Split slump continues as Motherwell cling on to seventh spot

May 6 2009 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

KEITH LASLEY insists that motivation is not a problem for the Motherwell squad as they look to secure seventh place in the SPL.

Boss Mark McGhee claimed after his side’s 2-1 defeat away to basement boys Falkirk at the weekend that it was going to be difficult to get his players up for the remaining four games of the season.

However Lasley, who was deployed at right back on Saturday due to injuries to Paul Quinn and Stephen Craigan, feels The Steelmen owe it to the fans to get back to winning ways.

“When you play football you have got to be motivated,” the 29-year-old told the Wishaw Press.

“I don’t think we can start using that as an excuse.

“It is up to us to pick ourselves up.

“We still have fans coming to pay and watch us and we want to try and at worse finish in seventh.”

He added: “We are obviously disappointed at losing out on a top six place but we want to go out there and show people that we deserve to be in that top six.

“So we still have motivation in that sense.”

Motherwell travel to Paisley on Saturday looking to avenge their morale-sapping loss to the Buddies last month which cost them a place in the top six.

Anything other than a positive result could leave the door open for Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton to overtake them in seventh place when the two sides meet a week on Saturday.

St Mirren are just three points above the drop zone after losing at home to Inverness on Saturday and Lasley knows they will be determined to turn Motherwell over once again in an effort to climb away from the relegation zone.

“We will go to St Mirren and hopefully bounce back,” midfielder Lasley said.

“They will be up for it and it is going to be difficult.

“We have just got to go there and have a go and if we are on our game there is no reason why we cannot go there and win.

“We still have points to play for and bonuses to play for.”

Meanwhile Steven Hammell will look to boost his international prospects further when he plays for Scotland B this evening against Northern Ireland.

Hammell has been joined by fellow clubmates Mark Reynolds, Stephen Hughes and David Clarkson, who will skipper the side, in the squad for tonight’s friendly.

Left back Hammell has just one cap to his name but may have further opportunities to add to his tally after it was revealed last week that regular Scotland left back, Gary Naismith could be out for as long as nine months due to injury.

Hammell’s only cap to date was in a 4-1 defeat to Sweden in 2004.

“It was one of the best moments of my career getting my cap,” the 27-year-old said.

He added: “This is a great opportunity for me and the boys involved to go and impress and show what we can do.