Stuart McCall was full of praise for his players after watching ‘Well blow away the Cup holders Dundee United to reach the semi-final at Hampden.
Goals from Jamie Murphy, Chris Humphrey and Francis Jeffers secured a 3-0 win for the Steelmen, as the home side produced a display of energy, incisiveness and hunger which the Arabs simply could not match.
Motherwell will now go on to face St. Johnstone – with a place in the Scottish Cup final tantalisingly close now.
“I am delighted to be part of it,” McCall said of a great night for the club. “It’s an achievement for the lads; and they deserve all the plaudits tonight.
“We decided to go 4-4-2. I think at home when we play like that, with the two wide men on the top of their game as they were tonight, we are difficult to play against.
“I thought Sutton and Jeffers were excellent as well. But it was a great team performance.”
McCall has now called on the players to believe in themselves, as they stand on the cusp of a very special season.
A win against Aberdeen on Saturday would go a long way to securing top-six football after the split, and Derek McInnes’ Saints are all that stands between ‘Well and a famous cup final berth.
And it is about time the players realised just how good they are, according to the gaffer: “I said after I was in the job only a couple of weeks that what we’ve got in the dressing room is a match for anyone.
“Thankfully tonight we were at it. We have matched Celtic, we matched Rangers in the (Co-operative Insurance Cup) semi – and I probably have more belief in the players than they have in themselves.
“The three goals were outstanding, they deserve all the plaudits they get for their all round game, they are a credit and it was great to have the supporters behind us.”
The Motherwell boss was typically keen to get back to business straight away, and within minutes was already looking ahead to the Aberdeen game on Saturday, but the gaffer does admit the Hampden semi-final will be special.
“The lads are all talking about it,” the 46-year old admitted. “Our players got a little smell of it in the League Cup semi with Rangers, and I think they showed tonight how much that meant to them to get back there. Throughout the side they were all heroes.
“This eclipsed beating Celtic here, but we are back in tomorrow for a huge game with Aberdeen on Saturday”