Motherwell entertain St Johnstone at Fir Park on Saturday knowing that a win is needed to restore professional pride after the debacle in Dingwall.
The wholehearted apologies from Stuart Kettlewell and Liam Kelly make it clear that the manager and players understand and share the disappointment and worry that has spread throughout the home support in recent weeks. The need to avoid the winless run stretching to thirteen is obvious.
The loss of a further three goals simply highlights the downward slide in confidence. Those who saw the first Victoria Park goal after two minutes witnessed Ross County dominate Liam Kelly’s box with most of the deliveries from either flank. The inability to build through midfield led to long hopeful punts to Mika Biereth that the opposition defenders gleefully cleared. The sight at the end of the night of Stephen O’Donnell and Bevis Mugabi patrolling the centre of the back line caused extra shivers in what was a freezing evening.
The shambolic showing that gave Ross County the easy ride involved sixteen players but some of them will be missing this weekend. Calum Butcher came on at half-time but he had to be withdrawn after 20 minutes and Dan Casey left the field on a stretcher at the final whistle (in any event he has a suspension to serve). The Motherwell web site also notes that Harry Paton remains ineligible.
We last met St Johnstone a month ago. It featured the debut of Craig Levein in the McDiarmid dugout and an unlikely Motherwell recovery as a point was snatched from a two goal deficit. The new manager bounce has been evident and a couple of wins have the Saints to share ninth place with the Steelmen.
Stuart Kettlewell spent Wednesday evening at McDiarmid Park and if he stayed in place till the very late final whistle he will have seen Chris Kane bundle a penalty rebound into the net to deliver three points for the Perth side.
His trip may have discovered a weakness in St Johnstone but that will matter only if his players can execute his plan. If they can show the determination and resolve that earned a point at Parkhead or the late urgency that produced an added time equaliser against Dundee then unlucky thirteen may be avoided with a 2-1 win.