If Only We Could Play Away Every Week

11 December 2011 17:33
It is usually home form that is the foundation of a team's success. Not so for Motherwell this season

Motherwell recorded their seventh away win of the season and winger Omar Daley wants his team mates play with the same freedom at home as they do when playing away. Daley helped the Lanarkshire side to a 3-0 win over St Johnstone on Saturday with the opening goal in the 16th minute. Jamie Murphy was then given time and space to head home a cross from Tom Hateley in the 28th minute, and he scored the third midway through the second half when a shot from Daley went in off his back after a short corner. The Steelmen tightened their grip on third place with the win which took them seven points ahead of the Perth Saints in fourth. Motherwell have to thank away form for that as Stuart McCall's side have not won at home since September, although only St Johnstone have beaten them outside the Old Firm, but have won in five consecutive away games. Daley feels the possession play of Steve Jennings and Keith Lasley in central midfield is crucial, but he admits they have to try to transmit their approach away from home to their next Fir Park game, which comes against St Mirren on Saturday. The Jamaica international said: "Away pitches are big and we keep the ball very well. Jennings and Las pass the ball very well and they give us a better advantage away. Hopefully we can turn it around at home. I think with a bit of luck at home we can turn it around. We just have to stick at it and concentrate more at home. The pressure is on us at home, when we are away there is no pressure on us and I think we should just play like that at home. Everyone is really up for the away games. I'm not saying we are not up for the home games but there is a buzz in the dressing room when we come away because you don't want to lose and then go on a journey on a bus. It was a bit of revenge because they beat us 3-0 at home. We trained all week to get crosses in and gamble, and it paid off."The game was the first loss suffered by manager Steve Lomas since he took over in Perth. He had to put out a side stripped of several key players. Centre-back Frazer Wright, captain Jody Morris and first-choice strike pairing Francisco Sandaza and Cillian Sheridan were all out injured, while midfielder Kevin Moon was also posted missing. Saints, who again had Carl Finnigan and Marcus Haber up front, lacked a cutting edge with most of their chances coming courtesy of Murray Davidson's runs from midfield. But Lomas refused to blame the injuries and admitted too many of his players had failed to win their individual battles. Lomas, whose team welcome Aberdeen in a rearranged game on Tuesday, said: "I wouldn't want to make that excuse. The lads came in last week and did a job. The lads that came in, it's not down to them totally. We just weren't at the races. It is maybe a bit of a reality check that we need. We have got to get back to basics because basics win you football matches. Sometimes you have got to give credit to the opposition. They looked the hungrier to get after the scraps. You have got to earn the right to play and they did that better than us. We have got to take it on the chin. The good thing is we have got a game on Tuesday to bounce back and put right what was wrong."

Source: FOOTYMAD