Matty Kennedy is determined to help Kilmarnock make a late growth for the first six after returning from a dismissal, which was much longer than expected.
The influential extreme had three short replacement appearances since the return from three and a half months with a back problem.
Kennedy took the most of Killie’s two -week break from the action before Hibs’ Saturday’s visit.
“It was good to get more training sessions and there was a spare game,” said the 30 -year -old. “So it was good for my fitness.
“At first, when I was hurt, I didn’t think it would be so long, and another part of the injury affected me that I did not notice at the beginning. Once I got this, I returned to the training ground.
“It’s hard, we all go through this at one point in our career. I thought it would be much shorter than it was and your family and friends ask when you are in shape. It is not ideal when you have no idea.
“It is difficult when you don’t know when you are in shape. The weeks pass and is another missed game. It is not ideal to keep your head but we are in shape now.”
Killie in the tenth place is six points down and six sixth, with only four games left before separation, but Kennedy insists that she is looking only while trying to match the top of last season.
“We, as a group, have always talked about the teams in front of us, trying to push the table, we did not look back,” he said.
“I feel with the team we have, we should not be where we are, we should be above. We will push each game trying to get three points and see where it takes us.
“Obviously, it is not ideal where we are and we could have a few short games, but we have to win now if we have a chance.”