KILLIE REQUIRE IMMEDIATE NISH RETURN

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies is desperate to see Colin Nish back in action after the forward tried to play through the pain barrier with a broken hand at the weekend.

The striker landed awkwardly after an aerial challenge during the 2-2 Tennent's Scottish Cup fourth round draw at Hearts on Saturday and splintered two bones in his right hand.

The 23-year-old attempted to play on with a heavy strapping, but was eventually forced to make way for Kris Boyd shortly before half time after his goal had hauled Killie back into the tie at 1-1.

Nish will now be in plaster for around three weeks and will miss the next two games against Hearts - in the Bank of Scotland Premier League on Saturday before the cup replay four days later.

Jefferies said: "He fell awkwardly and there was more and more pain, so we put a strapping on it, but he just couldn't carry on - it was too painful.

"It's two bones which have splintered and, if he had fallen on it and made it worse, then it might have been more complicated so he had to come off.

"Colin Nish has done great for us. I left him out for tactical reasons against Celtic on January 30 because I wanted an extra midfield player in there and Celtic are strong in the middle of the park.

"But we missed him that day and brought him back in against Hearts. He got the first equaliser and the injury is a blow for him.

"He's somebody who was starting gradually to win people over because he puts a lot of work in and links the midfield with attack.

"He will be a loss and, hopefully, we are wrong and it won't be as long in healing and we can get him back."

Jefferies and his team are in the throes of a three-game successive stretch against Hearts.

The Rugby Park boss cannot remember playing against the same team three times in a row, but he has plenty of experience when it comes to league and cup doubles.

Killie have already played Motherwell two weeks on the trot this season and, if they progress to the quarter-finals, they can expect the same again against Livingston.

Jefferies added: "I don't know about playing teams three times but we have played teams twice in a row a few times.

"We played Motherwell in the cup and the league this year, now we have Hearts in the cup and the league.

"If we were to get through the replay, we have got Livingston in the league after the cup-tie, so you would have got long odds on that."

Taken from sportinglife.com