Pressure is off for McKenzie

Rory McKenzie is looking to enjoy Kilmarnock's final Scottish Premiership game of the season against Ross County on Saturday after another fraught campaign.

The Ayrshire club secured their top-flight status last season only in their last fixture against Hibernian, consigning the Easter Road side to the relegation play-off which they lost to Hamilton.

This season has been no less tense for Killie or the 21-year-old forward.

After an encouraging start to this campaign, Kilmarnock's late slide meant it was a 4-1 win in the penultimate match at Partick last week which kept them away from the play-off spot, and McKenzie is looking forward to a pressure-free game at Rugby Park.

McKenzie said: "We want to enjoy this game for the first time in a wee while.

"I know how it feels to go into the last game of the season needing something, as we did last year with Hibs.

"It wasn't nice and I didn't want to experience it again. So that is the main thing, to go out and enjoy our football again, a nd hopefully get a win and finish the season on a high.

"The season has been a tale of two halves. It only feels like yesterday when we were talking about how good a start it was and where we were going to finish in the league, talk of finishing .

"And then obviously the second half of the season we went into a nosedive and had to win last week to avoid the play-off..

"There was a lot of relief. We had been saying for weeks that we needed one win and it wasn't coming.

"Seven defeats on the bounce made it really frustrating and so it was a huge sigh of relief."

Killie's convincing and crucial win at Partick was overshadowed somewhat by the spat between striker Josh Magennis and team-mate Jamie Hamill.

The pair momentarily went head-to-head in an angry exchange which led to the Scottish FA's compliance officer offering the Northern Ireland international a two-match ban.

However, Magennis was cleared on appeal by an SFA tribunal.

McKenzie said: "It has been blown massively out of proportion. I was watching from the sidelines and the magnitude of the game, things got a bit heated.

"That is just the way they are. Two good guys to have in the dressing room. The next day we were all out having a laugh. They are fine."

Skipper Manuel Pascali is a doubt with a knock, while full-back Chris Chantler (ankle) and Sammy Clingan (knee) miss out, as does long-term injury victim Michael Ngoo (ankle).

Meanwhile, Ross County's Liam Boyce believes the game will be "surreal" now that the threat of relegation has gone for both clubs.

A week ago the fixture looked as if it could be decisive in terms of who finished in second-bottom spot in the Scottish Premiership.

However, the Staggies secured their top-flight status last Saturday with a 2-1 home win over Hamilton while Killie reached safety at Partick, leaving Motherwell in the play-off spot, where they will face Rangers or Hibernian.

Boyce concedes the trip to Ayrshire has taken on a much different context.

The 24-year-old Northern Ireland striker said: "I think it will be a bit surreal.

"Obviously there was a lot of pressure on both teams over the last couple of weeks but because we got that relief it will be a bit less competitive.

"It was just a relief to get over the line, but we will still be going out to win the game and giving everything we have.

"We want to finish as high as possible and everyone will be going out to win the game.

"If you play football, you want to win. There's a chance to jump over Kilmarnock in the table and we will try to take that chance.

"And there are a lot of players being released, so I think they want to sign off leaving the fans a good memory."

Filip Kiss is free to play after winning his claim of wrongful dismissal after being sent off against Hamilton last week.

Keeper Mark Brown and defender Scott Boyd return after suspension.