Kyle Lafferty’s reputation as a court jester has long preceded him but there is no tolerance for any larking around at Rugby Park right now. Not when the starkness of Kilmarnock’s position is so glaring.
Tommy Wright’s side could win their final two league games of the season and still find themselves facing down the challenge of a play-off game to keep their place in the top flight.
Tonight will be significant in shaping how the conclusive weekend looks. Hamilton’s long journey north to Dingwall to face Ross County is the proverbial six-pointer; the Highlanders can move six points clear of Brian Rice’s side or find themselves pegged back onto level points with the perennial survivors of the league who are currently propping up the table.
Whatever happens, Kilmarnock, a point behind John Hughes’ side and two ahead of Accies, need to be looking after their own business when they host St Mirren at Rugby Park. Lafferty is fully fit after a scare a fortnight ago when he was pictured in a moonboot following a training ground injury with his former Ibrox colleague Kirk Broadfoot insisting that the striker needs no reminding that he needs to bring his game face to the table.
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“He is a nightmare,” said Broadfoot. “He is a good lad around the place but sometimes if you are tired or the team has been beaten in training you just want someone to switch him off.
“But on the field he is at it. At training on Sunday his team got beat and it was the first time I have seen him angry since he came back and was kicking balls away and whatnot because our team battered them and he wasn’t happy.
“He was grumpy but he got over it by cutting Kiltie’s trousers or something daft like that. He keeps the boys going but he does have a serious side when it comes to game day.
“Even at Rangers, he was the same. We have all been saying to him that April and May are his months so hopefully he can turn up this month for us.”
Broadfoot is of the belief that Kilmarnock’s predicament belies the quality within their squad. The problem is, though, that the Ayrshire side need to prove that on the pitch.
"I don't think we have played that badly over the season, it has been individual mistakes that have cost us,” said the defender.
"From that point of view it is hard to take, it has been really fine lines.
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“We have had things in a handful of games like a slack pass-back to the goalie, round the goalie or the keeper had thrown one in, it has killed us for a lot of points.
“But it is a results-driven business and results haven’t been good enough. We were on a good run until the game against Motherwell but if we can finish with two wins then it gives us a chance to avoid relegation and we could still hopefully avoid the play-off.”
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