Clarke higher

Steve Clarke steered skyhigh Kilmarnock into third spot – then insisted they should be further up the Premiership table.

The win at Tynecastle made it 17 points from the last 24 – but the deadpan boss is disappointed they don’t have more.

Revealing that right-back Stephen O’Donnell will miss out for Scotland with a hamstring problem, Clarke said: “We should have more points though and we should be higher in the league.

“I am probably a little bit disappointed with our points tally, to be honest.

“But it is nice at this stage to be so far away from the bottom two.

“That’s the priority for a club like Kilmarnock, to get away from the bottom then try to cement top six. After that it’s for the supporters to dream, not for us.”

Clarke was delighted with Ross Millen’s first league start and goal.

He said: “Ross has been very patient waiting for his chance but he took it. He defended well and got the all-important goal. “The contract is ongoing. A lot of players here are on shortterm contracts. If we can do something later that’s what we will do.”