FINISH SECOND AND SILENCE OUR CRITICS

BOSS Derek McInnes has challenged his Aberdeen players to defy the sceptics by finishing second in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

The Dons have come in for widespread criticism following their 3-0 William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Motherwell a t H a m p d e n Pa r k o n Saturday.

With five league games remaining — and leaders Celtic sure to clinch their seventh successive league title — McInnes’ side are behind second-placed Rangers on goal difference as they prepare to play Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday.

McInnes is looking for his side to finish best of the rest after letting the supporters down at the weekend.

He said: “I hope we have the determination and resilience which will be needed i n the next five games to finish second, hopefully that will be some sort of scant consolation for everyone if we can go and do that. “It will be a big task. “We have huge games ahead of us and there will be a lot of people doubting if we are capable of doing that.

“So it is important that everyone finds that determination to do exactly that and finish second.”

McInnes is looking for immediate i mprovement against in-form Killie.

He added: “We owe it to ourselves but certainly we owe it to the supporters over the next five games to show a better l evel of performances than we did on Saturday.”