Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark: "Inconsistency has cost us"

Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark insists he will have no problem firing his side back up for the play-offs after their survival fight took another stumble.

The Rugby Park side were hoping to take another step towards safety when they took on relegation rivals Partick Thistle.

But the 2-0 home defeat to the Jags killed off those plans and they will now have to fend off either Falkirk or Hibernian in the play-off final if they are to cling on to their Premiership slot.

Clark only took over in February but believed he could steer Killie away from danger, with his convictions only strengthened by last week's 4-0 romp at Hamilton.

But he admits Killie's main flaw is now glaringly apparent after his sloppy side allowed Stevie Lawless and Kris Doolan to smash Thistle to victory.

He said: “I've had the answer as to why we're in this position - it's inconsistency. When you see the performances, we've had strong ones but it's been results that have let us down.

“Another win would've given us a fighting chance going into Wednesday's game at Dundee but now we know it's the play-offs. We dust ourselves down, we won't cry like little babies.

“We look forward to the challenge and we'll be positive. I know it's in the players.

“Whoever we face, we go in fighting. We will try and improve them, like we do every day. It's a disappointing day for everyone but we've got to go again.”

Partick's 4-1 humbling by Inverness last week left Jags boss Alan Archibald fearing his team could get sucked into the play-off scrap.

But he was relieved to see his men get a victory which guarantees them a fourth straight campaign in the top flight.

Lawless cut inside and drilled a fine strike past Jamie MacDonald after 33 minutes and Doolan benefited from Miles Addison's mistake to ram home the second midway through the second half.

Now Archibald plans to give his battered squad a break while he starts his planning for next year.

He said: “We have a couple of guys needing surgery who have been hanging on and now they can go and do that.

“We have been stretched ever since the game against Ross County which could have given us a top six place just before the split but they have stuck in and all credit to them for that.

“Now we can look to next season, get guys over the line with their contracts and so on.

“We had a terrible start to the season, we know that. After that though we went on a great run and just missed out on the top six. It doesn't feel satisfying just now but it will looking back over the season.

“It is going to be harder next season. With Rangers coming up there are going to be five massive budgets in the division. We know there is not much of a margin with other teams but we will give the top six a go.”