Motherwell are told to raise game for derby

MARK McGhee has warned his Motherwell players they will lose the tag of Lanarkshire's premier club if they do not raise their standards against Hamilton tonight.

McGhee claimed Sunday's 2-1 defeat by Rangers was the result of the worst performance of his tenure, describing it as "inept" and accusing his players of "lacking desire".

They have an early opportunity to make amends against local rivals Hamilton in the Co-operative Insurance Cup third round and McGhee said: "I was hugely disappointed about Sunday and I think we have the right to expect better.

"They have set their own standards – that's the point. We know what to expect from them and when it falls way below, as it did on Sunday, then we have to ask the question, 'Why?'.

"They have answered the questions but the real answer will be out there against Hamilton. And I expect the right answer."

With Accies sitting five places above Motherwell in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, McGhee believes there is more than just a quarter-final place at stake.

"I think the bragging rights in every local derby are important," McGhee said.

"We feel we are the senior club in the area, we have been in this division a while. We finished third last season, we are playing in Europe.

"But they are sitting above us in the league with a lot more points, so if they were to knock us out of the cup, then who are we to say we are the superior team in the area?

"To have that honour, we have got to win this game."

Hamilton manager Billy Reid is considering resting some of his players. He has mostly fielded his strongest available XI so far this season, including in the victory over Clyde in the previous round of the League Cup.

The Accies manager would love to reach the competition's quarter-finals and beyond, so is in two minds about what line-up to field.

Asked whether he was looking to rotate, Reid said: "That's in my thoughts if I'm being honest but we want to go as far as we can in the cup. There's prestige with being an SPL club so it's important that we try to go as far as we can. If the draw's kind to you, you can find yourself in the semi-final pretty easily."