Motherwell boss Graham Alexander lauds goal hero Tony Watt and insists striker can keep improving

Watt’s superb back headed first half goal from Jake Carroll’s long free-kick earned the Steelmen a narrow 1-0 home win over Dundee on Saturday, the hosts hanging on despite having Carroll shown a straight red card with 11 minutes remaining for a challenge on Max Anderson.

Alexander said: “That was a resilient performance, we weren’t at our best today so we had to be hard to beat and protect our goal.

“We scored a great goal from a setpiece and it became the deciding factor.

“It was a great ball in from Jake and Tony is getting into those areas and hitting the target more.

“We are working hard on the training pitch with him and the other strikers and it is paying off.

“He has been excellent since he has come back into the team.

“He has to continue on those improvements and I don’t want to set any targets for him other than to beat last year’s total.

“Tony has quality and he has shown it in other areas but we want him in those dangerous areas.

“We know how capable he is and we hope that he can improve his game.

“All of the boys can improve and none of them are the finished article.

“They have to put in the work and take what we are saying on board and do it in games.”

Alexander disagreed with Carroll’s dismissal, adding: “I thought it was a yellow card at most at the time.

“When I watch the millions of slowed down replays that will be shown I might change my mind.

“But I thought it was a yellow and if I am wrong then I will say so.”

Saturday’s win has lifted Motherwell up to fifth place in the Scottish Premiership with seven points from four games.

They have no competitive fixture this Saturday and are next in action in a home league game against Aberdeen on Saturday, September 11.

As we were going to press, Motherwell were in talks to sign Norwegian defender Sondre Solholm Johansen.

Alexander said: “I spoke to him a while ago and it has been a drawn out process but we are delighted to get him in.”