Kilmarnock

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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This was a valuable victory for Kilmarnock and Derek McInnes, who made five changes to his team in response to the 5-1 hammering by St Mirren last week, a fourth defeat in five games which set alarm bells ringing.

Such was the tension created after that loss, a smattering of fans held up a banner as the teams emerged at Rugby Park which read: 'Relegation Pending'.

But after a scrappy start it was Killie who got the crucial breakthrough.

They won the ball on the edge of the Motherwell box, Bobby Wales lashed a low shot off a post and when the visitors panicked, they pounced.

Danny Armstrong laid it across goal, and goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe parried the ball to Murray, who slotted home.

The red card for Kofi Balmer was a gift, but one Kilmarnock gleefully accepted as they pressed home their advantage.

The only disappointment is they did not score more goals, and that Dundee below them also registered a victory in the battle to avoid the drop.

The return of Stuart Findlay to the defence and captain and striker Kyle Vassell to the bench are big boosts for McInnes for the run in.

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Kilmarnock skipper Kyle Vassell (ankle) and Kyle Magennis (knee) remain sidelined while on-loan Leicester defender Tom Wilson-Brown has picked up a knock.

Motherwell are without the ill Liam Gordon, while Marvin Kaleta returned to training on Thursday after injury and illness.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (broken wrist), Shane Blaney, Sam Nicholson (both knee), Jack Vale (Achilles), Steve Seddon (ankle), Ross Callachan (hamstring), Paul McGinn (thigh), Zach Robinson (Achilles) and Archie Mair (hand) remain sidelined for Well.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stuart Findlay hopes his return to fitness can coincide with an upturn in Kilmarnock's form as they look to pull away from the Premiership relegation battle.

Derek McInnes' side are 10th in the league, one point above Dundee in the play-off and six above bottom club St Johnstone with two matches until the split.

Killie host Motherwell on Saturday and having come off the bench in last weekend's heavy defeat by St Mirren, Findlay is ready to make his first start in five months.

"I've trained well in the last couple of weeks, everything's going well," the 29-year-old defender said.

"It'll be between the manager and the physio staff if they think I'm ready to start.

"If they deem that I'm ready and the manager wants to select me, then happy days, but we'll see how that goes by the end of the week.

"I'm feeling good and I'm really excited to try and get back out there and start helping the team more than I've been able to in the last couple of months.

"It's a case of how can I help the team? How can everybody that's coming back from fitness help the team and get ourselves all together and put a good run of performances and results together between now and the end of the season?"

While Findlay was delighted to make his first appearance since suffering ligament damage against Dundee in November, he says the performance and result in Paisley was unacceptable.

"It was a massive personal milestone for me to get back into the playing squad," he said.

"It's been a long old road since I got injured at Dens. There's no point beating around the bush, it was definitely not the result or performance that we wanted.

"We've got a good opportunity back at home to get three points on the board and I think we're all ready to set the record straight after last week."

How the Killie Cheerleaders are an integral part of the matchday experience at Rugby Park.

This segment is taken from the Friday, 4 April episode of A View From The Terrace. Watch on iPlayer or BBC Scotland at 22:30 BST.

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• Since the start of 2024, all three league meetings between Kilmarnock and Motherwell have been drawn.

• Motherwell are winless in their last five league visits to Kilmarnock (D2 L3) since a 1-0 victory in February 2021 under Graham Alexander.

• Kilmarnock have lost four of their past five league games (D1), as many as their previous 13 beforehand (W5 D4 L4).

• Only Kilmarnock (11) have lost more away games in the Scottish Premiership this season than Motherwell (10). The Steelmen have lost six of their past eight league matches on the road (W1 D1).

• Bruce Anderson has scored nine goals in the Scottish Premiership this season, and could become the first player to reach double figures in his debut top-flight campaign for Kilmarnock since 2011-12, when both Dean Shiels (13) and Paul Heffernan (11) did so.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Derek McInnes says Kilmarnock are not "sucking our thumbs and feeling sorry for ourselves" as they attempt to rebound from the hammering at St Mirren by easing relegation worries this weekend.

The 5-1 loss in Paisley means Killie have suffered four defeats in a five-game winless run and are just a point above second-bottom Dundee.

"It was a sore one for us, now it's all about the response," said McInnes, whose side host Motherwell on Saturday.

"We've had some good results, last year we were celebrating there with the supporters, finishing fourth and securing a European spot. It was tough for the supporters on Saturday, it was tough for us all.

"I was gutted when I saw the Killie end empty as quickly as it did. But we're not feeling sorry for ourselves, we're not rolling over sucking our thumbs and thinking everything's against us."

The Killie boss is confident his players are up to the challenge, and says his experience will stand him in good stead for the remaining seven games of the season.

"I've worked with these players long enough now, I trust the players. I think no matter what people say, these boys care," he added.

"These are the boys that exceeded expectations last season, so I think they're deserving of a bit of trust, and certainly I trust how I work and how we work together as players.

"I've had a lot of good times as a manager, a lot of real highlights, and it's been more good than not.

"But I understand management, it can't always be sunshine and rainbows. You've got to make sure that you get through the tough games and the tough times."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before Kilmarnock's Premiership game with Motherwell this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Rugby Park boss:

• McInnes is confident he'll get the desired response from his team after the "sore" 5-1 drubbing by St Mirren and insists: "We're not feeling sorry for ourselves, we're not rolling over, sucking our thumbs and thinking everything's against us."

• He adds: "I trust the players. I think no matter what people say, these boys care."

• The Killie boss is seeking to get "more confidence into the players" and believes beating Motherwell would help do that.

• McInnes says this is the first year in his time at Killie that expectations maybe haven't been ''reached''. He adds: "I think you're judged against your record last season, effectively. That's football. And if you're judged against that, then we have come up short this season, but there's still too much to play for."

• Management isn't all "sunshine and rainbows" and you have to get through the "tough times", but McInnes believes the time to "really judge and reflect" is at the end of the season.

• He has urged supporters to get behind the team on Saturday "because it's us against everybody else".

• McInnes has stressed the need for Killie to stay calm and, while he wanted them to be challenging for Europe again, the now aims is to "do our jobs well enough to be the best of the bottom six".

• Kyle Vassell, who has been out since January, is back in training but won't be ready for Saturday and will return post-split. Stuart Findlay's return from injury is a boost.

• On league reconstruction, McInnes says he likes the split - "it has brought something" and thought the agenda was to expand the league which would take some of the pressure off clubs and give encouragement to others.

We asked for your views on what has gone wrong this season at Kilmarnock.

Here's what some of you said:

Craig: Poor team selections and not enough summer signings have been our downfall. Playing players out of form and out of position, also most signings have been bench warmers. Derek McInnes out.

Andy: We have two very poor goalkeepers to choose from. We should have signed a good keeper in January rather than Calvin Ramsay to sit on the bench. Injuries to key players (Kyle Vassell in particular is very important to us). The coaching team have not developed any of the players in the squad; there is not a single player who is better now than they were a year ago. The manager's constant tactical tinkering must create some uncertainty for players, they often look like they don't know what they're supposed to be doing. The style of play is awful to watch.

Nick: Over the season, if you look at the statistics for many of the games, the final scoreline is not what would be expected. For example, the recent Ross County away game had Killie with 20 shots and County with only five, yet Killie lost 1-0. So there would appear to be effort from the players but the missing players in both defence and, more significantly, in attack may have prevented the defensive lapses and converted more of the shots into goals.

David: No doubt injuries have played their part. However, there is absolutely no confidence in the team and the constant tinkering of formation has an effect on performance. Get back to four defenders, two or four midfielders and two or four forwards. Back to basics and let other teams worry about us rather than McInnes trying to nullify the opposition.

Colin: Almost no mention of the shocking recruitment at Kilmarnock during the summer. Why? It is one of the most important reasons for Killie's poor form. No pressure on places, serious lack of midfield pace.

Frank: I believe 100% it has been the inconsistency of team selection and tactics by the manager that has caused the current unacceptable position we find Kilmarnock in. Another factor has been injuries to key players who performed well last season. We should have a full squad available for the rest of the season to get us out of relegation or the playoffs, alternatively a change at the top.

Graeme: Stuart Findlay and Vassell missing for three months have been a big loss for a club like Killie. Inconsistent goalkeepers have not helped. I think and hope we will be okay though.

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Is the Scottish Premiership in need of a shake-up? If so, how do you go about it?

News emerged on Tuesday that the SPFL is considering changing Scotland's top flight to a 10, 14 or 16-team division in an attempt to help reduce fixture congestion.

In its current 12-team form, the clubs split into a top and bottom six after 33 rounds of matches, with 38 rounds played altogether.

That format has been in place since 2000-01 and retaining that model is also an option, but reports have also suggested the split could be scrapped.

For any fresh structure to pass, it needs the backing of 11 of the 12 Premiership clubs, and eight out of 10 from the Championship plus 75% of League One and League Two combined.

And judging by the fan reaction to the mere thought of reducing the league to a 10-team division, you would have to assume that idea is already unlikely.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, former Premiership players Cammy Bell and Cillian Sheridan provided their views on a potential restructure.

Expansion is the only option for former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Bell, while ex-Celtic striker Sheridan would like to see the split retained.

"I think we need a little bit of freshness about our game," Bell said. "So, if we can expand that league, then absolutely do it. We've got big enough clubs now that can generate good crowds.

"We're at a time just now where we've got the potential of trying to change it and certainly for me it's got to be expansion."

"The split works now," Sheridan added. "When I first came over and saw the whole split thing, I just never really got it. But in the past few years it has been quite interesting.

"If the league is wrapped up, if relegation is wrapped up, it does add a little bit of excitement to things in terms of teams getting into the top six and having to get European football."

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

The league table doesn't lie so it's time for everyone of a Killie persuasion to knuckle down for another proper relegation battle.

We have seven games to go and the manager is nowhere near knowing his best team, formation or tactics, so it's no surprise we are in big trouble.

Our performance at Paisley was abysmal from the first whistle, with several players looking devoid of confidence probably because of getting moved about and fed ever-changing messages.

Steve Clarke used to stress football is a simple game so put players in their positions and give them straightforward instructions. Derek McInnes seems to relish doing the polar opposite of that.

The biggest worry for me on Saturday was the players didn't appear to be running themselves into the ground for the manager.

We have too many players whose contracts are running out, so how worried are they about where Killie finish?

The best-case scenario is to wish McInnes well for the future and bring in a fresh face for the closing games who may give us that new manager effect.

Motherwell visit the Theatre of Pies on Saturday and we've run out of endless excuses - three points are needed.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

Watch all the highlights as St Mirren cruised to a 5-1 victory at home to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.

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Derek McInnes apologised to Kilmarnock fans after his side's humbling 5-1 defeat to St Mirren in Paisley.

A win would have kept some slight top six chances alive but instead, Kilmarnock are left looking over their shoulders with just six points separating them from bottom spot.

"It was such a disappointing afternoon, we never got out at the start," McInnes admitted.

"I can only apologise to the supporters – they deserve better than that. The conditions were horrendous, more so for my players into the wind but it's not an excuse."

After the European adventures at the start of the season, the campaign has gone from disappointing to dangerous as Kilmarnock start to slide towards the bottom.

However, they were helped out by Rangers' late escapades against Dundee that ensured the league's 11th-placed side wouldn't gain any ground on Killie.

"I think we will [stay up], I think we're better than some teams in the league. I feel we've got bigger and better performances in us.

"Obviously, we're going to be in the bottom six, the only team that we play that won't be in and around us will be Celtic."

Kilmarnock fans, we asked for your views on the humiliating 5-1 loss to St Mirren in Paisley. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

James: I'm sorry, but this is the same team as last year and the manager still doesn't know his best XI. Tactically all over the place and outfought, not just today but the vast majority of the season. Time for Derek McInnes to go.

Neil: Disappointed with the performance and the result obviously, but even more so with the manager's comments afterwards. If he thinks we were "alright" then we've got major problems and we'll find even the elusive 11th place out of our reach.

Alan: I said before the game that five of the players in the starting XI were untrustworthy. Sorry to be critical of players but Robby McCrorie, Lewis Mayo, Liam Polworth, Liam Donnelly and Marley Watkins are not good enough. The midfield two continually get dropped then tried again, dropped again. The one criticism I have with the manager is he has never sorted the midfield since he came in and it is hitting us now.

Jay: What more can we say at this point? Today was embarrassing. McInnes is clueless. No idea what he's doing on the training pitch. Somehow week on week he dodges criticism from the media and gets away with abysmal performances and decisions. It's his team, his signings, his game management, his fault. The teams rotten - because of McInnes. Time's up. Off you go, Del.

Colin: It's been a while since I've hated watching Kilmarnock as much as I do right now. Sick and tired. Also, the manager blaming the weather conditions? What a joke. I forgot St Mirren had magic powers that meant the condition's wouldn't affect them in the game as well. Clueless. You know where the door is. At least with a new gaffer we could maybe relegated with some dignity.

Kev: The away form we've had with McInnes was bad enough but the fact we're not winning at home now, and that our performances are becoming increasingly embarrassing, is just too far. McInnes and his team are nothing short of a disgrace. Congratulations to all involved in running the club for helping us long serving, paying fans to return to being embarrassed to wear the blue and white stripes again. Thanks.

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• St. Mirren have scored in their last five games in the Premiership, their longest scoring streak this season, scoring 12 in that run.

• Stephen Robinson's side have beaten Kilmarnock for the first time in the Premiership since 6 February 2021, a run of 10 games without a win.

• The Paisley club have conceded 13 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Ross County (17) and Hibernian (16) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• St. Mirren have conceded nine penalties in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• They also scored five goals in a game for the first time since 27 January 2021 against Dundee United (W 5-1).

• Bruce Anderson has scored nine goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Kilmarnock player. He has now scored six goals in 16 appearances in the Premiership against St. Mirren.

• Rory McKenzie made his 300th appearance in the Premiership.

• Kilmarnock have failed to score a first-half goal in 23 of their 31 games, no team has failed to do so more often in the Premiership this season.

• The Ayrshire side have now failed to win any of their last 12 matches when conceding first in the Premiership, since a victory over Hearts on 30 October 2024.

A Caolan Boyd-Munce double helped St Mirren blow Kilmarnock away and keep alive their hopes of a top-six finish.

Were you at the game in Paisley or following along from elsewhere?

Give us your thoughts on the game here.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "To be honest, I thought the conditions in the early part of the game we didn't deal with it, two mistakes for the goal, the initial two goals from St Mirren.

"I think we've got to be putting more pressure on the ball but I think we should be saving that first shot and then the second goal was just a mistake.

"Lewis [Mayo] probably dives in and gives the referee a decision to make, so we find ourselves 2-0 down, I think, nine, ten minutes into the game. We needed to play forward more, I thought we kept putting ourselves in a wee bit of bother.

"But in terms of actually responding to going 2-0 down, I actually thought we were alright in the first half and we spoke half-time about trying to... It's a different type of game with the wind and it's more going to come across the pitch.

"And I thought we actually started the second half alright, I thought we were good in the game, you see the difference [of] St Mirren, where in the second half they just played forward, the goalkeeper kicked everything, played percentages and in Scottish football sometimes in those sort of conditions that's what you've got to do. And I don't think we'd quite done that well enough in the first half so we had a mountain to climb but I still felt if we could get the next goal there was an opportunity to get something to the game.

"Just at that stage, at 3-0, you're starting to think, do we just try and make sure we don't lose any more [goals] because obviously goal difference can be pivotal and we lose another one which was again a mistake.

"So a really disappointing afternoon, I apologise to the supporters for that, it's not good enough, they should expect better from the team. We expect better.

"There shouldn't have been that difference and for that we can only apologise, we have to own that and there is a tinge of embarrassment and humiliation about it but in the big scheme of things we've got to double down now and just make sure that we're better next week because there's another opportunity next week to get three points."

Calum Macdonald
BBC Sport Scotland

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It was a dismal day for Kilmarnock and their sizeable travelling support, they struggled with St Mirren from the start and created little in the game.

A late penalty given for a foul on Joe Wright and converted by Anderson was little comfort for Derek McInnes's side who have won only two games away from home in the league this season.

With little time left between now and the end of the season, they still aren't completely clear of the relegation battle with six points separating them and bottom placed St Johnstone.

The challenge ahead for McInnes is to lift his players for the remaining games of the season.

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St Mirren striker Toyosi Olusanya is suspended while Mikael Mandron has returned to training but the game is likely to come too soon.

Killian Phillips is struggling with a back spasm, while Elvis Bwomono, Conor McMenamin (both calf), Alex Iacovitti (hamstring/back) and Evan Mooney (ankle) are still out.

Stuart Findlay is set to return to the Kilmarnock squad following ankle surgery. Skipper Kyle Vassell is still working his way back from an ankle problem while Kyle Magennis (knee) remains sidelined.

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Lewis Mayo has urged Kilmarnock to deliver a strong end to the season despite leaving it "too late" for a top-six finish.

Derek McInnes' 10th-place side visit St Mirren on Saturday looking to build on the dramatic draw they rescued against Hibs before the international break.

"We need to use it, " defender Mayo said of Fraser Murray's leveller that halted a run of three straight defeats.

He added: "It was huge. Psychologically it was almost like a win for us.

"That period of games was disappointing for us but in a game that we didn't do enough to win, that we were probably the second best team overall, once again it was our character and effort that gets us through and gets us a point.

"The next few games coming up is a chance for us to try to put some more points on the table and build on it.

"Where we are at now, we've almost left it too late for it [top-six finish] to be in our own hands.

"While it is still possible, you need to accept that for the time being it is about getting back to basics and putting points on the board and see where that leaves us.

"It is almost like a mini reset for us after that last period and we are just looking forward again."

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

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Dundee's recent win over Dundee United has made life a bit more uncomfortable for Kilmarnock in 10th.

Derek McInnes' side are a point above the Dens Park side, with St Johnstone five points below the Dark Blues.

Guiding Killie clear of the bottom two places will be a test of McInnes' vast experience and results at this stage of the season are all that matters.

A trip to top six-chasing St Mirren is the next assignment and this is a fixture that McInnes generally enjoys.

The 53-year-old is unbeaten against the Buddies as Kilmarnock manager with five wins and four draws.

Guiding the Rugby Park side to another three points in Paisley would go a long way to securing a berth in next season's Premiership.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Derek McInnes has hailed the returning Stuart Findlay as one of Kilmarnock's most crucial players, saying: "The evidence is there, when he's in the team, we're better."

The 29-year-old central defender is in contention to make the squad for Saturday's game at St Mirren after five months out with an ankle injury, during which time he has been kept busy at the club, often featuring on their in-house commentary team.

"Obviously my eagerness to get him back involved is clear, but I need to be fair to him, but [it is] magic to have him out the commentary team, he has been doing a bit for Killie TV on match days so it's better he's helping us rather than them," manager McInnes said.

"But I don't want to pre-empt any of that. I don't want to put too much pressure on him in that sense until I have another conversation with him tomorrow.

"He's got the advantage of, the evidence is there, when he's in the team, we're better.

"It's been a long road for him. When he picked up the injury at Dens, we knew it was significant. It was such a nasty incident, so great to have him back.

"There's no doubt we missed his leadership qualities and experience, his know-how. He was a huge part of what we did right last season in conceding so few goals."

Striker Kyle Vassell has also been out injured since the turn of the year, leaving McInnes without two of the most experienced members of his team. Vassell is "not quite there yet" in terms of a return to full training.

McInnes added: "Both Stuart and Kyle will be massive for us in terms of getting those two back.

"Not just for what they give on the pitch but their leadership qualities. Both of them have been pivotal for us in the past."