MOTHERWELL got off to a flying start this season only to suffer the football equivalent of a car crash in back-to-back matches against the Old Firm.

So perhaps it is appropriate that Stuart McCall's side should have turned to a spot of Go Karting in an attempt to get firing on all cylinders again.

Due to the international break and the abandonment of their SPL meeting with Dundee United because of a power outage, it has been three weeks since the Fir Park side played their last match. But they have put their inactivity to good use with some team bonding at Scotkart in Cambuslang which they hope will get them back on track against Hearts at Tyncastle this afternoon.

Nicky Law is as desperate as anyone to return to action, not least because playing matches beats the punishing training sessions they have had to endure to keep their fitness up.

"We're just desperate to get a game and there aren't many better than Hearts away," the midfielder said. "We only had two or three days off over the international break but we've done a lot of training, especially running, to make up for the game we missed. It's been like a mini pre-season."

Law is more than happy to visit the capital as Tynecastle proved a happy hunting ground for the team at the end of last season.

"We beat Hearts twice at Fir Park last year and won once away which secured the Champions League spot for us so we have great memories of that, although they battered us there on Christmas Eve in our worst performance of the season," he said. "And it is one of the better venues. The fans are on top of you and the atmosphere is good. We're all looking forward to it and can't wait to get back into the action, especially with it being on TV as well."

While the backdrop to the match is the recurrence of the delayed payment of wages for six Hearts players and manager John McGlynn, the turmoil at Fir Park is of a different sort. Motherwell is one of the tighter knit dressing-rooms in the SPL, but in all likelihood next season's squad will look rather different to this one. Only four players remain under contract beyond next season, and with money tight it is an open secret that much of the squad are likely to move on. Law – one of those out of contract – feels sure that a number of their side will be gracing the Championship or better next season.

"The quality of player we've got out of contract means there will be clubs interested," Law said. "I thought two or three would have gone in the summer because of how well we did last season and the way everyone played.

"You look at people like Darren Randolph. He was in the SPL team of the season and I honestly thought he wouldn't be back this season. I was surprised when nobody took him and he'll be one of those who is up. He is 6ft 4in and touch wood I have never seen him make a mistake in the year-and-a-half I have been here. That tells you a lot for a goalkeeper, because their mistakes do get highlighted a lot more than an outfield player and now he is getting his international recognition as well [having won a cap for the Republic of Ireland recently].

"Jamie Murphy is another who has turned down moves and Shaun [Hutchinson]? had a couple of bids as well. They could all definitely play in at least the Championship – the clubs who have been in for them have all been Championship clubs so they obviously think they could do a job.

"But nobody has said they want to leave Motherwell. That tells you everything you need to know about the club."

Stewart Fisher