Motherwell 0

Dundee 1

P McGinn 13

Man of the Match Alex Harris

THOSE who endured an education in Lanarkshire of times past will know that the Magnificent Seven was based on the school system of the late 1960s, though there was obviously more violence in the playgrounds than anything Yul Brynner and his mates could shake a six-gun at in a Mexican village.

It was therefore apt that on arrival at Fir Park yesterday the match programme greeted one with the news that the club had enlisted their own version of the Magnificent Seven by adding Stephen Pearson, Anthony Straker, Louis Lang, George Long, Conor Grant, Marvin Johnson and Nathan Thomas during the January siesta. Six of them played yesterday with Pearson missing, possibly nursing a flesh wound.

There was one overwhelming impression, though, from a gunfight where one side had all the ammunition. It was this: Motherwell, frankly, need even more reinforcements.

This is a team that has not won this year. The evidence of yesterday's dismal, dispiriting defeat to Dundee suggests that this is a record that that may carry both the pain and endurance of that Lanarkshire education.

Motherwell were undone simply, if a trifle unluckily, by a 13th minute goal from Paul McGinn who slipped as he fastened on to a pass from Alex Harris and his shot floated beyond George Long. His manager, Paul Hartley, let slip later that McGinn had been trying to cross the ball.

Dundee, brisk and competent, did not score again. Bluntly, they did not have to as Motherwell's Magnificent XI fired blanks. Ian Baraclough's side mustered a flurry towards the end of the match with substitute Lionel Ainsworth to the fore but otherwise their forlorn hopes lay with free-kicks that were shared by Grant and Lee Erwin. Both players did nothing to threaten the Dundee goal.

Indeed, a series of free-kicks were so far down the throat of Scott Bain that there was a school of thought that he would require a tonsillectomy to remove them. He was not called into action with any degree of urgency as his major contribution other than fielding free-kicks or corners was to hold a John Sutton header.

Paul Hartley could thus watch his side win with more than a degree of comfort. James McPake was commanding in central defence, Kevin Thomson gradually insinuated himself in midfield, dominating possession and bringing a calmness that Motherwell could never disturb, and Dundee had threat and potential in the forward areas.

Paul McGowan was predictably narky and annoying, causing problems with his running into channels, and Greg Stewart found enough room with his clever surges to force two decent saves from Long. But it was Alex Harris who was the most conspicuous attacker.

The winger, on loan from Hibernian, regularly outwitted Straker and a sprint to the bye-line followed a smart cross should have given Dundee a second goal. Of course, they never needed it and can now luxuriate in the top six while their opponents must reflect on deeply troubling truths.

Hartley was right to describe his team's efforts as a "good, professional performance". He added: "The target at the start of the season was to stay in the league but that has changed and the aim now is to get into the top six. It's game on."

It is also "game on" for Motherwell.

Baraclough believes his side is suffering from psychological ailment. "It's breaking down that fear factor because there is a fear of being the one who makes a mistake and lets the team down," he said.

He added: "We need those game changers to perform because we've got them in the squad. It's finding the right personnel at the right time to go and do that. If we go into our shells for the next two games then we're going to make life really difficult for ourselves. We should be producing better chances than what we have done and that game was there for the taking."

Yet it was another match lost, without much of a protest, except from the Motherwell fans.

In an early scene of the Magnificent Seven, the story is told of the optimist who falls from a multi-storey building and remarks as he plunges past each floor: "So far so good."

Motherwell are plummeting. Ross County's victory at Firhill means the Lanarkshire side are now bottom of the SPFL premiership. So far, so bad for Motherwell in 2015.

It could become even worse. This is a side that needs to learn lessons quickly or they will be studying in the Championship next term.