Midfielder used refusal to Power through

ALAN POWER admits Kilmarnock gleaned extra motivation in Saturday’s 3- 1 victory from the fact that Livingston refused their request for a postponement.

Manager Alex Dyer had wanted more time to work with the group after six players tested positive for Covid- 19 at the start of the month. The Lions said no, and it was a decision that came back to bite them hard as Kilmarnock sealed a gritty win.

“You have to use things like that,” said midfielder Power, when asked if Livingston’s refusal to help spurred the away team on.

“Did it give us a bit of a boost and something to fight for? Yeah. And I think you have to use that, especially when you’ve only had a couple of days’ training to get a bit of bite about you.

“I can’t really blame them either, it’s a chance for them to get a leg up as well.

“Every team is going to be hit in different ways unfortunately so you have to overcome it and do your best and that’s what we did.

“If you put a good shift in and the results will look after themselves.”

It did not look good for Kilmarnock after 11 minutes when Scott Pittman fired the hosts in front. But Aaron Tshibola and Chris Burke, who dispatched a penalty, had the Ayrshire team ahead before the break before Greg Kiltie capitalised on an error from Robby McCrorie to slot home the third.

Livingston midfielder Jason Holt, meanwhile, knows it does not get any easier for the Lions with a trip to former club Rangers coming up on Sunday.

Holt said: “Obviously, their confidence will be sky high and we know it will be an extremely difficult game.

“It will be similar to Celtic, if we go there with a game plan and try to implement our style on the park then hopefully we can cause them problems. I don’t think having no fans there makes a difference.”