Sammon signals same approach

The addition of skyscraper striker Conor Sammon – captured on a season-long loan deal from Hearts – provided the clearest indication that Stephen Robinson does not intend to deviate from the up-and-at’em style that made the Fir Park side such fearsome foes last season.

Although there has been talk from some within the squad of adding a new dimension to their game, frankly it would hardly make

Msense for Robinson, pictured, to dispense with the aggressive style that underpinned the club completing the remarkable feat of appearing in both domestic cup finals for the first time since 1950-51.

The Lanarkshire manager was miffed that his team’s formidable approach could not prise entry into the top six and that will be their target in the forthcoming campaign. That would

otherwell start the campaign with tails up but in the nearcertain knowledge improvement will be impossible. The only way to better reaching two cups finals in a season is to win one – and that seems a tall order. Indeed, 15 minutes was all that stood between the team and a group stage exit in the League Cup. But the qualities proven last year prevailed, namely bloody mindedness and the grinding down of the opposition. With hardly require a major improvement since they managed to haul themselves into seventh last season despite losing more than half of their league games before the turn of the year. Robinson has retained all of his major performers and so will surely be emboldened to embark on this campaign with the intention of building on his team’s unabashed fervour for winning ugly.

goals likely to be found somewhere, the concern is defence. Charles Dunne is injured, Peter Hartley not yet sharp and Liam Donnelly far from settled. The delicate balance between being solid and winning because the opposition make more mistakes or losing because you make more looks under threat. However, Stephen Robinson has succeeded in every task so far – there is no reason to cower… yet.

DEREK WILSON