Jimmy Calderwood, the Aberdeen manager, has warned his players that he will not accept a repeat of their winning performance at the weekend at Alloa when they face Kilmarnock tonight in a re-arranged SPL fixture.

JIMMY Calderwood, the Aberdeen manager, has warned his players that he will not accept a repeat of their winning performance at the weekend at Alloa when they face Kilmarnock tonight in a re-arranged SPL fixture.

Calderwood insists his team will need to demonstrate a vast improvement on Saturday's form in the Homecoming Scottish Cup triumph at Recreation Park if they are to claim the points at Rugby Park. "We got through against Alloa," he said, "but I wouldn't like to see that kind of performance at Kilmarnock. If I do, I will be very hard on my players.

"We know it will be very difficult. Jim Jefferies was very positive after Killie's performance at Easter Road a couple of weeks ago with 10 men and he isn't the easiest of men to please, a bit like me.

"We blew it against Kilmarnock in the Co-operative Cup earlier in the season and we want to make amends.

"For us, it is important to keep up the momentum before Celtic and Rangers visit Pittodrie in successive weeks."

Long-term injury victims Tommy Wright and Stuart Duff will be on the bench tonight and Calderwood will welcome the options they offer him, particularly the latter, who is capable of operating in a number of positions.

Chris Maguire, almost a perennial substitute for Aberdeen, hopes his display at Alloa was enough to convince Calderwood he deserves another starting place.

"It's always good to get a game and I thought I did well on Saturday," said Maguire, who will celebrate his 20th birthday on Friday. "I played on the right of midfield in the second half and I was just glad to get the full 90 minutes.

"I had a word with the manager a little while ago and he told me the team was doing well and that I would have to continue working away until my chance came around.

"I'm used to getting a game and then not being in the team for the next one. That's part of football. I'd prefer it if my name was always one of the first on the team-sheet but, again, it's up to me to show the manager I deserve that.

"I'm still young and I'm still learning every day in training, but I think I'm at an age where I need to be playing football, no matter what position. Everybody needs games to help them become better and I'm one who needs games to bring improvement."

Meanwhile, one player who has not managed to establish himself in the Aberdeen side, on loan full-back Jared Hodgkiss, has decided to return to West Bromwich.