They may not be in the top half of the table right now but they certainly are a force to be reckoned with.

On our most recent meeting we were soundly beaten 5-0 at Rugby Park in the League Cup but to be fair we were reduced to 10 men for the greater part of the match.

`Killie` scored in the opening minutes, Kevin Smith was then `ordered off` and the homesters ran out easy winner by 5-0.

In season 2006-07 Kilmarnock beat us again but it was much closer with the game ending 2-1.

We must turn the pages of history back some 23 years when we last beat `Killie`.

It was in the Scottish Cup at Palmerston on Saturday 29th January and it proved a real classic.

Goals from new signing Jim McGuire and Tommy Sloan saw us 2-1 up but with only a couple of minutes remaining, Kilmarnock grabbed an equaliser.

The `gate` that day was 2941.

Our line-up that afternoon was:Ferguson, Shanks, McDonald, Gray, Miller, Bain, Reid, Sloan, Cook, Hetherington and McGuire.

In the replay at Rugby Park four days later Jim McGuire scored what proved to be the all important winner on the 20 minute mark to see Queens through, even though we were reduced to ten men following Derek Cook`s `sending off`.

The crowd was 5623.

Moving on to the present day and Allan Johnston is all set to meet more Premier League opposition against Kilmarnock this Saturday.

We`ve already faced Hibs and Dundee United and done well, and we`ve also beaten Rangers who are in a `false position` in Division Three.

Said the manager himself, "I`m looking forward to facing Premier League opposition again and we`re all `up for the challenge`!

"I was delighted after Saturday`s game and all the lads deserved a lot of credit. It was a great `all round` performance and a well deserved victory!"