Motherwell vice-captain Liam Kelly says things have turned for the better at Fir Park as they prepare to meet St Mirren for a second time this season.
The last Premiership meeting with the Buddies back in October - a 2-2 draw - was fraught with controversy. After a Tony Watt double put the Steelmen ahead, Saints fought back.
Eamonn Brophy scored his second of the night with a re-taken penalty to earn this evening's hosts a point when the 'Well goalkeeper was harshly penalised for encroachment before saving the first attempt.
That draw was the sixth game in a run of one claret and amber win in seven games, which culminated in a Halloween thrashing off Rangers at Fir Park, losing 6-1.
Since then, Graham Alexander's Motherwell haven't lost a game at home and sit fourth in the league. Kelly is hoping for a less frustrating match against St Mirren tonight.
He said: “That was just a difficult period of time, a rubbish time summed up by that penalty. But it’s done now and we are in a far better place. It’s a chance for us to try and get three points against a good team.
“They have good players and if you give them chances like the lino did the last time, they will take one of them eventually.”
Kelly has been impressed by his team this season after joining on a permanent basis last summer, following a loan spell in the second half of the 2020/21 term from QPR.
The goalkeeper added: “We are looking forward to the second half of the season and we are really positive about it. Last year when I came in, we were down the bottom of the league and it was a transitional phase.
"There was a new manager in place. The manager's first game was my first game. He's pretty clear in his messaging of what he expects from us.
"I’ve been playing in a good team, and that’s helped a lot. We have been strong, we have been involved in almost every game that we’ve been in.
“I have loved that and I’m very fortunate I have managed to play every game this season. I’m grateful the manager has played me in all the games.
“I am really looking forward to the business end of the season. It’s getting to the stage where places are up for grabs and positions in the table are going to get interesting."
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