Aberdeen v Motherwell: Dons a scalp at best of times, nevermind when they're joint top, says Stephen Frail

Assistant boss Stephen Frail says Motherwell beating Aberdeen is a ‘scalp’ at the best of times, let alone when the Dons are joint-top of the Premiership.

Jimmy Thelin’s side have four straight wins so far in the top flight, and are separated from defending champions Celtic by goal difference.

But Stuart Kettlewell’s Motherwell have also enjoyed a good start to the season and head to Pittodrie on the back of a last-gasp 2-1 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park a fortnight ago.

That followed a 3-1 home win over Hearts in the league, and the Steelmen also knocked Kilmarnock out of the Premier Sports Cup last 16 with a 1-0 Fir Park victory.

And Frail says the international break last weekend didn’t mean Motherwell were sitting back. He said: “I know one or two clubs have given players an extended break or gone away for a few days, but we’ve been in working hard, doing a lot of video work, trying to get as much done as we can.

“The next couple of games coming up – Aberdeen away and Dundee United at home [Premier Sports Cup quarter-final] – are massive for us. We’ve got a huge game on Saturday against an Aberdeen team who have started the season with four wins.

“Any time you play Aberdeen it’s a ‘scalp’ when you beat them.They’re vying with Hearts to be the third-biggest club in Scottish football, and I think with the budget they have they should be at the top end of the table. To get something on Saturday, with the start they’ve made, it will be seen as that.”

Motherwell tackle Dundee United the following Friday in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final, and Frail reckons they’ve done well to be a game away from a Hampden semi-final.

“It’s brilliant,” said Frail. “We came through the group stages last season and then went