Are McCann and Killie about to kickstart season?

Since the turn of the millennium, Kilmarnock have played seven times at Hampden under four different managers. For a club of their size, some may view that as an underperformance. For Neil McCann, though, it is a chance to undo much of the early-season malaise and kickstart his first full season in charge at Rugby Park. When Aberdeen visit on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the League Sports Cup, it is a meeting of two of the top flight's worst-performing sides in the midst of two ponderous starts to the season. They warmed up with a league meeting that ended in a rather drab 0-0 draw , but there were signs of encouragement for McCann. Should Killie prevail, McCann will become just the fifth boss this century to give the Killie fans a Hampden trip, and just the second since they won this competition in 2012. Former Celtic and Hibernian midfielder Scott Allan reckons they are the side most likely to advance. "On the day, McCann was happy with how his team performed," Allan said on the BBC Scottish Football Podcast. "And I think that's how he would look at it, it was a better performance from Kimarnock, although they didn't get three points, they created chances and looked a lot safer at the back. "I think everybody, McCann included, was expecting that new pitch to go in their favour, and it just hasn't up until now. "I still think there will be a belief there from McCann that they can go and really put Aberdeen under pressure early on. "So there is a lot riding on it for both managers." Killie are yet to record a league win and have shipped 14 goals, but did beat local rivals Ayr United in the previous round of the league cup, although have failed to build on the momentum of theat last-gasp winner. At the end of last season, Killie secured their Premiership status with a fine run of form and inspired attacking football, something they have yet to show consistently this term. "I probably favour Kilmarnock," Allan added. "Being the home team, and I think after last week there will be a bit more belief than there was previously with the goals they were conceding. "So I just feel at the top end of the pitch Kilmarnock have got a bit more than Aberdeen."