Don’t try taking the Michael

ARBROATH ............. 4 ROSS CO ................... 1

MICHAEL McKENNA insists there was no way he’d give up the match ball as a rout of 10-man County left Arbroath second in Group A.

Billy Mckay drilled the Staggies in front only for McKenna to level from the penalty spot after Stelios Demetriou’s foul on Ryan Wallace.

And Tony Dingwall’s 57th-minute sending off – his second yellow for diving – saw Arbroath pounce as McKenna twice bundled home then Kane Hester struck. McKenna said: “This is my first professional hat-trick – there was no way I was letting it get taken away from me.

“I went to the referee after the game to check he’d noticed it was my flick in for the second goal and the ball hit off my hip for the third.”

Staggies co-manager Steven Ferguson said: “We fell well below our standards and were punished.” MIKAEL NDJOLI revealed daily pep talks from veteran team-mate Kris Boyd are helping turn him into a Kilmarnock talisman.

The 19-year-old’s double in Tuesday’s 3-0 Betfred Cup win over Spartans made it three goals in his three games despite starting just one of them.

Ndjoli’s first came with his first touch a minute after coming on before combining with Boyd for a second as Steve Clarke’s Ayrshiremen moved top of Group H.

And Ndjoli, on loan from Bournemouth until January, admits the 34-year-old striker has been more than just a help on matchday.

He said: “I was buzzing to score another two goals but even happier the boys did well and we won.

“Someone was saying it was my first touch but I was just focused on getting on the end of the cross and it went in. The boys have helped me settle in quickly and well.

“The gaffer has given me the freedom to do what I want in possession and the goals help.

“I’m learning from Kris every day in training. Every training session he has pulled me aside and told me what he thinks I can do in and around the box.

“He’s told me, ‘Touch and finish.’ Sometimes I take an extra touch in training but every day I’m learning from him.”

Ndjoli has been the only forward player to arrive at Killie this summer with defenders Stuart Findlay and Ross Millen joining him.

He said: “The manager has worked with a bunch of young players and helped them kick on in their career.

“He has tons of experience, has been at top clubs and managed in the Premier League.

“I felt I needed the kind of set-up Steve Clarke and Kilmarnock have.”