Saints v Motherwell Preview

Last updated : 08 May 2009 By Stuart Gillespie

The other five teams are, with results last week easing the fears of Inverness Caley Thistle and Hamilton. Ourselves and Kilmarnock are now the ones nervously looking over our shoulders at Falkirk, with Killie due to meet the Bairns tomorrow, although every team is still involved in the battle.

Our current run of form - one win all year - must surely make us the favourites for the drop. Falkirk have started to react to the situation and have given themselves a decent chance of beating the drop. Meanwhile, our manager constantly calls for a reaction and doesn't get it. Watch for the papers during the week if we lose again tomorrow. Chances are that by Tuesday or Wednesday Gus MacPherson will be in there looking for a reaction. It's the same script every time we lose, which has been a lot this season. It's an R word I dread even more than relegation!

Motherwell have nothing to play for at present and you could tell that by the way they played at Falkirk last week, with John Hughes' side gifted a couple of easy goals. However, I can see us getting a hard time tomorrow. Not only did we end their chances of making the top six, we also knocked them out of the Scottish Cup. Mark McGhee, their manager, was not best pleased and will probably have his side fired up for tomorrow, even if it costs them their chance of winning the Fair Play league and a place in Europe.

Despite his awful performances in recent weeks, I fully expect Mo Camara to start at leftback tomorrow. He has been replaced by David Barron three times in the last seven games, yet never seems to get dropped. His play is terrible but he always keeps his place. I've only slightly more positive things to say about John Potter and he's another who'll probably start, even though Will Haining is fit. The only other defensive option is Franco Miranda, but he is just back in the reserves and probably won't even make the squad for the next few games.

On the plus side, Steven Thomson is fit again and should start in midfield, taking over from Garry Brady. Personally, I don't think Brady did much wrong last week but he's the most likely man to make way. Jim Hamilton is a major doubt and will almost certainly be replaced by Dennis Wyness. I'd like to see us take a chance and play Sean Burns on the left wing, but there's even less chance of that than Camara being dropped. On the injury front, Stephen O'Donnell is physically fit but not match fit, while Chris Smith, Tom Brighton, Steven Robb and Craig Dargo are all missing.

A number of Motherwell players will be on a high after being involved in the Scotland B game during the week, although that was partly because they are the only SPL side with nothing to play for over the final few weeks. However, McGhee has told his players they are fighting for their futures, perhaps even more so after last week, so we can expect them to put in a far better performance tomorrow. David Clarkson is always a threat up front, as is former Saint John Sutton, while Cillian Sheridan is a Football Manager legend. Stephen Hughes has been in excellent form in midfield all season and will relish being up against some of our defenders if he makes runs forward, while Steven McGarry, another ex Saint, made a surprise start last week. The chances of him or Sutton scoring must be decent.

Despite that, I'm going to be positive and predict a win. I must be mad!