Experience told on Saturday when Motherwell met Hamilton and the latter will have to learn fast to get away from the wrong end of the table.

Motherwell striker Chris Porter is hoping that now that he has found his scoring touch he can only get sharper as the games come along. He scored both goals on Saturday against Hamilton to take his tally to four goals in as many games. The Englishman failed to find the net in the first two months of the season but his two deft touches at the weekend show that he is getting back to form. Porter glanced home Bob Malcolm's first-half free-kick and helped in David Clarkson's shot to send Motherwell up to third in the SPL. He said: "It's strange because when I was down south, I always seemed to get off to a great start and then not got as many goals towards the end of the season. Up here it seems to be the other way round. So hopefully I will get better and better as the season goes on." There was a bit of luck about his second goal as he looked well offside but Motherwell thoroughly deserved their win and the striker also headed John Sutton's cross onto a post.

Hamilton manager Billy Reid saw his side lose their sixth game in succession and he admits there needs to be some serious improvement if they are to move off the bottom of the SPL. Reid said: "I thought their middle three ran the game. They were quicker and sharper, which is unusual for us. Maybe three games in a week took its a toll I think teams have worked out how to play against us. In the First Division, we had legs and energy and ran over the top of teams. We did that in the first couple of games of the season, but I think that's not been the case recently. We have to look at that." Hamilton captain Skipper Alex Neil agrees they must learn to wise up to the tricks of the teams they meet in the SPL. He said: "We didn't deserve anything from the game and we didn't play particularly well. In the Premier League, teams do their homework and know your weaknesses and strengths. They stop you playing to your strengths and try to play on those weaknesses. We are a young group but we have to learn quick or else we are going to find ourselves cut off at the bottom of the league."

Meanwhile, Reid thinks that James McCarthy will have to grow a thick skin and learn to live with abuse throughout his career in Scotland over his decision to play for the Republic of Ireland. Some 'Well fans chanted McCarthy was "in the wrong country" as the midfielder came off the bench. The Accies manager said: "I think it will always be there. Everyone wants him to play for Scotland but he has chosen Ireland and he is always going to live with that stigma. When I saw the Show Racism the Red Card thing, I thought about what James McCarthy has been getting the past three or four weeks. We all wanted him to play for Scotland but people should respect his decision."

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