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[tab:Match report]

 Kris Jack at Fir Park

A late Johnny Russell sucker punch clinched all three points for Dundee United as Motherwell were once more left to rue missed chances.

The defeat sees the Tannadice go level with ‘Well in the SPL, robbing the hosts of the chance to go second.

Henrik Ojamaa hit the woodwork twice as Motherwell failed to continue from where they had left off on Saturday.

Having secured a first victory in four games, Stuart McCall kept faith in the side that dispatched of St Johnstone 3-1 in Perth. Jamie Murphy was looking to grab his first goal at Fir Park for the season after netting a brace at McDiarmid Park; Euan Murray replaced Adam Asghar amongst the subs.

Former ‘Well defender Brian McLean came in for Peter Houston’s United side, in place of Barry Douglas, in the only change from the side that snatched a late, late draw against Celtic on Sunday.

Gary Mackay-Steven, who was amongst the goals at Tannadice, started from the bench after a long injury lay off as did recent recruit Rudi Skacel.

The first half was full of half chances for both sides, with Murphy looking keen to get on the scoresheet. He was given an early opportunity to open the scoring after cutting in from the left hand side, only to see his effort parried wide by Czierzniak.

The United keeper was then on hand to make a great point blank save from Murphy after Michael Higdon had knocked Chris Humphrey’s cross down in to his path. From six yards, the Polish stopper somehow blocked out Murphy’s first time effort.

United should have done better when a breakaway saw Johnny Russell send Stuart Armstrong through on goal, but he could only blast into the stand when he should have worked Randolph at least.

The Steelmen were kept to efforts from the edge of the box as Ojamaa, Murphy, Lasley and Hateley all tried to score form distance, but couldn’t find a way past Czierzniak. Jon Daly headed wide for United from a good Keith Watson cross, before Gavin Gunning forced Randolph in to a double save from a set piece.

Richie Ryan was felled at the edge of the box and Gunning’s blast was well stopped by Randolph, with Jon Daly’s follow up also blocked out superbly by the Irish keeper’s legs.

The best chance of the half fell to Henrik Ojamaa, who, after roasting Watson on the left drove in to the box to crash a shot high past Czierzniak only to see it cannon back off the bar and out.

It took a while for the second half to come to life, and when it did, the roof almost came off Fir Park, as Ojamaa was once more denied by the woodwork. Ryan lost possession 30 yards from his own goal, as Lasley nipped in to play a great pass to the Estonian. His shot from the angle had Czierzniak rooted as it slithered across the greasy surface only to bounce off the base of the far post.

Stuart Armstrong then had two chances to give Houston’s team the lead, but his first effort on the break went well wide and the second was deflected past by Hateley. A series of corners ensued and from the final Willo Flood delivery, the ball looked to have been forced over the line. However, referee Alan Muir and his linesman opted not to give the goal, as ‘Well looked to be served a let off.

Michael Higdon was then in the right place at the right time to fire Chris Humphrey’s low cross on target, but he could neither get the power or the accuracy to beat the keeper. Humphrey then flashed a great low cross just wide after a neat 1-2 with  Nicky Law a the edge if the box, as Well looked to make their pressure count.

Instead, it was the visitors who snatched the lead and the points after 83 minutes. With Mackay-Steven and Skacel on as subs, United’s attacking options were bolstered, and after both were involved in an attack which broke down, Keith Watson floated a great ball to the back post, catching the ‘Well defence on its heels. The ball dropped over Jon Daly, right on to the head of the onrushing Johnny Russell who crashed the ball in off the underside of the bar.

It was a well taken goal, which takes Peter Houston and his side back up the A9 the happier of the managers. Stuart McCall’s attention now turns to the Dundee game this weekend to get his team back to winning ways.

[tab:As it happened]

Alastair Reilly at Fir Park

FULL TIME: Motherwell 0 – 1 Dundee United

90mins+2: Cummins booked

90mins: Corner to Motherwell…… comes to nothing. Need some magic now.

90mins: 3 minutes added on….

87mins: Motherwell sub: Daley on for Humphrey

86mins: Dundee United sub: Russell off for Millar

83mins: GOAL: Russell loops a header over Randolph to send United in front.

81mins: Law goes for the spectacular curler into the top corner……he very nearly finds it……the corner of the stand that is.

79mins: Motherwell and Dundee Utd subs: McHugh on for Ojamaa and Skacel on for Rankin

78mins: Should have been! Humphrey and Law link-up well out wide but there are no takers of the cross.

75mins: ‘Well looking to hit on the break and almost did. Humphrey burst clear and squared to Higdon. He shoots first time but easily saved

72mins: Rankin booked for handball as Motherwell broke.

70mins: Dundee United sub: Ryan makes way for Mackay-Steven

65mins: Oohhh, bit of controversy there. United fans thought their team had scored but linesman says it wasn’t over the line.

64mins: Good chance for United! Armstrong, dangerous all night, cuts in and see’s his shot deflected just past.

60mins: Gunning rightly booked for hauling down Murphy just outside the box. Chance here for a penalty as he hit the deck. Hard to tell from up here though!

56mins: Oh drama! First Ojamaa hits the post. The ball is kept in play and as Law made his way into the box, the FP crowd claimed…

51mins: Murphy’s touch lets him down at the vital moment after Ojamaa slid him through. Unlucky, surface doesn’t help.

48mins: Early pressure from United. Armstrong has been a nuisance all night and wins a corner off Lasley. No danger from corner.

46mins: It’s raining here at Fir Park. Not just raining….RAINING! Tricky surface now….

Second half underway. Come on the ‘Well!

A great double save from Randolph to deny United and Ojamaa’s strike off the bar + Murphy’s early chance from close were the highlights

HALF TIME: Motherwell 0-0 Dundee Utd. Entertaining game and both sides will maybe feel they should be on the scoresheet.

43mins: Ojamaa drifts out left to collect the ball. He jinks towards goal but his shot is waayyyyy over the bar.

40mins: Ryan hits a speculative effort from about 30 yards. Sails well wide.

39mins: Almost the breakthrough! Ojamaa strikes from distance and is denied by the bar. Great effort!

36mins: Lasley does ok with an effort on the edge of the box. It’s on his weak foot though and never troubled the Cierzniak.

35mins: Still 0-0 then. The curse of the twitter comment striking again!

25mins: Should probably be a goal by now! Humphrey is next up to try is luck. It’s well over but it’s just a matter of time now surely?!

23mins: Chances just keep coming! This time it is Hateley driving forward to then cut in on his weaker foot. It’s an ok strike but is saved.

19mins: Watson chopped down about 25 yards out. Gunning to take…..it’s a sizzler but Randolph does superbly to save it! And the rebound! Oh that is just fantastic goalkeeping!

17mins: Murphy continues to threaten! Similar to his last chance, the exact same actually. Corner leads to nothing.

14mins: Unlucky! Murphy fed in by Law but is forced wide by the United defence. He managed to shoot but it is tipped past for a corner.

10mins: Decent chance for United there. Daly powered in a header at the back post which went just wide. Cummins hurt but will carry on.

8mins: Ojamaa spins his man 25 yards out. He shoots but his effort is tame and well wide. Decent game so far.

5mins: United break up the pitch and Armstrong finds himself 18 yards out. Fails to hit the target and lets Motherwell off.

5mins: Great chance! Law curled in a cross at the back post which Higdon controlled and squared to Murphy. From 10 yards, Cierzniak saves.

2mins: Armstrong shoots from 30 yards….never enough power to beat a keeper like Randolph though.

1mins: Almost a bit of deja-vu there! Murphy driving straight at the United defence gets a shot off from 25 yards. Good hands from Cierzniak.

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“We’ll play a lot worse than that and lose. I found it very difficult to say anything negative other than the result.

“It was two good teams out there. How we have failed to score I don’t know.”

Dundee Utd manager Peter Houston:

“On a difficult night I thought both teams tried to serve up a lot of football. One wee bit of quality has won us the game.

“It’s not the first time Johnny Russell has scored a goal like that, he scored one at McDiarmid Park last season that was the exact same.

“I don’t think it was a header across goal, he was trying to score. It deceived the goalkeeper and went over the top of his head but for me that shows great quality.

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”121”]

Steelmen boss Stuart McCall reckons it will be another close encounter when ‘Well face Dundee Utd at Fir Park tomorrow (Wednesday).

Although both teams have struggled in recent times, Motherwell halted their run with a fine 3-1 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Peter Houston’s men bounced back from their Cup exit to Hearts with a scintillating comeback against Celtic at Tannadice, scoring twice in the closing stages to secure a deserved draw.

The teams go head to head for the first time this season and McCall is sure it’ll be a tight affair.

[pullquote]I think it will be a very tight game, although I find myself saying this at every press conference because there is really nothing between the teams in the league.[/pullquote]

He said: “The preparations have been good however, like I keep saying, we don’t become a bad team overnight but likewise we don’t become world beaters.

“I think it will be a very tight game, although I find myself saying this at every press conference because there is really nothing between the teams in the league. They have had highs and lows recently.

“I’m sure they would have been looking forward to get through to the next round of the cup but went out on penalties, which is a massive blow.  But then to fight back from 2-0 down against the champions when it looked like there was no way back showed they have got great spirit and it will give them confidence. Mackay-Stevens is back for them now and Skacel, Daly and Russell are all available who can all cause us problems. It will be an entertaining game and a very close one.

“We’ll take confidence from Saturdays result but we’ve got to build on it and look to keep collecting points.”

Pictures from the 3-1 win over St Johnstone in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at McDiarmid Park.

These action shots and more are available to buy online at motherwellpics.com.

[svgallery name=”stjohnstone031112″]

‘Well boss Stuart McCall has ruled himself the running for the vacant manager’s job at the Scottish FA.

McCall, capped 40 times by his country including a goal at Italia 90 against Sweden, was quoted by some bookmakers as fourth favourite.

However, the 48-year old has distanced himself from the role and is fully committed to his job at Fir Park.

[pullquote]I am flattered to be even linked with it but at this moment in time my job is at Motherwell.[/pullquote]

“If the job were available in ten years time then it would be something I would be honoured to do,” he said.

“I am flattered to be even linked with it but at this moment in time my job is at Motherwell. There are some terrific and very capable candidates out there who I am sure will do a terrific job if appointed.

“If you look at who they has been mentioned – Walter Smith, Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, Owen Coyle and Joe Jordan, they are all top coaches and top football men.

“Whoever gets the role will have my full backing. Although my accent may not sound like it, I am fiercely patriotic about my country and we all hope things pick up.”

[tab:Match report]

Kris Jack at McDiarmid Park

A Jamie Murphy double set Motherwell on their way to a thumping 3-1 win over St Johnstone.

The former Scotland Under 21 striker netted twice in the first half to give the visitors a two goal half time lead, before Nicky Law clinched the win in the second half.

A late reply from David Robertson for Saints could not inspire a comeback, as Well inflicted a first defeat in eight SPL games on the hosts.

It was a much needed win for the Steelmen which stopped a poor run of four defeats on the trot, elevating the Fir Park side to sixth in the table, with a game in hand over Dundee United to come on Wednesday night.

Adam Cummins replaced the injured Fraser Kerr who missed out with a calf injury as Stuart McCall made only one change from the team that fell to Hibernian last time out. Steve Lomas made three changes to the side which was dumped out of the League Cup by Celtic in midweek, Frazer Wright, Nigel Hasselbaink and Steven McLean coming in for the Perthshire side.

The game was only 49 seconds old when the Steelmen took the lead, stunning the home crowd from the off. Steven Hammell’s ball up the left channel found Henrik Ojamaa haring in on Gary Miller. After cutting in, his shot cannoned off Steven Anderson and fell kindly for Jamie Murphy who was on hand to smash home from 12 yards. It was Murphy’s first goal since his double against Kilmarnock in August and The Steelmen’s first goal in four games.

It was the ideal start for the visitors and it should have been 2-0 just moments later, after a mix up in the Saints defence. A pass back to Alan Mannus wasn’t properly dealt with and as the keeper tried to control the ball, Ojamaa nipped in to steal the ball off his toe. With the whole goal to aim at, the Estonian contrived to find the stand instead wasting a glorious opportunity for his first strike of the season.

Motherwell were looking the more comfortable and Michael Higdon was unlucky to see a dipping volley sail just over the bar from 25 yards, before Chris Humphrey roasted Dave MacKay on the right but his cross had no takers in the six yard box.

Nigel Hasselbaink was then fouled on the wing outside the box, giving St Johnstone a set piece chance, but Murray Davidson’s low driven effort was kept out by the legs of Darren Randolph. Liam Craig then dropped two free kicks on to the head of Steven Anderson and Frazer Wright, both efforts floating well over the bar.

With a little momentum behind them, the Saints looked like they were edging back in to the game but they fell further behind when Murphy exploited some poor defending to double the visitors’ lead on 37 minutes.

After playing a one-two with Hammell, Murphy strode forward unchallenged past the home defence before unleashing a low shot from the edge of the box. The power of the strike caught Mannus by surprise and beat the Saints goalie at his near post, before nestling in the net. The 400+ away support cheered loud as Murphy and his team mates celebrated the second goal, which gave Stuart McCall’s side a two goal half-time cushion.

The second-half started much cagier, with the game being played scrappily in the middle of the park, with little to no goalmouth action. It took until the 58th minute for the game to spark to life again, when Ojamaa was sent clear by Humphrey on the right. However, after dragging Mannus wide, the Estonian’s shot was blocked out for a corner. From the set piece, Adam Cummins headed just over the bar.

The hosts enjoyed a fair amount of possession in and around the visitor’s box, but Hasselbaink, Tade nor substitute Rowan Vine could breach the away defence. Chris Millar curled an effort just wide of Randolph’s right hand post from the edge of the box, squandering the McDiarmid Park side’s best chance of the half.

On 75 minutes, Motherwell sealed the win in fine fashion. Nicky Law rode a late challenge in the midfield to run on to a through ball from Keith Lasley and a back-heel from Ojamaa, before composing himself to dink the ball over the sliding Mannus to make it 3-0 to the Steelmen.

St Johnstone were unlucky not to pull one back when Hasselbaink got on the end of a great cross from the left hand side but his header was miraculously kept out by Darren Randolph, eager to keep a clean sheet for the first time since the opening day of the season.

It was a fantastic stop, but his shutout was broken with three minutes remaining as Saints sub David Robertson was on hand to blast home after good work by Vine on the left.

Murphy could have secured his hat trick in the dying seconds when Zaine Francis- Angol fed him on the left wing, and despite the young left back making himself available for the cut back, Murphy shot just wide of Mannus’ far post with the Canadian stopper getting a faint touch.

It would have been a fitting end to a fine performance from the young forward, but the two he did score played their part in a great win for Stuart McCall’s Motherwell.

[tab:As it happened]

Alan Burrows at McDiarmid Park

Full time: St Johnstone 1 Motherwell 3, a well deserved three points!

91mins: Murphy almost makes it a hat-trick but Mannus makes a great save to turn it wide. Great run from ZFA to set the move up too!

90mins: 3 mins to be added on here!

88mins: Humphrey is replaced by Carswell… Few minutes left here at McDiarmid Park.

GOAL ST JOHNSTONE – Sub David Robertson. Motherwell fail to clear the ball despite numerous chances to do so. The midfielder blasts home.

87mins: Decent hit from MacKay (I think) but it flashes just over the bar!

86mins: Brilliant save from Randolph keeps it 3-0 to ‘Well. Cross from the flank, Hasselbaink’s header; point blank save from the the Irish International!

85mins: Higdon should secure the points for the Steelmen. Great play from Humphrey – cut-back for the big striker but shot straight at GK

80mins: Into the last ten minutes here at McDiarmid Park. Motherwell have only kept one clean sheet all season. Could this be the second?

79mins: Another sub for the Steelmen. Bob McHugh comes on for Henrik Ojamaa who has worked his socks off!

78mins: Couple of subs here… Hammell is off and ZFA is on for ‘Well. Robertson comes on to replace Craig for Saints. Twelve minutes to go.

74mins: Worth mentioning the excellent back-heel from Ojamaa to set-up the former Rotherham man. Excellent goal!

74mins: Great goal from Law – equally brilliant advantage from the referee. Wee midfielder nips in to dink it over Mannus…

GOOOOOALLLLLLLL NICKY LAW! 3-0 MOTHERWELL!

71mins: Liam Craig fires over from the edge of the box with ‘Well hearts in mouth. Good charging from Cummins to put him off too.

68mins: Right down there other end, Millar curls a decent effort at goal but it drops just wide of the post.

68mins: Ojamaa fires a 25-yard shot at Mannus but the ‘keeper does well to make the stop there. Still 2-0 ‘Well at the moment.

64mins: Chance for Vine after a Hasselbaink cut-back but his shot lacked power and Randolph can jump on it.

63mins: Booking for Lasley there. Little bit harsh from the officials there I think.

62mins: Saints look as if they will pull level but the Steelmen somehow hook clear inside the six yard box. Heavy pressure from St. J

60mins: Saints Sub on the hour- Tade comes off and the talented Rowan Vine.

59mins: From the resulting corner-kick, Adam Cummins rises well inside the box but heads it over the bar.

59mins: First real chance of the second half. Ojamaa breaks clear of the defensive line by Mannus does well to turn his low shot around.

53mins: Slow start to the second half from both teams. Not much in the way of fluid passing or moving from either side at the moment.

46mins: Teams are back out on the park. Saints are going to get us going again. Good luck to the ‘Well lads out there! #COYW

HT: Chat amongst the press pack is Motherwell worthy of lead but look as if they could concede. Might need another to secure three points

HT: Saints have had much more of the ball but ‘Well have had the better of the chances with Ojamaa’s close-range effort.

HT: St Johnstone 0 – 2 Motherwell (Murphy x2)

40mins: Saints look to hit back through Davidson but his long-range effort whizzes past the post – Randolph comfortably watching it wide

38mins: Brilliant solo run from Murphy. Cutting in from the left, he smashes it low past Mannus at his near post. 2-0 Motherwell!

GOOOALLLLLLL MOTHERWELL JAMIE MURPHY!

36mins: Saints players crowd the referee looking for a free-kick on the edge. Might have had a good case there too in fairness.

34mins: Referee Colvin is killing the game a little with free-kick after free-kick for both sides. Needs to let up a little.

33mins: Great ball into the box from Saints. Ramsden does brilliantly well to block Hasselbaink. Eventually ref blows for a ‘Well free kick.

31mins: Another chance for Wright. Header eight yards from goal and he should do better as it floats over!

30mins: Referee gives Saints a very soft free-kick. Wright’s header is thankfully straight at Randolph. All Saints at the minute…

25mins: Motherwell subs out to warm up. Bob McHugh gets his now traditional welcome from the noisy ‘Well support.

24mins: Motherwell allowing Saints to turn and face the play in the final third. Dangerous as they are getting some good balls into the box.

21mins: Liam Craig forces Randolph into an unusual save with his feet. A bit De Gea vs Chelsea for those that watched it last week.

16mins: Nice dink to the back post for Ramsden but his header floats over the bar. Great stuff from ‘Well so far. 1-0 at the minute (Murphy)

15mins: Motherwell have a free-kick on the edge of the Saints area. Right of centre, about 23 yards out… #COYW

13mins: Great run and cross from Humphrey. Not quite sure how a Motherwell jersey didn’t get on the end of it. Let off for Saints there again

11mins: Superb volley from Higdon from the edge of the bar goes just wide/over. Great effort from the big man – so close…

9mins: Great chance for St Johnstone. Tade sneaks round the back for the header but puts it wide of the post. Close one there…

8mins: Motherwell crowd in great voice again. Drummer on form for sure. Keep it up lads. Still 1-0 to ‘Well (Murphy)

6mins: Liam Craig has Saints’ first effort at goal but his effort flashes wide with Randolph in good position to watch it safely past.

5mins: Don’t want to curse it, but it’s been a brilliant opening 5mins from Motherwell. Saints look tasty on the counter though.

2mins: Incredible miss from Ojamaa. That should be 2-0. The Estonian pinches the ball off Mannus but with an open goal, puts it over.

1min: Great work by Ojamaa down the left. His shot/cross was deflected into the path of Murphy who swept home from twelve yards!

GOAAALLLL Murphy

1min – Motherwell kick off

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“We haven’t had too many good days of late, so we’re pleased. We won’t get too carried away but, obviously, the main point is we’ve not scored in four games, so to get off to such a good start was pleasing.

“I think we’ll have burst a few coupons today because I think most people would have had St Johnstone as a home win, so it was nice, there was a lot of character in there.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t manage to keep a clean sheet because I thought we’ve done really well and we just switched off a little bit.

“We won’t get carried away, but I’m pleased for the lads because they’ve taken a bit of flak and bounced back well at what is a tough place to come.” 

St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas:

“You just can’t give the type of goals we gave away, the first two, and expect to win football games. It’s just impossible.

“The first was just a lump over the top and Ojamaa gets in. And the second one, Murphy cuts inside and runs 30 or 40 yards and smacks it in.

“That’s not good enough. We did have some chances that you probably need to take.

“But one of things that got us on our run, obviously we were scoring goals, but we were quite hard to concede against. So the last two games have been a massive disappointment.

“We didn’t get out the blocks. We said Motherwell would be coming out the blocks and we would have to match that, but some of the defending was criminal.”

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”120″]

Motherwell were today handed a boost with the new Steven Saunders can step up his rehabilitation in the coming weeks.

The Scotland International cap is likely to resume training in a fortnight’s time after a couple of weeks of intense running.

The news comes at an ideal time for the Steelmen with Shaun Hutchinson, Fraser Kerr and Euan Murray all sidelined through injury.

Saunders told motherwellfc.co.uk, “The surgeon has given me the all clear to up my running and do some intense leg work.

“I can now see the end of all this and physiologically, that’s a big boost. I’ll do more weights, more running and, all being well, I’ll be back in training in about two weeks.

“The surgeon has been delighted with the progress and has now left the remained of the recovery with John Porteous here at Motherwell.

“If I can get back to training within two weeks, then hopefully it won’t be long before I can get some action for the U20s with the ultimate aim of getting back into the first-team.”

‘Well boss Stuart McCall is adamant his side will travel to Perth to face SPL high-flyers St Johnstone aiming for all three points.

The Steelmen have been on a disappointing run of late, losing the last four games and dropping to 8th in the table.

Saints on the other hand have won five from their last six SPL matches, propelling them to within touching distance of the division’s summit.

It is role reversals from the last time the teams met back in August but the Fir Park boss is focused on getting his side back to winning ways.

[pullquote]I’m confident in this group of players. We have the quality to cause them problems and that is what we aim to do.[/pullquote]

He told MFC TV: “We’ll go to St Johnstone, which is a tough place to go, and knuckle down and work hard.

“I’m confident in this group of players. We have the quality to cause them problems and that is what we aim to do.

“A couple of months ago St Johnstone were down near the bottom a month ago and after a good run of results got themselves up to the top half. It’s time to look forward.

“We can look back and say, yeah, we lost a 93rd minute equaliser against St Mirren and Aberdeen and last Friday everything that could have went against us did. We’ve got to keep the belief and the confidence and we’ve not become a bad team overnight.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ONLY ON MFC TV-

Young Liverpudlian Adam Cummins says Motherwell have all the motivation they need going into the Scottish Cup 4th Round clash with Aberdeen.

The Steelmen were paired with Craig Brown’s side in this afternoon’s draw at Hampden, the same side that sent Motherwell out at the Quarter Final stage last season winning 2-1 at Fir Park.

And the former Evertonian admits that match, and the 3-3 draw earlier in the campaign, will be fresh in the minds come the start of December.

“It’s a tough draw for us,” he told MFC TV immediately after the draw.

“They knocked us out at the Quarter Final stage last year and we will use the disappointment we felt after that match to spur us on.

“We are desperate to put that right. Even the 3-3 draw earlier this season, if you look at that match we were comfortable but lost two late goals. I remember their manager came out after the match and said we were the best team they had faced.

“That meant little to us on the bus on the way down the road so there is plenty of determination amongst our squad to go there and give a good account of ourselves. We also want to win this for the fans – they deserve a really good Cup run so it’s certainly one to look forward to.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV-

‘Well winger Jamie Murphy insists confidence in the Fir Park dressing room is high despite a run of disappointing results.

The Steelmen will travel to Perth tomorrow looking to take all three points for the first time since winning 2-1 against Dundee at Dens Park in mid September.

Former Scotland Under 21 hitman Murphy is philosophical about the side’s recent run and senses an urgency in the camp to put things right at McDiarmid Park tomorrow afternoon.

[pullquote]We’ve been on bad runs in the past and the onus is always on the players to get us out it, hopefully that starts on Saturday.[/pullquote]

Speaking exclusively to MFC TV, he said: “No one wants to lose games but that’s football; sometimes that can happen.

“We’ve been on bad runs in the past and the onus is always on the players to get us out it, hopefully that starts on Saturday.

“I am a big believer that you create your own luck with how hard you work during the week at training and on a Saturday matchday. That said we’ve not had the rub of the green with losing some last minute goals and some decisions from the officials.

“We need to work even harder – if someone came along and watched on training sessions they would think we had won five games in a row such has been the intensity and training.

“We’re going to St Johnstone tomorrow looking to take all three points. We go into every game looking to win and tomorrow is no different. It will be a tough match, Saints are a very good side but the onus is on us to go and put some recent wrongs right.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV-

Motherwell have been drawn to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the Fourth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

The full draw:

Aberdeen v Motherwell

Partick Thistle v Dunfermline

Kilmarnock v Queen of the South

Hibernian v Hearts

Airdrie or Raith v Deveronvale

Turriff United v Albion Rovers or Morton

Livingston v Dundee

Rangers v Elgin City

Forfar or Nairn County v Ayr United

Ross County v Inverness

Celtic v Inverurie or Arbroath

Dumbarton v Hamilton

Cowdenbeath v St Johnstone

Stranraer or Queen’s Park v Dundee United

Stenhousemuir or Berwick v Falkirk

St Mirren v Brechin or Bonnyrigg Rose

Ties to be played on the weekend of December 1st / 2nd 2012.