Stuart Kettlewell talks up Motherwell standout Lennon Miller but bemoans fitness

Stuart Kettlewell was left frustrated that his Motherwell side didn’t have it in them to see off Celtic.

The Steelmen wilted late on in fitness terms as they fell to a 3-1 defeat to the Hoops after having taken the lead in the first-half. Kettlewell’s side were good value for their lead before the break but the visitors stepped up their game after the restart and would score twice in the dying minutes to seal their win.

The manager was disappointed with the fall and suggested that fitness levels played a part as his players did look leggy towards the final whistle. And he’s adamant that if and when they can sort that out, more points will be held onto.

He said: “For us to get better we have to go and complete 96 minutes mentally but we have to complete 96 minutes physically as well. So that one comes back on me. I’m not saying they’re not fit but once we start to see one or two feeling hamstrings and thighs, it probably shows the opposition can grow momentum in the game.

“I felt as if we were forced into changes by necessity. We have to work towards conditioning ourselves to be able to play for 96 minutes. It’s not just your body, it’s being switched on to it. I have to identify what I saw towards the end of the game that cost us at least a point. I feel hard done by in the sense of what we put in for 94 minutes. In the first half we really executed what we wanted to do, we had by far the better opportunities and scored a very good goal.

“In the second-half Celtic are trying to win a league title and you understand the magnitude of what’s expected of them so you know at times you’re going to be on the back foot. I’m just so frustrated at the second goal because that’s the killer in the game, we’re dealing with large parts of what their threat is.”

Young Lennon Miller, 17, was the standout in the middle of the park for Well as he teed up Blair Spittal’s opener with a lovely piece of skill. And Kettlewell reserved special praise for the kid.

“Fantastic, I thought he was a breath of fresh air. If you look at his contribution at the goal, he had an opportunity in the second half, he ghosted into the box, he is good in the air as well. His all-round play doesn’t surprise me, I kind of expect that from him. He is only 17 and that’s the bit where I put myself in check where I say we need to condition players to play for 96 minutes.

“That will take time playing to that level and trying to get that intensity from the likes of Lennon for a period of time. All I am saying is that’s what we have to work towards. That will come in time from Lennon, but live on telly against a top team, I think he acquitted himself really, really well.”