Jim Jefferies welcomed fit-again Mark Burchill into the Kilmarnock squad for the visit of St Johnstone in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Saturday - but hopes necessity will not be the reason for handing the striker his competitive debut.

Burchill signed with the Ayrshire club in the summer but injured his Achilles tendon in a pre-season friendly against Burnley and eventually had to have surgery.

After coming through a closed-door game this week Burchill, 29, is set to be on the bench against the Perth men although the Rugby Park boss is hoping his side have the points secured before the former Celtic player is introduced.

"Mark had his first 90 minutes in a closed-doors game and I will have him in the squad," Jefferies said.

"If you are looking for a goal then he has got to get a chance.

"Hopefully, though, if we do put him on the bench we won't need him.

"Hopefully we can give him a run for the right reasons, when we have stuck the ball in the net and can afford to bring him on."

Jefferies, however, will have to do without the services of striker Allan Russell who broke a hand in the same closed-doors game.

Russell has only made two substitute appearances this season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in March and the Killie boss bemoaned his latest piece of bad news.

"Allan will be out for the next couple of weeks," Jefferies said. "It is a blow for him and the club.

"He fought his way back from a serious knee injury and then this happens to him."

Jefferies, is hoping the "law of averages" sees his side convert some of the chances which have been squandered in recent weeks.

However, the former Hearts boss accepts the visitors, tied with Killie on six points, may feel the same way.

"St Johnstone are a good side and they are like us, they probably deserve a few points more," he said.

"But as long as we keep playing the way we have been playing and keep making the chances, I'm sure the law of averages will turn and we are bound to stick it in the net.

"The players' attitude has been fantastic, though.

"We have not lost heart and we are determined to get that second win under the belt."