Stand-in goalkeeper Colin Meldrum aims to put his Scottish League Cup nightmare behind him tonight as Kilmarnock go in search of European glory in the south of France. The Scots Under-21 international looks set to face Nice in the Cup-Winners' Cup first round with regular No 1 Dragoje Lekovic virtually resigned to missing the first leg tie with an injured knee.
The French side's Stade du Ray will provide Meldrum with the perfect stage to prove he has buried the memory of the six goals that whistled past him at Stirling Forthbank Stadium only a month ago.
The 21-year-old was on the receiving end that night as the first division strugglers caused the shock of this season's League Cup competition by dumping out the Scottish Cup holders.
Meldrum admitted: "I was very low after the Stirling game and the first couple of days were difficult afterwards.
"But it is all forgotten now. You just have to start again, get on with it and put things behind you.
"That night wasn't anyone individuals fault. It was just one of those games when everything they tried went in."
Meldrum has had plenty of time to reflect on the experience since, with the first choice Lekovic returning to the side four days later for the league game at Hibernian.
But Lekovic's misfortune on international duty with Yugoslavia last week presented Meldrum with the opportunity to make amends, and he duly rewarded manager Bobby Williamson as Killie notched their first league victory of the season, 2-1 at Dundee United.
"It was good for Colin to get that victory behind him after the Stirling match," said Williamson.
"You could see the belief coming back to not just his game but the whole team, and the boys were really buzzing after the game.
"Now we are really looking forward to this one and the confidence is back after getting some goals and winning a game."
With only two goalkeepers registered for Europe, Williamson will be forced to use defender Gus MacPherson in goal should any calamity befall Meldrum tonight. But it is not something that is worrying him unduly at this stage. "Goalkeepers go seasons without getting injured and there is no big deal about it - we never used to name substitute keepers in the old days anyway," he said.
The former Rangers star whose only previous European experience came from a single UEFA tie during his Ibrox spell, is more concerned that striker Paul Wright shakes off the effects of a cold in time to lead the attack. "He's not feeling too great at the moment, but knowing Paul, he wouldn't be coming over here just to watch the game," Williamson added.
