5.50pm

Today's result: Motherwell 4, Dundee United 5.

Unbelievable. THREE times during this match we held two-goal leads (2-0, 3-1 and 4-2), yet we contrived to throw it away each time with defending that wouldn't look out of place in a school playground.

TB made two changes from the team which went down so easily to Kilmarnock last week, with fit again Scott McDonald replacing David Clarkson upfront and loan signing Colin Meldrum taking the place of the injured Graeme Smith between the sticks. It was a debut that the goalkeeper will never forget.

Motherwell completely dominated the first half, and went 2-0 up inside 12 mins thanks to a McCormack header and a McDonald effort from close range. We had umpteen chances to kill the game off, with Hamilton the main culprit in front of goal, yet unbelievably the visitors pulled a goal back just before half time with what seemed like their first attack of the match - Miller placing a free header beyond Meldrum from around 12 yards.

There were two strange substitutions at the interval, with Keogh and Fitzpatrick replacing Kinniburgh and Paterson respectively in a reshuffle that saw Quinn move to centre half. If this was supposed to tighten up our defence it had anything but the desired effect. Fitzpatrick made an immediate impact when he stabbed the ball home a few mins into the second half to restore our two-goal cushion, but United pulled a goal back shortly afterwards through the outstanding Fernandez. Hamilton headed home a Hammell free-kick to make it 4-2, but yet again we were unable to hold on as Miller headed his second of the day after 67 mins. With Motherwell's defence all over the place, United somehow found themselves in front through two quick Brebner goals, the first coming after Samuel had skinned Hammell to set him up and the second was another simple tap in following build-up play from Miller. Fitzpatrick was then himself substituted, much to the bemusement of much of the 'Well support, to be replaced by Andy Smith. As the game entered its closing stages we had at least two decent penalty claims turned down by the referee, one of which looked like a stonewaller, but United survived to record to must unlikeliest of victories.

If you look at our results so far this season it doesn't take a genius to work out where our problems lie. Celtic, Kilmarnock and Dundee Utd have between them put 13 goals past us already, and even Queen of the feckin' South took four off us in pre-season. The defence defence clearly isn't good enough, and some of our more established players like Craigan and Hammell really need to take a long hard look at themselves. United looked like they were going to score with every ball that was played into our box this afternoon.

In defence (sorry!) of our rearguard, they get little or no protection from the midfield, and surely TB will have realised by now that Kerr and O'Donnell are no good whatsoever together in the middle of the park.

Not really sure where we go from here. Next week's trip to Tynecastle to play high flying Hearts is already looking like a daunting prospect, but before then we've surely GOT to get things right against Hamilton Accies in midweek.

Team (4-4-2): Meldrum, Paul Quinn, Craigan, Kinniburgh (Fitzpatrick 45), Hammell, Kerr, McCormack, O'Donnell, Paterson (Keogh 45), McDonald, Hamilton, Fitzpatrick (Andy Smith 80).
Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, Clarkson, Fagan, Darren Lee Smith.

Scorers: McCormack 6, McDonald 12, Fitzpatrick 49, Hamilton 57.

Booked: Paul Quinn, Kerr.

Attendance: 4,706.

Terry Butcher's post-match comments were as follows:
"All our defenders will be made to look at the video of that game because, in all my time as a football manager and as a player, I have never seen such appalling defending. It was embarrassing, disgusting and disgraceful and nowhere near good enough to play for Motherwell Football Club. A lot of people will look at that and say it's my fault because I selected the team and I will hold my hands up and say it is my fault that I picked these players. I will definitely make sure this does not happen again. If it happens again then I could well be out of a job.

"To score four goals at home again and not even take a point from the match is nothing short of disgraceful. I thought our midfielders and forwards were excellent, we created loads of chances and were well ahead in the game at 4-2 and then some kamikaze defending, comic-cuts defending, enabled them to get back into the match. I would think that Gordon Chisholm and Dundee United cannot believe their luck that they've come away with three points but full credit to them, they kept going."

Today's Sun reports that TB is trying to sign Birmingham City defender Marcos Painter on a loan deal. The 'Well boss watched the Republic of Ireland Under-21 internationalist in action during the week.

Surely he can't be any worse than any of the defenders we had on show today.