Hughes won't change his principles

The rock-bottom Bairns face a huge test of character at Kilmarnock on Saturday, a match that could have a huge bearing on the relegation battle.A victory for the visitors would move them above the Rugby Park outfit on goal difference, while a home win would ease the heat on manager Jim Jefferies and move his side six points clear of their opponents.Hughes' charges have a Homecoming Scottish Cup semi-final to look forward to against Dunfermline later this month, but their league form has been riddled with inconsistency, featuring too many draws.Killie, meanwhile, have not won in their last 12 league games or triumphed at home in the SPL since November. After a fine start to the campaign, their slide down the table has been alarming.With much at stake, a tense afternoon could unfold, but Hughes hope his side rise above the situation to play their neat passing game and find a cutting edge.He said: "From now until the end of the season, we know the significance of the games."There is no point hiding from it; you need to embrace it, handle the pressure and use your mental strength and all your experience to go and enjoy it."You have to go out there and play your football - that's what I'm trying to get through to the players."If other teams think it's about battling, so be it, but my style is to go out there and play your football."There is no point getting caught up in it, you end up just getting yourself sent off."If we're at it, with our passing, with a purpose and a cutting edge, we know it's brought success. That's got to be our mind set."Hughes expects a tight match on Saturday, but feels his team - coming off of back-to-back defeats against the Old Firm - are capable of stringing a run of results together to ensure their survival.He added: "It's going to be a close game."Celtic and Rangers are out at the top, there are one or two other clubs ahead of each other."But on their day in the SPL, everybody is capable of beating each other."That's why I think, from now on in, we're capable of winning seven games."If that's the case, we stay in the SPL. If it's not the case, we've only got ourselves to blame."It's all in front of us and we know what we have to do. Let's embrace it - it's total positive stuff from me."Hughes admits, however, his defence must tighten up for the challenges ahead.Despite matching Celtic early on at Parkhead on Wednesday night, they eventually succumbed to a 4-0 loss.The former defender said: "It was disappointing to lose the four goals, for the goal difference aspect too, but I felt in the first half we contained them and played some good stuff."There has to be a steely determination that we're not going to be soft in the goals that we lose, as I felt one or two were soft the other night."I've got great respect for what Jim (Jefferies) has done in football and what he did for me at Falkirk when I was a player, but we know the significance of the game."

Source: Team_Talk