CONSIDERING the prize that's at stake, you would think the teams scrapping it out for third place could manage at least one win between them at such a crucial stage of the season?
I suppose Aberdeen are exempt from criticism – and it's not often that's been said this season – as they're the ones who have made up ground on their rivals since the league split some three weeks ago.
Realistically, Dundee United have almost ce
rtainly blown it – they drew twice in successive weeks against Hibs and Motherwell when only a win would do and then topped it off by losing to an Aberdeen side that was missing several first-team regulars.
The Arabs' last two fixtures are away at Ibrox next weekend then home to Celtic in their final game – I think we can safely rule them out.
Aberdeen on the other hand, may well have put themselves back in the picture with successive home wins against United and Hibs.
In fact, if they hadn't been denied a perfectly legitimate late equaliser at Celtic Park a few weeks back they might have fancied their chances even more.
Jimmy Calderwood takes his squad to Fir Park this coming Saturday and if they can grind out another victory they will be serious contenders for the UEFA Cup spot when the final round of matches come around.
Imagine the scenario – Aberdeen win at Fir Park on Saturday and Dundee United lose at Ibrox, Hibs lose at Celtic Park on Sunday and Motherwell fail to take anything from their two games in hand with Rangers – suddenly, we'd have a situation where four teams would be separated by a single point and all of them would go into the final game of the season with a chance of finishing third and grabbing that elusive UEFA Cup spot.
It makes for a very exciting climax to the season and only serves to remind the advantage of going all out to make the top six.
Hearts will no doubt be kicking themselves now for dropping points in goalless draws against Kilmarnock and Falkirk, had they made it the Jambos would have been right in the thick of the action.
If only they'd realised the importance of winning those games at the time. Motherwell are unquestionably still in the driving seat, sitting a point ahead of Dundee United and Hibs and three points ahead of the Dons with two games in hand.
Both of their spare fixtures happen to be against Rangers – home and away – and even a point in either match would give Mark McGhee's men a massive lift.
At the weekend, Motherwell were unlucky to lose out to a Celtic side, who seem to have had the Gods smiling on them these past few weeks.
The pitch at Fir Park is beyond a joke now and yet the home side adapted to it far better than their illustrious opponents who couldn't muster a single effort on goal in the opening 45 minutes. All the action came around the hour mark when goals were shared before a corner was controversially awarded to Celtic despite the last touch clearly coming off Bobo Balde.
Never a team to pass up a gift, Celtic took advantage to score the goal that enabled them to go on and win the match.
In my role at Setanta as trackside reporter, it's my job to conduct interviews in the tunnel area after the match.
We have to be in position within seconds of the final whistle being blown which means we're there to see the reactions of players as they come off the pitch.
Suffice to say, there were a few choice words from the Motherwell camp in the direction of the officials who made what turned out to be a costly mistake. In fairness, Mark McGhee was just as quick to admonish his own players for failing to defend a set-piece, a problem that has reared its ugly head far too often for them this season.
Given all they've been through over the past few months, I think the majority of neutrals would like to see Motherwell finish best of the rest.
Their attacking approach has been a breath of fresh air in a league where far too many teams play with too much caution.
Nevertheless, football does not always reward the most entertaining teams on show – now more than ever, it's all about results.
The full article contains 744 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
