Killie hope to kick-on under Clarke

Jordan Jones hopes the appointment of new boss Steve Clarke can lift Kilmarnock out of their doldrums.

Rugby Park became a bleak place during the last few days of former boss Lee McCulloch’s Killie reign.

But after making former Chelsea skipper Clarke their bold choice to replace McCulloch, Jones says things are already looking brighter.

The incoming manager watched Saturday’s clash with Partick Thistle at the Energy Check Stadium from the directors’ box but his presence was enough to inspire the visitors to their first win of the season.

Kris Boyd and Adam Frizzel struck in an impressive 2-0 victory that moves Killie off bottom spot and above Thistle.

Now Jones thinks the Ayrshire squad will be desperate to see that upturn continue under Clarke.

He told Press Association Sport: “It was important we all made a good impression on him.

“It was good to have him in the stands watching the game. He came in before the game, introduced himself and said a few words.

“I think we’ve all made a good account of ourselves so now we need to kick on from here.

“Everyone will be on a clean slate now that there is a new manager in place. There’s no guaranteed starters but everyone was right on their game against Thistle. Hopefully we’ve done enough to keep our places for Rangers a week on Wednesday.

“It’s a bold appointment by the club. He’s got a massive name in the game and has a lot experience. It’s just what we want as a club and players need right now.

“Hopefully it all works out well. I can only see benefits of him coming in.

“Saturday was a good start but we’ve got three hard games coming up and hopefully this can kick us on.

“It was unlucky the way things worked out with the old manager. He was brilliant with me and I’ll continue to say that. But we probably did need a change and what a brilliant appointment the club has made.”

Thistle now find themselves three points adrift at the bottom and still without a win from nine games.

Boss Alan Archibald realises the situation is getting serious for his side.

“The Dundee game next weekend is massive but we’re still in touching distance,” he said. “The next couple of fixtures give us a chance to get back into the pack, but we said that before this game.

“Myself and the players have got to make sure we take that on board and realise how big a game it is, because I hate to say it, but it looked as though that game meant more to Kilmarnock today with the aggression in their play. We didn’t have that.”

Meanwhile Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson has his eyes firmly on reaching the Betfred Cup final after beating Hamilton in the league.

Robinson’s side face Rangers in the semi-final of the cup competition next weekend having won six of their last eight games in all competitions.

Accies took the lead thanks to Ioannis Skondras’s fine strike, but Skondras got his feet tangled up before hooking the ball straight to Andy Rose for an equaliser, before Peter Hartley was left unmarked from six yards to score the winner.

Hearts boss Craig Levein hailed skipper Christope Berra for being a rock at the back during their 2-1 victory at Ross County.

The Jambos dug out a fine win with 10 men after Connor Randall was sent off to stay just outside the top six

Hearts upped their game after the break and earned the victory thanks to a clincher from Jamie Walker after Isma Goncalves’s goal was cancelled out by Davis Keillor-Dunn.

The Kilmarnock players were hoping to make a good impression on new manager Steve Clarke.