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Stephen Robinson is enjoying having a selection dilemma ahead of the trip to face Stranraer.

Having spent the summer recruiting to give himself more options in the squad, he has a fully fit squad to choose from for the second Betfred Cup match, except for long-term absentee Craig Tanner.

“It’s a fine balancing act between putting out a team to win and getting minutes in players’ legs,” said the manager, who will also welcome back Cédric Kipré and Peter Hartley back from suspension.

“We’ll make changes but, if anything, the team might be stronger than it was on Tuesday night.

“We are expected to win, but by no means is it a given. If you give teams time on the ball, they are capable of hurting you.”

New recruit Conor Sammon has spoken publicly about settling in quickly at Fir Park, something Robinson puts down to the culture at the club.

“I’m proud of the atmosphere we’ve created here,” he added. “It’s a close-knit group. We’ve boys who have kickstarted their careers and got their confidence back. That’s what we do.

“With someone of Conor’s experience coming in, it also adds experience to a young squad.”

Motherwell travel to take on Stranraer in the first away trip of the 2018/19 season on Saturday.

It is the second game of the Betfred Cup group stage for Stephen Robinson’s side, and after a convincing 5-0 victory over Edinburgh City, the Steelmen have the chance to go top of Group G ahead of the visit of current table toppers Queen of the South on Tuesday.

Players vying for places

There were two high profile absentees for the opening fixture against Edinburgh City, but Stephen Robinson is set to be bolstered by the return of Peter Hartley and Cédric Kipré for the trip to Stair Park.

Add to that the fact that Aaron Taylor-Sinclair is still to make his debut, and the likes of Liam Grimshaw, Gaël Bigirimana and youngster David Turnbull haven’t featured competitively yet, and the ‘Well boss has a number of players fighting for a spot in the starting XI.

New season, new skipper

Peter Hartley could be set to make his first appearance of the season, and his first as club captain, having missed out through suspension in the opening game.

The centre back, who scored three goals last season in his first as a ‘Well player, was on the sidelines for seven months with a foot injury, but could be set to make his long awaited return on Saturday.

Stranraer hungry for victory

The hosts started their cup campaign with a thrilling clash against Queen of the South, but were ultimately on the wrong side of the eight-goal encounter as the Doonhamers won 5-3.

With just one game played so far, the League One outfit will be keen to keep their cup hopes alive as the Steelmen arrive for Saturday’s showdown.

Having bagged three goals in their first game, the Blues are just one short of matching their entire haul in last season’s Betfred Cup, when they scored four.

Same stage, same opposition

James Farrell’s Stranraer side are no strangers for ‘Well, who faced the Blues in Group F of this competition in 2016.

On that day, Mark McGhee’s men ran out 3-0 winners at a sunny Stair Park in the final fixture of the group.

The Fir Parkers qualified for the knockout rounds as a result, with goals from Chris Cadden, Marvin Johnson and Scott McDonald securing second spot in the table behind Rangers.

Only Cedric Kipre and Richard Tait clocked up more minutes in claret and amber in the 2017/18 campaign than Charles Dunne.

But as the 25-year-old prepares for his second season at Fir Park, the ever-present defender doesn’t take his playing time for granted.

Liam Donnelly and Aaron Taylor-Sinclair arrived during the summer to bolster Stephen Robinson’s defensive options, but the competition for places has only served as motivation for the London-born Irishman.

“It’s something that we all relish, to be honest,” Dunne said. “As a group you have to expect competition and we’ve all said it countless times but it really is true, it spurs us on to do better.

“Without that, you don’t demand more from yourself as a professional and that’s never a good thing. The manager makes sure that’s the way we operate as a side, and by strengthening in the summer, I think that will improve what was already here too.”

Dunne was part of the record-breaking side who registered 20 clean sheets last season, and with a 5-0 start to the new campaign, Motherwell’s number 18 is eyeing more of the same this term.

“Five goals, a clean sheet and an all round good team performance, you couldn’t have asked for much more than that to start the season,” Dunne beamed.

“But it’s just the start and now we face Stranraer on Saturday and we know that’s going to be a difficult game.

“We won’t even pay attention to the group table at the moment because regardless of their position, we know it’s going to be tough going to Stair Park and going up against a side that put in a strong performance against Queen of the South.”

He added: “We’ll focus on our own game. With the cup games coming so early it’s important to use them to our advantage as much as we can.

“One way of doing that is to get a run of games and minutes under your belt, but hopefully it also can be an opportunity to get some winning momentum for the opening league game.”

After opening the 2018/19 campaign with a resounding 5-0 win over Edinburgh City, Motherwell head to Stranraer for the second match in the Betfred Cup group stage.

Here are some key numbers and statistics you need to know ahead of the game.

669

That’s the number of days we waited for another Motherwell player to score a hat-trick, before Elliott Frear bagged three in the first half against Edinburgh City on Tuesday night.

Louis Moult was the last to do it on 17 September, 2016, when he netted four against Hamilton Academical at Fir Park.

921

Extending that theme, ‘Well fans waited 921 days to see the team record a victory again by five clear goals. The last time that happened was at home to Cove Rangers in the Scottish Cup in January 2016.

11

The amount of goals scored by Motherwell in the four games they’ve taken part in so far since reporting back for the 2018/19 campaign. Edinburgh City were the first competitive opponents, but Stephen Robinson’s men also put five past Darlington, and one past Crusaders, while keeping three clean sheets along the way.

Motherwell got their 2018/19 campaign off to the perfect start as they ran out 5-0 winners over Edinburgh City.

Elliott Frear bagged a hat-trick in the first half, while Andy Rose and Richard Tait also netted early on to claim all three points in the Betfred Cup group stage match.

Motherwell got their season off to an emphatic start with a 5-0 win over Edinburgh City.

Hat-trick hero Elliott Frear, Andy Rose and Mark Gillespie, who kept a clean sheet on his debut, spoke after the match.

Manager Stephen Robinson hailed his players after they kicked off the 2018/19 campaign with a 5-0 win over Edinburgh City.

Elliott Frear grabbed a first-half hat-trick, with goals also coming in the opening 45 minutes from Curtis Main and Richard Tait.

Motherwell kicked off the new season with an emphatic win over Edinburgh City. Five first half goals, including a hat-trick for Elliot Frear, ensured the Steelmen made the perfect start in their opening Betfred Cup tie.

It was Frear’s winner at Ainslie Park that led to ‘Well’s narrow victory over the side from the capital at the same stage of the competition last year. However, there was no chance of a cup upset on City’s visit to Fir Park as Calum Antwell’s goal was put under constant pressure in the first half.

The new score board was still displaying the seventh minute when Frear latched on to Chris Cadden’s low ball across the face of the goal, to smash home the first goal of the season.

Ten minutes later it was 2-0 when Richard Tait collected the ball just outside the box before drilling a sweet drive inside the ‘keeper’s post on his left foot.

Curtis Main looked keen to add his name to the scoresheet and after he hammered a free kick into the wall, Frear reacted to hammer the loose ball high into the top corner.

Chris Cadden came close to extending the lead when his 20 yard effort clipped the top of the bar. However, having earned his full Scotland cap, Cadden was again the provider for Frear, slipping the ball into his path for the ‘Well winger to bag his hat-trick after only 28 minutes.

Six minutes from the break, Antell did well to block a thunderous drive from Main. The ‘Well striker was not to be denied his first goal of the campaign when another long range effort swerved beyond the ‘keeper and made it 5-0 at the break.

The second 45 was always going to struggle to live up to the first, however, there were debuts for midfielder Alex Gorrin and the twin strike force of Danny Johnson and Conor Sammon.

We’re updating our style for the 2018/19 season. Out go the old white numbers on the back of our home shirts, in come the proper colours.

Our new home kits, which will be worn competitively for the first time on Tuesday night, will have claret numbers for the first time in two decades.

You can get your home kit printed with the claret numbering from 26 July in the ‘Well Shop. Home tops are currently available to buy online.

Peter Hartley may be on the sidelines for Tuesday’s Betfred Cup clash against Edinburgh City, but the club captain can’t wait for competitive football to return. 

The Englishman, who is suspended for the first competitive fixture of the 2018/19 campaign, admits that wearing the armband is something he is proud of.

He said: “I’m chomping at the bit and I can’t wait to get back in to action. I’m honoured to represent this club and to be given the captaincy.”