Jamie MacDonald is on a mission to re-establish himself as Kilmarnock's first-choice goalkeeper after being unceremoniously dropped for the second half of last season.

The 31-year-old, who had been in the best form of his career throughout his first 18 months at Rugby Park, suddenly found himself marginalised from January onwards after former manager Lee Clark signed highly-regarded Newcastle youngster Freddie Woodman on loan and put him straight into the team.

With Woodman, who has subsequently won the Under-20 World Cup with England this summer, now back at his parent club, MacDonald, who has started all three of his team’s Betfred Cup matches this summer, hopes he is now back in pole position. “It’s been great to be back in the team,” said the former Hearts and Falkirk goalkeeper. “The last six months of last season were obviously difficult for me. When you spend about four and a half years playing week in, week out and all of a sudden that stops, it is difficult.

“As a goalkeeper, it’s not a position where you can play players half an hour here and there. You’re basically waiting for an injury or a loss of form so it’s difficult, but it makes you stronger. It’s something I’ve had to deal with in the past. More recently, I’ve not had to deal with it but it’s given me a hunger and an eagerness to get back in and make sure it doesn’t happen again. I’ve come back fit in pre-season and I’m raring to go. I’m feeling good right now – it’s just a case of getting games and getting my sharpness back.”

Kilmarnock are searching for a new goalkeeper to compete with MacDonald and have been linked with Dundee United’s Cammy Bell, but the current custodian is focused on making himself impossible for Lee McCulloch to drop. “I’ve not had a chat with the manager about my situation,” he said. “I’ll just come in and train every day and try to perform to the best of my ability and make sure the manager picks me at the weekend. It doesn’t matter where you are – that’s what you have to do.”

Kris Boyd’s clinical double saw off Annan amid torrential rainfall at Galabank as Kilmarnock, who lost their Betfred Cup opener away to bitter rivals Ayr United, moved to the top of Group E. It was the veteran striker’s first goals of the season after a couple of games against Ayr and Clyde in which he had been the subject of criticism from supporters. “The big man’s been a bit frustrated in the last couple of games because he’s not had many chances to score," said MacDonald. "But he’s a natural goal-scorer and his two finishes against Annan were outstanding, especially the second one.”