Motherwell: Stephen Robinson says Accies game is 'bigger than Rangers play-off'

Motherwell's Scottish Premiership relegation encounter against Hamilton Academical will be bigger than Well's play-off against Rangers, according to manager Stephen Robinson.

The Steelmen defeated the Ibrox side 6-1 over two legs in May 2015.

The Motherwell boss will take his second-bottom side to rivals Accies on Saturday with only three games left.

"It's a big game. People are saying it's much bigger than the Rangers play-off game - it is," said Robinson.

"We're still in control of our own destiny. We're under no illusions as to how big the game is."

Robinson says a positive result against Hamilton would provide the perfect platform for the league visit of Kilmarnock next Tuesday.

The Lanarkshire clubs are level on points, with both four clear of bottom-placed Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

"This game, if we can get something from it, especially a victory, it really does set us up, it gives us that belief back," Robinson added. "The momentum which we haven't had all season - we haven't won two games in a row.

"Our challenge now is to put that three-game run together. We haven't lost against Accies all season, scored five goals against them, so we're going into the game very positive."

Robinson says eradicating costly mistakes would improve Motherwell's chances of securing their top-flight safety.

"Take out individual errors and don't take chances in the final third of the pitch," he said. "We need to get people across, all throughout the team, being brave and making runs, committing themselves to score goals.

"It's difficult - you can't legislate for some of them, to be honest, but you just have to be positive with it. You have to encourage people and give them a belief in themselves, and take the doubt out of their mind, which is what we've tried to do.

"Our destiny is still in our own hands."

Well centre-back Ben Heneghan has been touted as a summer target for Rangers

Meanwhile, Well defender Ben Heneghan has been linked with a summer move to Rangers, who would need to pay a fee to acquire the former Chester centre-back, but Robinson insists no official approach has been made for the player.

"There's been no official bid from anybody," the manager said. "Most definitely, we want to keep him.

"We are a club that sell players - it says a lot for Martin Foyle [our scout], we bring players in for low, low money and we put them back out again, and then do the same again. Good players get attention - simple as that."