CONFIDENCE is something that oozes out of Alexei Eremenko but he believes a chronic shortage among his more youthful team-mates is the root cause of Kilmarnock's alarming slide towards the relegation fight.

The Russian-born playmaker has always played with a swagger and has never hidden the belief he has in his own ability.

This supreme self-assurance is at odds with those around him after Killie slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat which has allowed Motherwell to close the gap to six points with the two sides meeting at Fir Park on Friday night.

Eremenko said: "We have a young team and now, in the situation we are in, people are scared to make mistakes.

"Instead of taking control of the ball and looking up to see who they can pass to they just lump it forward, hoping that Josh Magennis would win it and then maybe I would get the second ball.

"But that's not really my game. I need the ball at my feet. The players know if I get the ball like that and can get turned then I will create and try to make the right pass.

"I have talked to the players about this. We are not playing third or fourth division. This s the highest division and all the lads that are playing are not 15 or 16-year-olds any more - they are grown up men.

"Even although they are young they know their responsibilities and if they don't have what it takes then they shouldn't go out onto the pitch.

"Right now in the situation we are in it's all about attitude and taking the ball and getting it under control. It's about having belief and having balls.

"It's not really about manning up it's about playing with more confidence.

"They are playing in the highest league and they are here because they can play. They can control a ball and pass it and that should not be difficult for anybody in the highest division. It's not extraordinary.

"So we just have to try to get everybody's head right and get the result on Friday.

"Motherwell are probably more under pressure than us. We have to focus on this game and forget about Saturday because there is nothing we can do about it now.

"I think we can get what we need to be safe. We did it last year and I think we can do it again."

Killie had taken the lead when Lee Ashcroft headed home Eremenko's corner in eight minutes but the nerves were apparent and Accies levelled in 24 minutes when Jason Scotland followed up to score after Craig Samson failed to hold Louis Longridge's shot.

Hamilton got a second on 65 minutes when Darian MacKinnon fired home from the edge of the box and then Samson was at fault five minutes later when sub Nigel Hasselbaink got the better of a 50-50 to nudge the ball into the net.

Greg Kiltie pulled one back 12 minutes from time but Killie could not find an equaliser.

Hasselbaink and Ashcroft were both extremely fortunate not to be sent off in injury time when the latter punched the former who responded with a head butt.

Steven McLean, in his first match since the infamous Josh Meekings blooper, only booked both players but there may be retrospective action if compliance officer Tony McGlennan has compelling video evidence.

Hamilton were worth their victory - their second in succession under Martin Canning after a 13-game winless run - and midfielder Dougie Imrie would love three more to finish the season on a high note.

He said: "It's important that we put in a strong finish. Unfortunately, that bad run we went on put an end to our top-six ambitions but we've just got to try and finish seventh now.

"Partick Thistle are our closest challengers and we play them next so that'll be a big game for us."