Jim Jefferies will be without Alan Combe this evening. He is just grateful his goalkeeper�s absence is for one night only.

JIM JEFFERIES will be without Alan Combe this evening. He is just grateful his goalkeeper's absence is for one night only.

The Kilmarnock manager has revealed his relief and pleasure that Combe had elected to prolong his stay at Rugby Park beyond the summer by signing a new two-and -a-half-year contract. Given his superlative form and availability as an out-of-contract player, it was little surprise that a number of clubs had expressed an interest in acquiring the services of the 34-year-old.

Dundee United headed the queue, with Craig Levein in the market for a replacement for Celtic-bound Lukasz Zaluska. Given United's greater financial resources, Jefferies was virtually resigned to losing his No.1, only for Combe to repay the loyalty shown to him by his manager for the past five years by pledging to remain with Kilmarnock until the end of his career.

"Craig Levein phoned last week out of courtesy to say he had lost a goalkeeper and would be making an approach to Combe which I thought was very good of him and the right way to handle it," said Jefferies. "I was just hoping Alan would stay. We had a chat with him and understood his situation. When you get a chance to go out of contract at his age, and having done so well for us of course he's going to attract interest.

"I started thinking we would have to make plans to see what we could do for cover. So it's great news he's staying as he's done extremely well. He had an even better offer from the one at Tannadice that didn't suit him - either down south or abroad - but he loves it here. I've worked with him for five years and he likes the way we go about things and the spirit at the club.

"It's quite rare to see that loyalty but I hadn't given up on him. The only way of keeping him would not be financially but because he enjoys it here and sees himself finishing his career here because he's our No.1."

Jefferies must do without Combe tonight, though, with the goalkeeper suspended for the re-arranged SPL match with Aberdeen. Damien Rascle, Combe's deputy, was fingered for his role in Ayr United's late equaliser in Saturday's 2-2 Homecoming Scottish Cup draw, but Jefferies sprang to the defence of his French goalkeeper. "That was all something new to him on Saturday, the atmosphere, the derby and the difficult conditions.

"Maybe other keepers had played in games like that in Scottish football but Damien hadn't. Everyone says it was a difficult punch that fell for Alex Williams and he put it in but people make mistakes. We saw one of the best goalkeepers in the country Artur Boruc make a howler at the weekend and he's done that a couple of times this year."

Kilmarnock, likely to be without Mehdi Taouil again through injury, can leapfrog Hibernian into the top six with a win at home this evening.

A further victory on Saturday at home to Hearts would then place them within reach of a European place. "This year the target is to get into the top six so with this game tonight we can do that with a win.

"If we then get a win on Saturday against Hearts, we're right back in the hunt as that would draw us level with them. After that,we've got Hamilton and then St Mirren so it's a very important period for us.

Kilmarnock's replay with Ayr United has been switched to next Thursday and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

As a result, their league match against Hamilton will now take place on Sunday, January 25, kick off 3pm.