Rob gets tough on shaky Steelmen

MOTHERWELL manager Stephen Robinson has warned his young team they must toughen up in the Ladbrokes Premiership fight after watching them escape a first-half hammering against Ross County.

The Steelmen were without suspended captain Carl McHugh for the visit of the Dingwall side, and his absence was felt as County ran riot for 45 minutes.

Robinson had stand-in goalkeeper Russell Griffiths and County’s wayward finishing to thank for the let-off before ringing in the changes at the interval in an attempt to turn the tide.

And his decision to switch to a 3-5-2 formation, replacing the ineffective Alex Fisher and Craig Tanner with Allan Campbell and Ryan Bowman, paid dividends as Richard Tait and Louis Moult - from the penalty spot - earned a 2-0 victory for Well.

It was vindication for Robinson as his side picked up their first three points of the new campaign.

“I thought we were being overrun in midfield,” the manager said.

“Some of our players thought we could just turn up and play total football. I let them know what we thought [at half-time]. The second half we made changes and changed our mentality.

“Without Carl in there we lacked a physical presence. Young Allan Campbell came on and he was absolutely terrific. Won every ball, won every tackle. Ryan Bowman too; we put him on alongside Louis Moult and I thought they caused Ross County all sorts of problems.

“We probably didn’t d deserve to get in at half-time 0-0, but I thought we put in a very good performance in the second half. The ten men helped but I thought the players showed great character to come out and put in a p performance like that to w win the game.”