Motherwell star details his rise from the bench to number one after inspired weekend performance

He’s had to play the waiting game - but Aston Oxborough reckons he’s a better goalkeeper now than he was when arriving at Motherwell in 2022.

The former Norwich City youngster didn’t kick a ball in anger during his first campaign at Fir Park and then made just two League Cup group stage appearances last season, with Liam Kelly the number one. Now he has gone to Rangers, Oxborough has assumed his position between the sticks.

He has been an impressive performer for Stuart Kettlewell’s team and was inspiring on Saturday during a 2-1 Premiership win over St Mirren. He saved a point-blank range effort from Alex Gogic at the end of the first half before saving a Mark O’Hara penalty after the interval to keep his side ahead after two Lennon Miller goals in the first 45 minutes.

Oxborough has a preference over what save he liked better, but amid a winning run of five out of six in all competitions, he’s just happy everything appears to be going swimmingly. He said of the first half stop and his game against the Buddies: “I preferred that one to be fair, enjoyed that! It was a good save and I’m just delighted it stayed out.

"Mark is a brilliant penalty taker and he can go to all areas of the goal. You don't really know for sure, but once you decide or guess the right way, you've got to give it everything and fly towards it.

"Luckily it stayed out. The guys behind the scenes have to take big credit as well, our goalkeeping coach, the analysis guys. They are a big part of it."

"It was a chaotic game, wasn't it? I was obviously delighted with the saves, but the team were brilliant. That was a proper, dogged performance to get us a massive three points. I'm really happy with how it's gone from a personal perspective and as a team.

"It's only early days. We're ten games in and almost a whole season still to go. We're looking for a high level of consistency over the long term. I'd like to think momentum is growing with us. It looks like it's going well and hopefully we can keep on building."

There were warm words of praise post-match vs St Mirren for his manager, Stuart Kettlewell. Even when he was number two, the boss kept him motivated, and that has Oxborough keen to repay the faith.

He insisted: "Even last year while Liam played, the manager still had a lot of good words for me. We had a really good relationship and I cannot speak highly enough of him.

"Even just the group of boys, it's a close-knit changing room and you never really feel far apart from things. We all get on really well. Now the manager has given me my chance, I'm really grateful to him."

Oxborough reckons his development has come on leaps and bounds even with limited action heading into this season. Now in the heat of his breakout Fir Park term, the 26-year-old is putting all he has learned into practice.

He added: "I had to try and take the emotion out of it in a way and see the bigger picture, using that as fuel for if and when I did get a chance. It was obviously really frustrating. But I tried to use all that time wisely.

"I tried to work on things behind the scenes, which I think I have done. Those were different things, nothing major. I did a bit more gym work. I was working on more tactical things behind the scenes, distribution with the ball.

"They were little things that I can see helping me now. I'm obviously a different goalie now to when I came here. I am really relishing it at the minute."