It has to be said that our recent record against St Mirren is not actually as bad as it seems. Since 2005 they have recorded seven wins against us compared to our five over them but it is the nature of their victories – in crucial games or with Motherwell performances so bad your eyes bleed – which makes them such feared opponents. This is despite the fact they are, quite frankly, awful.
Jamie brings some cheer to these 'Well fans
Since promotion they have not managed to finish above tenth in a poor division and even finished below us in our Malpas season. Paul McGowan, on loan from Celtic, looks to be a dangerous player and if Higdon is fit to return he could cause us problems. Dargo is injured and the departure of Mehmet and Dorman in summer will allow 'Well fans to sleep a little easier.
From our point of view, we may hope Hammell is fit to return but with Hateley gradually getting to grips with the left back position there seems no need to rush him with the upcoming break meaning he'd be fully fit for the next game. Murphy and, in particular, Humphrey were excellent on the wings last week while with Blackman and Sutton both on a high after scoring we should be confident about breaking them down.
That said, our recent record at Fir Park is nothing to boast about. We let Odense and Hibs off the hook in games we dominated and Aberdeen managed to defend so resolutely we could not complain about that draw, despite having 495 per cent of possession. We must find the right combination of aggression to help us break through a side looking for a draw while not exposing ourselves to the counter-attack. If we maintain our form of last week there is no reason why we cannot come out on top again with a 2-0 win. But we'd still do well to avoid St Mirren come the Scottish Cup draw.
Remember the last time St Mirren visited?