KEEPING CALM AMID A STORM

Kelly convinced Motherwell have the quality to bounce back in Sligo

THERE is at least recent historical evidence to convince Motherwell that an opening-night disappointment in Europe does not necessarily equate to disaster.

Some 13 years ago, Welsh part-timers Llanelli also left Fir Park with a hard-earned one-goal first-leg advantage.

Predictions that the Scots would find the fitness and sharpness which they were so clearly lacking in the first competitive game proved to be accurate.

A comfortable 3-0 win in the return leg in Wales saved their blushes and underscored the gear changes any side experiences at the outset of a campaign.

In the lead-up to Thursday’s loss to Sligo, Graham Alexander had spoken of his frustration that a number of pre-season friendlies had fallen through.

The Motherwell manager naturally declared that his side were good to go, having augmented run-outs against Austrians Vorwarts Steyr and Partick Thistle with bounce games among the squad. But the notion that his team would be somewhat undercooked still lingered.

Everything about Thursday’s display suggested that was the case. Against a side who played their 23rd league game of the season against UCD last Sunday, Alexander’s team didn’t yet have the zip and zest to take charge of the contest.

Whether Bevis Mugabi would have had the awareness to stick a long ball into the stand a week from now rather than attempt a fateful back header is a moot point.

Now trailing to Aidan Keena’s opportunistic chip as a result, a drastic all-round improvement before next Thursday is non-negotiable if Alexander’s men are yet to prevail in the tie.

Citing the example of a heroic comeback from two goals down at Ibrox in February to earn a point, skipper and goalkeeper Liam Kelly feels the team still has the wherewithal to bounce back.

‘It’s half-time, we are 1-0 down and that is just a fact,’ he said. ‘We have been losing games before at half-time and managed to turn them around.

‘There’s plenty of quality in our changing room. We were done by one individual error. We have seen it so many times but the boys still believe we can turn it around and we will give it our best shot.

‘It’s half-time and I understand the criticism will be a lot more if we don’t turn it around — but everyone believes we can.’

Aside from the obvious need to cut out elementary errors, Motherwell have to turn safe possession into something much more threatening.

Far too much of their play on Thursday took place where Sligo were comfortable. There was a lack of nous and intelligent off-the-ball running to move the visitors out of their shape. The return leg demands more ingenuity and risk-taking in the final third.

Despite the setback of losing the first leg, Kelly is adamant it was by no means an unmitigated disaster.

‘The result is disappointing but it’s only half-time,’ he added. ‘The performance… if you had been here last season then you’d have noticed massive improvements in the first half.

‘It was a lot better than anything that I saw last season, so there’s plenty to be positive about.

‘We stopped doing what we were good at in the second half. We didn’t create as many clear-cut opportunities. I had nothing to do. The goal was a mistake and we all make mistakes.’

Mugabi had spoken prior to the match about how far the players were stretched during their arduous pre-season training camp in Austria. It wasn’t physical fitness that proved to be his undoing when the serious stuff started but a lack of judgment in a key moment.

‘Bevis has played really well loads of times but he made a mistake,’ said Kelly. ‘We have all made mistakes and I have made plenty. You don’t want it to happen and he never intentionally made a mistake, so Bevis will be fine.

‘He’s done really well for us in a number of games and we expect him to do really well for us again.

‘I understand the boos in terms of the scoreline not going our way and that is understandable.’