Kilmarnock defender Mark O'Hara sets sights on top-six charge
Defender Mark O'Hara reckons Kilmarnock should still be focusing on a top-six charge rather than worrying about a relegation fight.
Last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Inverness saw Gary Locke's team slip into the Ladbrokes Premiership's relegation play-off zone.
But confident O'Hara believes there is still scope for the Ayrshiremen to make up ground quickly.
Just five points separate them from sixth-place Hamilton and O'Hara said: "It's still very early in the season and things are tight. If we get a couple of wins together we could shoot up as far as seventh or eighth.
"Look at the likes of Ross County last year. They were poor up until Christmas last year and ended up pushing for a top-six slot. Hopefully that is something we can do.
"Right now we're just taking each game as they come but we'll see where we are in a couple of months' time and take it from there."
To launch a bid for the top half of the table, Killie will have to arrest a run of form that has seen them now go eight weeks without a win.
It is a situation that Saturday's Rugby Park opponents Aberdeen can sympathise with after Derek McInnes saw his side's title hopes go up in smoke following a similar nightmare spell.
But the Dons have bounced back with four victories from their last five matches and O'Hara wants his team-mates to use this weekend's clash as a springboard for their own turnaround.
"It's been a season of ups and downs for us this season," said the 20-year-old. "We went to Parkhead and got a draw last month but results since then haven't gone our way.
"But just look at Aberdeen. They started the season on fire then went through a rough patch. They've bounced back though since then and that's what we want to do.
"We've got to learn lessons from that. Just because we're on a bad run now doesn't mean we can change our luck. Hopefully we can see this weekend as a turning point.
"Aberdeen are obviously a strong team and doing well in the league up in second. If we can get a good result it would be a good start for us."
Defender Stuart Findlay returns for Kilmarnock after serving a one-match ban.
Forward Kallum Higginbotham has still not recovered from his ankle injury and also misses the along with long-term absentee Chris Johnston, who is still unavailable after tearing knee ligaments.
Midfielder Rory McKenzie should return within the next fortnight as his hamstring troubles ease, although Saturday's match comes too soon.
Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean wants to reward the Dons faithful for their backing during a turbulent spell.
The Pittodrie men started the Ladbrokes Premiership campaign with a record-breaking run of eight straight wins but then went more than a month without a win as Celtic were able to regain the lead in the title race.
Four wins in their last five matches though has put the swagger back into Derek McInnes' men and now McLean wants to continue repaying the supporters by winning at Kilmarnock.
The former St Mirren player said: "We know no game is going to be easy. It's always a tough tie going down to Kilmarnock.
"We are going there to win the game but they are a good team and you don't need to look further than their front two, Kris Boyd and Josh Magennis, who are very good strikers, to know they can be dangerous.
"But we've been playing well ourselves so we go into the game confident. We'll be going there on a good run. We're playing good football.
"When you're winning it just seems easier and it's up to us to continue that. We're all mucking in, everyone is doing their job. We've got a great squad here and the manager is using it well.
"We're repaying the fans as well. They stuck with us through the sticky patch we had and they're still coming in their numbers."
Aberdeen forward Niall McGinn is set to return against Kilmarnock after the Northern Ireland international returned to training following a groin problem.
But Aberdeen will be without Barry Robson because of an ankle problem.
Source: PAR
