continued to spread the feelgood factor around town with a crucial three points at home to Ross County.

We have tripped up so many times in the past when we've gone into games as the favourites, so the win was vital, especially as results elsewhere went very much in our favour.

We have now put ourselves in a great league position, so much so that anything worse than a fourth-place finish will feel like a disappointment.

My Saturday night was spent attending the superb Kilmarnock FC Supporters Association player of the year dance. Matty Kennedy was the deserving winner, while David Watson won the young player award.

Both players have been nothing short of outstanding in the current campaign and have played key roles in helping us climb the table.

We travel to Perth on Saturday for the final match before the split. Confidence should be sky high, so I fancy our away record will get a three-point boost in front of a large travelling support.

Sandy Armour is editor of the Killie Hippo fanzine.

Stuart Findlay has been named in Sportscene presenter Jonathan Sutherland's Team of the Week for his role in Kilmarnock's 1-0 win over Ross County.

Findlay was assured at the back and barely allowed County a sniff of goal.

On today's episode of the Scottish Football Podcast, Liam McLeod is joined by Kenny Miller and Alan Stubbs.

They discuss Sunday's Old Firm thriller and look back on an action-packed Saturday in the Scottish Premiership.

Listen to the episode in full here.

The Sportscene team discuss whether Ross County goalkeeper George Wickens should have kept out Kyle Vassell's winner for Kilmarnock.

(Available to UK users only)

Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Rugby Park

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Kyle Vassell says Derek McInnes taught how him to flourish as Kilmarnock captain after netting his 10th goal of the season.

The striker has his sights firmly set on Europe with the Rugby Park side five points clear in fourth place courtesy of their win over Ross County.

“It’s a lovely feeling scoring a goal but at this stage of the season the important thing is winning games,” said the 31 year-old.

“I had a poor touch but I thought I’d try and hit it as hard as possible and fortunately I think the goalkeeper was a bit unsighted and it managed to go through him. The windy conditions were brutal at times.

“Being captain has been tough and challenging but Derek has coached me through it brilliantly, as he was a skipper himself in his career. There have been times I’ve not known how to handle situations but he’s taken me under his wing and makes it easy for me.

“Playing European football has been an ambition of mine for a long time and it was a big part of me signing a long-term deal here, to try and push this club to do that. A couple more wins will hopefully do it.

While Vassell is signed up until the 2025, strike partner Marley Watkins' deal expires in the summer, though the captain says he's encouraging the Welshman to sign a new contract.

“Marley Watkins and I have a great relationship and I’m quietly in his ear [about signing a contract extension]. I’ll always say you have to do what’s best for your family, but I’m quietly in his ear.”

We asked for your thoughts on Kilmarnock's confident defeat of Ross County at Rugby Park.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Derek: Very challenging conditions today, but brilliant to come out on top again. What Derek and the players have done this season, particularly in Ayrshire, has been absolutely fantastic - and it definitely feels like fourth spot is in their grasp now. A win next week and it's assured in my opinion.

Scott: One of those games where the elements determined the pattern of play for both teams and fortunately we came out on top thanks to a Vassell wonder-strike. That’s us three points closer to securing fourth and a European place.

Anon: Superb team togetherness, a level of quality all through the squad and belief is there for all to see. Won against physical opposition and the weather today, missing players and our captain playing through the pain with an injury.

Adam: Another three points, fantastic result and a great goal by Vassell. Thought we maybe should have introduced subs a bit earlier and used them all! But credit to those who battled hard for a result.

Robert: Obviously delighted with the result and we were by far the better team. However the conditions completely spoiled the event. There has to be a level where extreme winds should result in a postponement.

Cheryl: It was a very slow burner but we got the crucial three points in the end.

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• Kilmarnock have scored in their last 14 games in the Scottish Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 19 games from 26 November 2017 to 14 April 2018.

• Ross County have failed to score in 16 of their 32 games, only Livingston (17) have failed to score more often in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Kyle Vassell has contributed to goals in his last three games in the Scottish Premiership (three goals, one assist).

• Ross County have failed to win in their last 44 matches when conceding the opening goal in the Scottish Premiership dating back to 26 February 2022 against St Johnstone.

• Kilmarnock have scored in their last nine Scottish Premiership home games.

• Ross County have stopped the opposition from scoring a first-half goal in 19 of their 32 games, only Hearts (23) and Celtic (25) have done this more often in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Killie fans, what did you make of another home win?

Are you already digging out your passport in anticipation of a European adventure?

Let us know.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland: "It was pretty arduous out there. We had to really reinforce the need for concentration.

"I thought we had more control of the game. It was a great finish from Kyle [Vassell]. It's just about managing the game and seeing it out. I thought we just about deserved to win the game.

"Kyle leads by example. He's always ready to play. He gets to double figures, which is great. That front four has a lot of potency about it. It's pleasing we got back to a clean sheet.

"Complacency is the devil. We're doing a lot of god things, we never have a lazy day. We probably need a couple more wins to secure European football. That's the intention."

On the possibility of extending Marley Watkins deal, he said: "We spoke to Marley and we're just trying to get things agreed. It's not always straight forward. Marley's baby partner and baby are down in Brighton. He's made a lot of sacrifices to be here, but he's also had a lot of reward. We're keen to try and keep Marley.

"We don't anticipate too much change for next season. Even a couple of the loan players, we'd like to keep. There's a few out of contract we'd like to keep. Hopefully we can come back with European football to look forward to, which is massive carrot for players. That's part of the selling point now.

Sean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Derek McInnes demanded his players don't let complacency kick in after they sealed a place in the top six with a draw at Tynecastle last weekend.

While it wasn't a free-flowing performance by any means, the guts and desire that has characterised their charge up the table this term were on full display.

Results went their way to add to the feelgood factor that has transformed the Ayrshire side from this time last year.

They may not have sorted their troubles on their travels, but Kilmarnock's home form has been sensational - and could well be the reason they get their passports out in the summer.

Stuart Findlay (right) made sure County barely got a sniff with a confident and assured performance reminiscent of his previous spells in Ayrshire.

Danny Armstrong also provided his usual menace, while Kyle Vassell deserves credit for finding the winner, albeit courtesy of a George Wickens blunder.

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Kilmarnock fans are getting used to seeing the same starting line-up, and it's another unchanged team for Derek McInnes.

Corrie Ndaba continues on the bench as Robbie Deas covers at left-back.

• Follow our live coverage

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Kilmarnock: Dennis, Mayo, Wright, Findlay, Deas, Armstrong, Donnelly, Polworth, Kennedy, Watkins, Vassell.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Ndaba, McKenzie, Balagizi, Watson, Cameron, Stewart, Mackay-Steven, Van Veen.

Ross County: Wickens, Efete, Baldwin, Ayina, Leak, Reid, Randall, King, Murray, White, Brophy.

Substitutes: Laidlaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Brown, Dhanda, Sims, Sheaf, Loturi, Harmon, Khela.