Motherwell owe it to their fans to put on a cup show, says defender

Kofi Balmer says Motherwell are determined to put on a top performance against St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup – and show their own fans what they can do.

A hectic December and January schedule ended with the Steelmen struggling to a 0-0 draw at Kilmarnock before crashing to a 3-1 defeat at on-form Hibs on Saturday, which was clearly a game too far.

With a week without a midweek fixture for the first time in over a month, Balmer says everybody should be ready to go in the fourth-round clash, and have no excuses.

Balmer said: “I’m really looking forward to it, it’s a massive game for us. Everyone in the changing room is really relishing it.

“We know the performances from us in the last couple of games haven’t been up to standard, so I think we’re all looking forward to making a point and showing what we’re all about.

“The fans have been huge for us in the whole season, they travel home and away in their numbers and for us we owe it to them to put in a good performance, because they have followed us everywhere, and are noisy throughout the games.

“On Saturday we’ve got to put things right and show supporters what we can do.”

Balmer has been pleased with the week ‘off’ and reckons it will help the entire squad.

He said: “It has been brilliant, we were able to get a day or two off just to recover.

“We’ve got to take the responsibility to recover right ourselves when maybe we don’t have the time-frame to do it.

“You can’t really make excuses for recovery because the other teams are in the same position as us, so we have to take it as it comes.

“It has been a busy schedule, but as a player you do just want to be playing games,and that’s your job.

“Not having the midweek game gives us more of an opportunity to prepare and put