MARK CONNOLLY was delighted Kilmarnock stopped the rot to avoid an unwanted place in the Rugby Park record-books.

Allan Johnston's side drew 1-1 with Partick Thistle on Saturday as they halted a miserable run that saw them lose five on the spin.

Tope Obadeyi's opener was cancelled out by Dan Seaborne at Firhill and defender Connolly hopes it is a step in the right direction for Killie.

He said: "Another defeat would have been a hard one to take - big time.

"The biggest thing for us was to get a result. Of course we want to win every game but we were away from home so we will take the point.

"We'll now look forward to facing St Johnstone this week and we'll take so much confidence from the Thistle game.

"We may not have won but when you lose so many games as we had then it was good to bring that run to an end … The least our fans deserved against Thistle was hard work from us and we gave that."

Killie may not have ended their long wait for a win but the Firhill stalemate was enough to take them into the Premiership top six.

And Connolly hopes the Jags draw will be the turning point of the campaign for Johnston's side.

He said: "Nobody wants to be associated with that kind of record.

"There are a lot of new lads at this football club and we all want to do well. We've been through a difficult time but at this level it's the smallest things that kill you. I blocked a shot near the end of the game and maybe last week that would have gone in.

"We enjoyed a little bit of luck at the end but losing games is difficult as it just seems so constant.

"We needed to get out of that habit. So this is a big point for us."