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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Paul Thomson

Motherwell's Stephen O'Donnell takes Dundee error on the chin as he warns NOBODY will walk into Scottish Cup squad for Hibs

Motherwell defender Stephen O'Donnell held his hands up for the error that gifted Dundee a Premiership point.

But the club captain insisted NOBODY in the squad will be guaranteed a start against Hibs in next week's Scottish Cup quarter-final after their run of 10 league games without a win.

The league's basement boys took a point from Fir Park after Joe Efford's first goal for Motherwell cancelled out Paul McMullan's opener for Dundee, which was gift-wrapped by O'Donnell when he lost possession after failing to clear the ball properly in his own penalty area.

Asked about his mistake, O'Donnell said: "I've been involved in [losing] lots of goals, it's just part of being a defender, but I certainly pride myself on my decision making on the ball.

"I did the hard bit, I defended it well and then, I don't know what it was; a lack of concentration, sloppiness.

"I don't have the answer, or else I wouldn't have done it.

"It's disappointing but we need to pick ourselves up. We've got a massive game coming up next Sunday.

"We've got a week of training and I know I'll be doing everything I can to get myself in the team.

"I hope that is the attitude and mentality that everyone else has because I think after the run of games we've had, I don't think there is anyone who thinks they should be playing.

"I think we should all be of the mindset that we need to prove to the manager that he can trust us and that we can go out and get a good performance and, more importantly, a result that will see us into a semi-final.

"It might be a nice breather away from the league because it has been poor.

"And, hopefully, a result on Sunday can be a springboard to a positive last few games."

Motherwell haven't picked up a league win in 2022 so far and you'd have to go back to Boxing Day last year against Livingston for the last time they tasted victory in the Premiership. A Scottish Cup fifth-round win over Aberdeen last month has been the only high point of a disappointing year so far.

Dundee were depleted by Covid on Saturday, had a 20-year-old goalkeeper in Harrison Sharp drafted in at the last minute and played without a recognised striker. Charlie Adam and Niall McGinn were also missing through injury.

And while O'Donnell admits players can pull together in the face of adversity, it was a massive opportunity missed for Motherwell to boost their top-six hopes.

"I think when that happens it can galvanise a squad," said the Scotland international. "You've seen it a number of times because it gives boys an opportunity to perform.

"What is frustrating, similar to the other night [against Ross County] is we huffed and puffed, we had the majority of the play and chances, but we've been punished for an individual mistake.

"Their boy has capitalised on it very well.

"We then got back into the game and in the second half we didn't impose ourselves enough to get the opportunity to win it.

"I think there was only one team looking to win it, but that is expected because we are looking to finish in the top six.

"There was an opportunity for us to get back on track but we didn't manage to do that.

"At the end of the day, at this time of the season it's about small margins and my mistake cost us."

Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.

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