McMANUS’ SHARP REGRET OVER MISSED CHANCE

THERE’S an old football saying that it can be perversely difficult for 11 men to beat 10. But when you are rutted in the relegation mire like Motherwell, it’s an advantage that simply has to be taken. Yes, Saturday’s point gained was enough to move Ian Baraclough’s men off the bottom of the table above St Mirren. But to paint this draw as anything other than a missed opportunity was to paper over the cracks of some shoddy masonry. Despite playing the entire second half against 10 men after Kilmarnock’s Darryl Westlake’s was sent off, the Fir Park men huffed and puffed at the opposition backline and lacked the requisite guile and artistry to breach the Ayrshire side’s defence — marshalled brilliantly by Manuel Pascali. Stephen McManus was understandably crestfallen that his team were unable to register a much-needed victory on a day when Ross County were beating Partick and St Mirren were idle. ‘We probably deserved the three points,’ lamented the 32-year-old defender. ‘We had enough chances in the first half to win the game, so we’re really disappointed. ‘But we deserve to be where we are in the table. We’ve not played as well as we should have. ‘It’s difficult when the other team are camped in. You really need that wee bit of creativity in the final third.’ However, the ex-Celtic skipper is confident his team still have enough about them to stave off any relegation fears. ‘The boys who have been added to the squad — Scott McDonald and Stephen Pearson — have given everyone a big lift. The performances have certainly improved over recent weeks.’ Killie took the lead on 20 minutes following a fine counter-attacking move. Westlake picked McDonald’s pocket in the middle of the park and played the ball out wide for Nathan Eccleston to charge forward and feed Josh Magennis. The big striker combined well with Craig Slater, with the latter sliding the ball through for Tope Obadeyi to apply the thumping final touch high into the roof of the net. Then came what should have been the turning point in the match on the stroke of half-time, with Westlake foolishly lunging into a challenge with Marvin Johnson. referee John Beaton had no option but to produce a second yellow card — after the Killie defender Off target: frustrated McDonald had been booked just three minutes previously for a foul on the same player. As if to compound Killie’s misery, McDonald curled a magnificent free-kick over the wall and into the bottom corner — the one highlight in what he later admitted had been a ‘stinking’ personal performance.