WELL hero Phil O'Donnell reckons his classy young team-mates are proving they have the attitude to match their quality. The veteran midfielder hammered home his side's credentials as a top-six force with the only goal against Killie. But O'Donnell was quick to pass on the glory by insisting it's just a delight for him to be playing alongside such a talented and determined group of players. And O'Donnell - whose deflected second-half strike earned Mark McGhee's men successive away victories - insists it won't be long until more Fir Park kids are pushing for Scotland honours. He said: "The conditions were difficult but we still managed to produced some short, sharp football. "It's a joy to be in the same team as Ross McCormack and the other young boys. You know if you give them the ball they have the ability to create something. "But they have also added much more to their game by working hard and being willing to do the dirty work. That is a big factor in results like this. "The fact Ross and Graeme Smith have been on duty with the Scotland B team also gives the rest of the squad confidence and something else to strive for." Well settled quickly and Killie almost gifted them an opener inside two minutes. The defence allowed Stephen Craigan's long free-kick to bounce and McCormack nipped in to volley over from 20 yards. Killie took another 10 minutes to come to life and Danny Invincibile robbed Paul Quinn to set up a promising counter attack. He found Moroccan Mehdi Taouil who picked out James Fowler. But the skipper's cross failed to get past the first defender. Well responded with Quinn flicking on McCormack's inswinging free-kick but Alan Combe saved comfortably. McGhee's men came closer in 20 minutes when keeper Combe saved after David Clarkson ghosted to the back post to get his head on another McCormack delivery. There was little to choose between the sides and the contrasting styles - Killie's traditional 4-4-2 against Motherwell's enterprising three up front - meant the game was far from dull. McCormack was brimming with confidence and at the heart of every Well move. Just on the half-hour he slid the ball in for strike partner Chris Porter and the big Englishman was denied by Combe. Moments later McCormack tried his luck, stinging Combe's hands with a fierce left-foot shot from the corner of the box. The momentum was now with the Fir Park side with only debut boy Taouil offering any invention in the other direction. The tricky midfielder's run and cross four minutes from the break forced No.1 Smith to punch clear. Taouil also fired wide from distance before Killie wasted their best chance of the half just a minute from the interval. A Rhian Dodds free-kick found Colin Nish unmarked but the big striker mistimed his jump and headed wide. The home side were left to rue that miss as Well edged in front just 60 seconds after the break with an effort that had more than a touch of good luck about it. Clarkson and Steve McGarry teed up O'Donnell 18 yards out and his daisy-cutter hit Simon Ford on its way past Combe. Killie chief Jim Jefferies reacted by withdrawing left-back Tim Clancy and the ineffective Invincibile for Willie Gibson and Spanish striker David Fernandez. Ford twice tried to make amends for his part in the opener but blazed over with his first effort before heading past. McGhee was next to make a change, Stephen Hughes making his return from injury in place of the hard-working McGarry. And as Killie committed more men forward in search of a leveller they became vulnerable to quick Well counters. McCormack nearly caught them out in 70 minutes only for Keith Lasley to force his cross wide, colliding with the post in the process and being forced off. A brilliant quick free-kick in 82 minutes almost brought the killer second. Hughes and O'Donnell sent Quinn down the right but his cross was nodded off target by McCormack then over by Clarkson. Killie had a glorious chance to rescue a point at the death when Fernandez handed fellow sub Aime Koudou a sight of goal but he sclaffed into the side netting. Porter passed up an even better chance at the other end in injury time but it didn't matter. MATCH STATS SHOTS ON 0 SHOTS OFF 6 OFFSIDE 1 FOULS 12 CORNERS 3 BOOKINGS 2 SHOTS ON 1 SHOTS OFF 13 OFFSIDE 1 FOULS 12 CORNERS 10 BOOKINGS 1 REFWATCH STEVE CONROY didn't flash his cards any more than necessary and reacted quickly to call on the medics to treat a couple of head knocks. Excellent display. Rating: 8/10.
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