Kenny Shiels calls on Kilmarnock players to regroup

Kilmarnock have won three and drawn six of their 14 league games

Manager Kenny Shiels preferred to focus on the challenge of his team's next game than dwell on the 6-3 hammering handed to Kilmarnock by Inverness.

He told BBC Scotland: "We were beaten by a better team on the day and we have to take that on the chin, regroup and get ready for our next league game.

"We're not as good as what people said we were. We understand that and we need to improve and keep working at it.

"We made mistakes today and we were punished for them."

Inverness looked impressive from the first whistle but it was Killie who took the lead when Paul Heffernan backheeled the sweetest of passes into the box for Dean Shiels to accept and score.

But Terry Butcher's side were level at the break when Andrew Shinnie began his hat-trick with a deft finish past Anssi Jaakkola from a tight angle.

Shiels was preparing to make a substitution when his team found themselves 2-1 down and, within moments of the introduction of David Silva and James Dayton for James Fowler and Liam Kelly, the game as a contest was over.

Jonny Hayes scored Inverness's second, then Shinnie fired the third and Gregory Tade a wonderful, individual fourth.

Shinnie added a fifth for his hat-trick before Shiels made it 5-2 from the spot. Tade and Heffernan each scored to finish the scoring spree.

"The boys were warning up to come on, only because I felt we had that momentum at 1-1," explained Shiels.

"But then the young left-back stands off Hayes. He was warned about him coming inside and he had a free shot at goal. The keeper shouldn't have been beaten.

"For every goal we conceded there was two or three mistakes in it. We go chasing it and we leave holes at the back. But these things happen in football.

"We are a positive group of people and we will make sure we are ready for the next game."

Shiels had selected the same line-up for the fifth match in succession but would not be drawn on whether there would be major changes for his team's next game, away to Hibs in a fortnight.

He said: "I don't want to come out with a knee-jerk reaction.

"We'll be preparing professionally, as we always do, and we'll take a look at who is performing and who is ready for the next game.

"We were passing the ball quite well at times. We had some good passages of play."