Motherwell will face Ross County in Dingwall on Tuesday as the teams meet for the third time in the current league campaign. The form guide suggests a tough evening awaits the visitors.
We have taken the balance of the points in the earlier matches with a 1-1 draw in the Highlands then a 4-1 win at Fir Park but recent results make the home team favourites on this occasion.
Moult scores in September's 1-1
One win in the last nine outings is evidence that Motherwell have earned their current place near the foot of the table. Hard luck stories and narrow defeats have not diverted Mark McGhee from his oft-repeated theme that “We’ve got a lot going for us”. It would be a pleasant surprise to see some of that optimism delivering league points.
The appeal against Scott McDonald’s red card allows him to play on Tuesday and that decision is one of several that the manager had to make as he plots his tactics. Frear, our new winger, was given a short taste of action at the weekend but it would be a surprise if he started. If McHugh’s thigh suffers any reaction from the impact of O’Halloran’s studs he may be a doubt. Chalmers had to be substituted on Saturday and that could see captain Lalsey back for kick-off.
County have been on the up of late. Their Hogmanay win over neighbours Inverness was followed by a convincing cup win against Dundee United before a late strike by Kilmarnock beat them 3-2 at Rugby Park on Saturday. They seem to have found a way to goal from almost any position.
This is a game for Motherwell to stop the rot. A long trek home without a point is not an appealing prospect and a 1-1 draw might just be enough.
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