DEFIANT Kilnarnock manager Gary Locke insisted his team have what it takes to beat the drop, despite suffering a sixth successive defeat.

The Rugby Park side are now just six points clear of second bottom Motherwell in the race to avoid the playoffs and the clubs meet in a crunch live TV showdown at Fir Park on Friday night.

Killie have lost their opening two games after the split and are desperate to halt the slide with just three league games remaining and the pressure mounting.

Locke, who has only won once since being permanently appointed remains upbeat despite the form slump and said on Monday: “There’s no doubt it’s a terrible run we are on. It was an unacceptable performance against St Mirren the previous weekend and we lost some really sloppy goals on Saturday. But I can take positives from our second half performance against Hamilton. I really believe in the players. Motherwell have had some good results and we know it will be a tough game. We will have to match their fighting qualities. But the aim is to take three points on Friday night, which would make us safe and I think we are capable of doing that.” Back to the action and Killie began well, taking the lead in eight minutes with a Lee Ashcroft header from an Alexei Eremenko corner-kick. However Hamilton levelled in 25 minutes when Jason Scotland knocked home the rebound after home goalie Craig Samson had failed to hold a Louis Longridge cross.

Accies went ahead in 65 minutes when former Ayr United man Darian MacKinnon shot home from the edge of the box. Five minutes later Samson was at fault when Nigel Haisselbank beat him in a 50-50 challenge to knock the ball home.

Twelve minutes from time Greg Kiltie pulled a goal back for Killie. But the Rugby Park side could nt find an equaliser and Accies held on to win.

The Motherwell match is followed a week later by a trip to Firhill to face Partick Thistle with the last league game at home to Ross County on May 23.

STARMAN Lee Ashcroft 3 Josh Magennis 2 Craig Samson 1.

DEFIANT Kilnarnock manager Gary Locke insisted his team have what it takes to beat the drop, despite suffering a sixth successive defeat.

The Rugby Park side are now just six points clear of second bottom Motherwell in the race to avoid the playoffs and the clubs meet in a crunch live TV showdown at Fir Park on Friday night.

Killie have lost their opening two games after the split and are desperate to halt the slide with just three league games remaining and the pressure mounting.

Locke, who has only won once since being permanently appointed remains upbeat despite the form slump and said on Monday: “There’s no doubt it’s a terrible run we are on. It was an unacceptable performance against St Mirren the previous weekend and we lost some really sloppy goals on Saturday. But I can take positives from our second half performance against Hamilton. I really believe in the players. Motherwell have had some good results and we know it will be a tough game. We will have to match their fighting qualities. But the aim is to take three points on Friday night, which would make us safe and I think we are capable of doing that.” Back to the action and Killie began well, taking the lead in eight minutes with a Lee Ashcroft header from an Alexei Eremenko corner-kick. However Hamilton levelled in 25 minutes when Jason Scotland knocked home the rebound after home goalie Craig Samson had failed to hold a Louis Longridge cross.

Accies went ahead in 65 minutes when former Ayr United man Darian MacKinnon shot home from the edge of the box. Five minutes later Samson was at fault when Nigel Haisselbank beat him in a 50-50 challenge to knock the ball home.

Twelve minutes from time Greg Kiltie pulled a goal back for Killie. But the Rugby Park side could nt find an equaliser and Accies held on to win.

The Motherwell match is followed a week later by a trip to Firhill to face Partick Thistle with the last league game at home to Ross County on May 23.

STARMAN Lee Ashcroft 3 Josh Magennis 2 Craig Samson 1.