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Barry Maguire will spend the second half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan with Queen of the South.

The young defender, who has made five first team appearances, two this season, heads to the Championship team with a view to playing regular football to aid his development.

”It is important Barry goes out and gets games between now and the end of the season,” ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson said.

”This is a chance for him to play and show his talent at a good level, with a view to coming back in the summer ready to push on.

“We think Barry has all the tools to not only cement a first-team starting place at Motherwell, but go on to have a really good career in the game. Regular, competitive matches between now and May will be invaluable for him.”

Maguire will immediately be available for the Doonhamers’ league match with Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday.

In other departures, reserve defenders Jason Krones and Jordan Armstrong have both left the club following the expiry of their contracts.

Motherwell Football Club would like to thank both for their contribution whilst at Fir Park and wish them every success in the future careers.

It’s not just any old game. It’s the derby, and it matters.

This is the Story of the Match from the win over Hamilton Academical.

Tom Aldred bagged a double as the ‘Well came from behind to end 2018 with a big win at Hamilton Academical.

Elliott Frear, Andy Rose and goalscorer Tom Aldred spoke after the derby win at Hamilton Academical.

Stephen Robinson was full of praise for his Motherwell side as they came from behind to win the derby at Hamilton. 

“We thoroughly deserved it today,” he said. “The fans gave every player out on the park the confidence to get three points.”

A fabulous double from Tom Aldred provided ‘Well with the perfect end to the year and put some distance between themselves and the three sides at the foot of Ladbrokes Premiership.

The Fir Park men recovered terrifically from a Dougie Imrie 17th minute goal, Aldred equalizing four minutes later before striking the winner 13 minutes from time.

Faced with a horrendous list of injuries Stephen Robinson was able to field a side with the players at least starting in their recognised positions.

Peter Hartley was deemed fit enough to pair up with Tom Aldred at the heart of a defensive back four. Canada-bound Andy Rose made his final appearance in the middle of the park, while Conor Sammon took over the striking role from the suspended Curtis Main.

Motherwell were more direct in the early stages and forced a couple of corners. With Frear swinging them in from either side Andy Rose was first to make most of them powering his header narrowly wide.

Three minutes later and out of nothing Accies opened the scoring. Steven Boyd hoisted a pass down the middle and after latching on to the ball Dougie Imrie calmly steered it past the advancing Mark Gillespie and just inside the ‘keeper’s left hand post to put the home side ahead.

The lead lasted only three minutes. After getting his head to a couple of corners Tom Aldred finally made it count with his right foot. Frear’s corner found Hartley but when the ball broke back toward Aldred he steered his volley through a packed penalty box and inside the post.

Motherwell, with Frear providing a real threat on the left wing, held the upper hand until 12 minutes from the interval when they were forced into a substation after Richard Tait suffered from Lenny Sowah’s late challenge.

Accies then came within a foot of regaining the lead. James Keating’s curled free kick from 22 yards was on target but a wicked deflection wrong footed Gillespie who was relieved to watch the ball bounce just beyond his right hand post.

Although it was a fairly level first half, the Fir Park men completely dominated the second 45 minutes. Frear’s pace and crossing from the left wing continued to threaten the Accies defence but despite a series of inviting balls into the box Gary Woods was rarely threatened.

Everything was towards the Accies goal except from a header from Ziggy Gordon which provided Gillespie with a routine save. That gave the overworked home defence a breather before they were broken for a second time 13 minutes from time.

David Turnbull floated a free kick to the edge of the six yard box where Hartley challenged the Accies ‘keeper. The ball was cleared towards the edge of the box it was met by Aldred who again showed great control, this time with his right foot to drive the ball high into the net for a thoroughly deserved winner and send ‘Well seven points ahead of Accies and 11 above bottom placed Dundee.

Stephen Robinson knows the importance of Saturday’s trip to New Douglas Park.

The ‘Well boss has been hit with a host of injuries, but is determined to see his side put in a big performance in the Lanarkshire derby.

“We go in to a derby match of this magnitude determined to come away with something,” he said. :There are no excuses.”

Motherwell face Hamilton in the second Lanarkshire Derby of the season, and the final fixture of 2018.

The trip to New Douglas Park has added importance given the four point gap between the Steelmen in 9th and Accies in 10th.

Here, we take a look at Saturday’s opposition.

Reducing the gap

The chance to reduce the deficit between themselves and Stephen Robinson’s Fir Parkers to just one point will be huge motivation for Hamilton.

Equally, Motherwell could open the gap up to seven points with a win on Saturday.

There’s a lot at stake for both clubs ahead of another eagerly anticipated derby clash.

The search for a must-needed win

A run of just one win in eight games has seen league strugglers St Mirren and Dundee gradually catch up with Hamilton, who have lost six of their last eight league matches.

However, a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock before Christmas is the sort of result that is capable of giving the hosts a boost before the derby.

The chance to go in to the winter break on the back of a win will further add to the home side’s incentive.

Form out the window?

As the cliché goes, all form goes out the window on derby day.

And with both sides heading in to Saturday’s match on the back of a poor run of form, the stage is set for one team to turn it around.

It’s a big weekend in store for both sides, and an intriguing way to bring 2018 to a close.