Celtic loss a sore one but I'll lift team for Livingston, says Motherwell boss

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell says losing 2-1 to Celtic was a sore one to take, but he’ll lift his side for the visit to Livingston this weekend.

The Steelmen created several good chances to score against Celtic, only for sub Luis Palma to open the scoring with a drive in 87 minutes.

Motherwell bounced back from that and created a great chance for Blair Spittal to level five minutes into stoppage time, but Celtic broke their hearts as Matt O’Riley volleyed in a winner two minutes after that.

That ends a trio of tough games that saw Motherwell lose 1-0 to Rangers at Ibrox last Sunday and by an identical score-line at home to St Mirren in the previous encounter.

While the Steelmen received plenty of plaudits, Kettlewell says they now need to get points on the board when they visit the Lions.

“They need to let that negative haze lift, and hopefully it will quickly,” he said.

“We have to make sure we approach our business and our job in the way that we have done since I came in, and if we do that, keep performing and stick to that game plan, we’ll be okay.

“I’m conscious that I keep saying that same thing, but I would be talking different if it was a different picture on the park, and it’s not – they are performing to their absolute maximum at this point.

“We would love that to turn into points.

“But we strip it back, and we look forward to Livingston away thus weekend.

“It’s an opportunity for us to try and put some points back on the board – as difficult as that will be.

“But, going into that international break, we want to come away at the end of the game, 5pm, with a more positive feeling that what we have just now.”

Kettlewell added: “When Blair scored, I thought we were well worth the point.

“We have to understand