Football: Adaptability needed for pitch battle, says Clarkson

Published on Monday 16 February 2009 09:21

DAVID CLARKSON admits the Motherwell players will have to alternate with different styles of football due to the state of the Fir Park pitch.

The Well striker notched his 50th goal for the Steelmen in their Lanarkshire derby win over Hamilton on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run to nine games since they lost to Accies at New Douglas Park in December.

However, with apparently more sand than grass on the pitch, there was little finesse involved in a match in which the visitors were unlucky to lose after an early goal from midfielder Simon Mensing was controversially chalked off by referee Dougie McDonald.

Clarkson is looking forward to a better pitch – and a chance to play more football – in the Homecoming Scottish Cup fifth-round replay against St Mirren at New Love Street on Thursday night which comes as a result of the 1-1 draw at Fir Park.

The Scotland international said: "We are used to getting the ball down and passing it and it is hard to do it on that pitch.

"I don't think the pitch will improve – it's never been the best at this time of the year.

"Hopefully it will be fixed in the summer but we will work hard on different styles of play and hope we can pick up points." Accies boss Billy Reid took some positives from the performance of striker Kenny Deuchar who added power and strength to the Accies attack before exhaustion led to him being replaced by Richard Offiong in the second half.

He said: "Kenny's a handful but he needs games to get his match fitness. He's an honest big lad, a target man and with somebody like James McCarthy playing off him he will be a big, big threat."