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Stephen Robinson believes three points against Dundee could put his side back on track to push for the top six.

But the manager admits the primary focus is to pick up the points required to remain in the top flight.

And with a big game awaiting the Steelmen on Saturday, the Northern Irishman is eager to see his players tale their chances at Dens Park.

“We need to get back to winning ways,” he said. “We have a great chance on Saturday and if we can pick up the win, it’s game on again to push for the top six.

[pullquote]First and foremost, we need to make sure we get the points we need to stay in the division. After that, we can look up the way.[/pullquote]

“We played Dundee recently and as Neil said afterwards, there wasn’t a lot in the game.

“Unlike Saturday against Killie, we took our chances against Dundee and that’s the story of football sometimes.”

Craig Tanner has enjoyed playing against Dundee this season, with three goals in three games against the Dens Park side.

And ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Neil McCann’s side, the 23-year-old is eager to see the Steelmen return to winning ways.

Speaking to the broadcast press, Tanner reflected on his strong run of form against the Dark Blues, and spoke about the positive attitude around Stephen Robinson’s squad.

“I’ve got three goals in three games against Dundee which is nice personally,” the Englishman said.

“But most important is that we go there and get the three points.

[pullquote]”It may be luck or maybe it’s fallen right for me on the day, but if it doesn’t fall for me on Saturday hopefully it falls for someone else.[/pullquote]

“You can see in this division that anyone can beat anyone, so we’ll need to be on our toes and be ready with our game plan to hope that we succeed against them.”

Alan Muir is the man in charge as Motherwell travel to face Dundee at Dens Park for the second time in three weeks. 

The 42-year-old takes charge of his third ‘Well match of the season, and his second at Fir Park.

In those two matches, ‘Well have notched one victory and suffered one defeat, with a 2-0 win over Ross County at home before losing 2-1 away to Hibs.

The official has dished out seven yellow cards and one red in those two games, when Kenny Van Der Weg was given his marching orders.

‘Well travel to a ground they have a perfect record at so far this season, having won twice and kept two clean sheet in the process.

His overall record in charge of the Steelmen is a fairly mixed bag.

When the Scotsman has been in charge, ‘Well have won on 11 occasions, drawn five and lost ten.

In those games, Motherwell have scored 32 and conceded 39.

Muir will be ably assisted by Douglas Ross and Jordan Stokoe; with Andrew Dallas on fourth official duties.

Motherwell return to Dens Park for the second time in three weeks as they travel to face Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

After a 2-0 victory in the William Hill Scottish Cup on their last visit, Stephen Robinson’s men travel north with confidence of continuing their push for a place in the top six.

The Fir Park men are unbeaten at Dens this season, keeping two clean sheets in the process, including a 1-0 league win back in October.

Craig Tanner’s solitary strike sealed the three points that afternoon, and ‘Well’s number 27 also opened the scoring as ‘Well progressed to the quarter final of the Scottish Cup.

The adult ticket price for the match is £24. Over 65s and students can get in for £16, while under 18s go for £10.

	Dundee v Motherwell
	Saturday 24th February 2018
	3pm
	Dens Park
	Tickets available on the gate.

Admission prices are as follows:

• Motherwell fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Brian Davidson on 07428 225254 or tickets@mfcdsa.com. Fans must contact Brian by Wednesday night before the match.

Watch extended highlights from Fir Park as Motherwell suffer their first home defeat of 2018. 

Ryan Bowman, Carl McHugh and Elliott Frear spoke after the disappointing 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Stephen Robinson couldn’t pick many faults with his side as they slumped to their first home defeat of the year.

The Northern Irishman instead decided to focus on the positives as ‘Well lost narrowly to Steve Clarke’s Killie.

Reflecting on the 90 minutes at Fir Park, Robinson credited the defensively drilled Ayrshire outfit.

He said: “There’s not a lot I can say was wrong with the whole performance. But our deliveries and decision-making in the final third could have been better.

“We’ll take it on the chin and say congratulations to Killie. They got the lead then defended for their lives at points.”

He added: “But ultimately, we put 30 balls in the box and had 12 corners so we should have made more of that. But there’s positives to take.”

Lewis Irons at Fir Park

With both teams fighting for a top six place, a single first half strike from local boy Stephen O’Donnell was enough to give Kilmarnock a win and hoist them over Motherwell into sixth spot.

However, ‘Well’s performance from a hectic start to a frenzied finish merited at least a point as the defensively organised Rugby Park side desperately clung on to their slender lead.

As the old cliché goes, the Fir Parkers will play a lot worse and win, as every player tirelessly pressed the visitor’s goal for virtually the entire game, without producing a clinical finish their build up play deserved.

Suspension forced Cedric Kipre to sit out his first game of the season, allowing Elliot Frear to make his first start of the year in an other wise unchanged ’Well.

In a frantic first 30 minutes, both the home fans and the healthy contingent of 1200 from Ayrshire were entertained with fast open football.

Kilmarnock were first to threaten after two minutes when Kris Boyd used his experience to turn inside the box before curling short just beyond the post.

‘Well responded immediately with three great chances inside the next eight minutes. Firstly Curtis main had his snap shot deflected behind and when Jamie MacDonald spilled Craig Tanner’s corner, Main reacted quickest only to see his effort blocked inside the six yard box.

Frear, looking lively down the left, then swept in a low cross which Tanner directed narrowly past before Charles Dunne’s long ball was nodded by Main only to be smothered by MacDonald.

At the other end, Tom Aldred was called upon to block consecutive shots from Stephen O’Donnell and Eamonn Brophy.

However, most of the play was towards the visitor’s goal as series of crosses stretched the Killie back four.

With 15 minutes played Dunne’s cross found Main six yards from goal but his header was comfortably held by MacDonald.

Five minutes later, a quick break down the other wing saw Andy Rose release Chris Cadden and, although his cross eluded the ‘Well front two, Kirk Broadfoot was lucky to see his attempted clearance rattle off the foot of his own post.

Kilmarnock were perhaps equally fortunate a minute later when Scott Boyd’s tug on Nadir Cifti’s jersey inside the box went unpunished, as the grounded striker appealed for a penalty.

Main then forced another save from MacDonald before his loose ball led to Kilmarnock’s goal largely against the run of play.

There looked little danger when O’Donnell took possession of the ball 40-yards out but after a couple of strides towards the home goal the full back hit a sweet grounder just inside Trevor Carson’s right hand post, to give his side a lead to defend.

That stunned the ‘Well players momentarily but they should have equalised three minutes later. A cute flick from Cifti sent Cadden racing into the box but with Tanner waiting unmarked the Scotland under 21 man drove his shot across and wide of goal.

Despite being behind at the break the Fir Park men refused to sacrifice their passing game which had Killie pressed into their own half for almost the entire second half.

And within three minutes of the restart ‘Well came within a foot of deserved equaliser when Aldred met Frear’s inswinging corner only to see his header blocked on the goal line.

A long ball over the Killie defence found Main out pacing Boyd before volleying the ball narrowly wide of target. From another Frear corner, Carl McHugh’s hooked shot towards goal was deflected behind off the back of a Killie defender as the play towards the visitor’s goal became almost incessant.

Desperate to breakdown a well disciplined Rugby Park defence, Stephen Robinson committed his three substitutes, but it was the tireless running of Main which continued to pose a problem and there were strong claims for a penalty when he was caught by Scott Boyd as he raced towards the six yard box.

With 12 minutes remaining, Main’s efforts were almost rewarded when he exchanged passes with Tanner before curling a shot agonisingly beyond the far post. And just before the four minutes of added time, Tanner’s curled corner bounced equally close to the other post.

In the final minute, and perhaps summing up a frustrating afternoon for ‘Well, MacDonald was booked for time wasting.

The Signing Zone returns to Fir Park on Saturday as the Steelmen host Kilmarnock in the Ladbrokes Premiership. 

So don’t miss your chance to meet Gaël Bigirimana and January signing Nadir Çiftçi, who will be in the Cooper Bar from 12:45pm ’til 1:15pm ahead of kick off.

The two will be making their first appearance in the Signing Zone, offering supporters the chance to meet the players, pose for selfies and get their autographs.

There will be face painting, fun activities and good offers on food and drink in the Cooper Bar ahead of the club’s crucial clash with Killie.

Few will have expected January signing Tom Aldred to have hit the ground running as easily as he has.

But for ‘Well’s number 19, who is back in Scotland for a second stint, he is feeling settled in his new surroundings at Fir Park.

“I’m loving it here,” said the January recruit from Bury. “I knew I’d made the right decision after just a few days.

“The manager, the staff and all the lads are brilliant, it’s just an easy place to feel settled.”

With the suspension and injury to Peter Hartley, Tom’s arrival could not have come at a better time for manager Stephen Robinson.

Without the ever-present Hartley, Robinson would be without one of his most important players.

But 27-year-old Aldred has arrived in Lanarkshire and slotted in alongside Cédric Kipré and Charles Dunne in the Fir Parkers’ back three.

And in his seven appearances, the defender has kept an impressive four clean sheets.

“It’s always great for a defender to keep a clean sheet, but it’s just an added bonus because the main thing is to get three points, because that’s the main thing of course.

“We’ve got a big game coming up against Kilmarnock, and it’s important for a number of reasons.

“Firstly, to try and put some points between ourselves and Killie. If we can manage to do that it puts us in a strong position for cementing ourselves a place in the top six.

[pullquote]But on top of that, and most importantly in my opinion, it keeps our winning run going and that can play a huge part.[/pullquote]

“With some important league games and a big quarter final in the Scottish Cup, we need to make sure we head in to every game on the back of a good performance and a good result.

Aldred may not be a stranger to the Scottish league, but he believes his second stint north of the border is one he is ready to grab with both hands.

The central defender, who has signed on loan at Motherwell until the end of the 2017/18 season, had a short spell in the Scottish Premiership earlier in his career with Inverness CT.

Having also represented the country at youth level, the 27-year-old wasn’t going to pass up the chance to move to Fir Park when the chance arose.

“Playing in the Scottish Premiership was something I was really interested in. I’m familiar with Scotland. My mum’s side of the family are Scottish and I’ve visited up here a few times.

“So I’m really glad to be in Scotland, and here with Motherwell. And after the brilliant cup run earlier this season, it’s brilliant to be a part of the group now that we’re on the brink of another return to Hampden.

“If we can go out there against Hearts and play to our best, we have a real, real chance.”

Settling in was never going to be a problem for Tom, who says he gets on well with the boys in the dressing room.

“I knew a few of the boys before I got here as I’ve played with some of them, and against some off them too, down in England.”

Joining up with a side who were performing well in the first half of the season could present a difficult challenge for a player. But Tom thrives from competition.

“Wherever you go now, there’s competition for places,” he said. “Anywhere you go at any team, at any level. The more competition, the best it brings out in yourself.

“I was really looking forward to getting my head down, working hard and being the best I can be for the football club and I’m grateful to the manager for giving me the chance.

“Things got off to a good start for us this year. To keep two clean sheets in the first two games was obviously a good start, but it’s only the start, so it was something to build on and go on from there.

“We’re on the back of two clean sheets again so it would be nice to stretch that to three games today.”

Stephen Robinson has built a strong, well-drilled side at Fir Park and Tom admits he greatly admires the work done at Motherwell.

“The manager is so organised and tactically astute. As a defender it’s brilliant and he’s a fantastic manager to work for.

“Everyone in the team knows their job, sticks to it and, most importantly, works for each other and for the manager.

“We have such a drive and desire to win. That, in my opinion, is something that you don’t always get in such abundance in one dressing room.

“Hopefully we can go out there today and do our best from the first whistle, and get that all important win.”