No final thoughts for Motherwell's Aldred

The on-loan defender has been a huge success since joining the club from Bury in January and put in another commanding performance as the Steelmen returned from Dingwall with a point in a hard-fought match with Ross County.

Speaking to the Motherwell Times after the match he said that although he wasn’t overly disappointed with the draw, he felt that they could have stolen all three.

“We always knew it would be a tough game,” Aldred said.

“When you look at the fixture list you know that it’s one of those that’s going to be a long journey so we came down last night (Friday) and stayed over.

“It’s a tough place to come but we’ve come away with a point, so we’ll take that and move on.

“We’re a bit disappointed not to win the game because we felt we had the better chances.

“But it’s a clean sheet and a point, so we move on.”

In what was a bruising affair, the match was punctuated by a series of injuries, with players from both sides requiring treatment, which threatened to break up the flow of the game .

Motherwell’s Andy Rose was replaced after a clash of heads with Michael Gardyne, whilst the Staggies’ Christopher Routis needed seven stitches in a nasty leg wound – both before half time.

“It was one of those games with a few knocks and bruises,” Aldred said, “hopefully the lads that got a knock are OK and recover quick.

“It was exactly what it said on the tin today. It was a battle.”

With four games left to play of the league season – with the mouth watering prospect of the Scottish Cup Final to follow – Motherwell have already notched up 18 clean sheets this season, helped in no small part by Aldred’s consistently excellent performances in defence.

With a year left on his contract with Bury – who are on the verge of relegation from League One in England – many Fir Park fans would love to see the 27-year-old, sign for the club permanently – the 12th in his career which began with Carlisle United ten years ago in 2008.

The well-travelled Aldred himself though says he’s not letting himself think that far ahead.

“I came up here on loan,” he said.

“In football you can only really think of your next game.

“I’ve come up here for six months so we’ll see what happens after that.

“I don’t really know what’s going on with Bury at the moment.

“I just need to take each game as it comes and when it comes to deciding what to do next, I’ll do it.

“But at the moment we’ve got Dundee at home next week in my head. That’s my sole focus.

“We can only think of the next game, that’s the mentality we have. “

Despite an admirable “one game at time” attitude, Bolton-born Aldred admits that stepping out onto the turf in the claret and amber at Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final on May 19 will be the highlight of his career.

“It will – 100 per cent!” he says.

“ I was in the play-off final with Blackpool at Wembley last year (the Seasiders beat Exeter City 2-1), but the Scottish Cup Final will top that one, definitely.

“But at the moment we need to focus on our next game and go into it in good form.”