Calderwood cautious over Killie Cup tie

JIMMY CALDERWOOD is torn over whether Kilmarnock's Active Nation Scottish Cup tie with Falkirk tonight is a good thing after watching them comprehensively beaten in his first game in charge.

Calderwood presided over Saturday's 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat to Motherwell less than 48 hours after being unveiled as Jim Jefferies' successor in the Rugby Park hotseat.

Having had no time to stamp his authority on his new side, Calderwood faces the same problem with their rearranged fourth-round cup tie.

"In one way, I'm glad to get a game again," the former Aberdeen and Dunfermline boss said.

"But you cannot do anything tactical-wise, organisation-wise.

"There are a lot of tired legs.

"It was a heavy, heavy pitch and when you're down like that, it makes it a lot harder.

"Result-wise, it would be great to have the Scottish Cup."

Tonight's match is a meeting of the SPL's bottom two, but there is no doubt which of the sides are in better form.

"Falkirk have had a wonderful result at Celtic Park, so that's not going to make it any easier," Calderwood said of the Bairns' 1-1 draw on Saturday.

"But we cannot feel sorry for ourselves; we've just got to get on with it."

Calderwood's cause has not been helped by an injury to midfielder Craig Bryson, who limped off at Rugby Park.

"If he's not playing, it's be a massive loss because I thought he did really, really well," the Killie boss said.

"He was the one player who had the quality and the energy.

"At the end, we looked very, very tired, to be honest."

Kilmarnock had gone in level at half-time after an even opening 45 minutes but they found Craig Brown-led Motherwell too hot to handle after the break as Jim O'Brien struck twice for the visitors before Lukas Jutkiewicz rubber stamped the result.