HUGHES CALLS FOR PLAYERS TO SPEAK UP

Hughes - frustrated.

Falkirk manager John Hughes has urged his players to show "passion and pride" to prevent the soft goals that continued to undermine their season at Motherwell.

The Bairns slumped to second bottom in the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League following their 3-2 defeat at Fir Park.

Hughes was happy with his side's approach and work-rate but frustrated by the goals they conceded.

Jamie Murphy netted after a simple ball over the top, Chris Porter rolled the ball home after Falkirk keeper Robert Olejnik let go as he slid outside the box, while John Sutton grabbed the winner with a free header.

Hughes feels every goal they have conceded this season has been "avoidable" and wants all his players to show the strength of character to put that right.

"You can coach it and you can work on it, but it's about standing up and being a leader," Hughes said. "I honestly think it's about what's in you.

"You can be the most talented footballer but you must really say, 'I'm not getting beat today'. That's a wonderful thing.

"Darren Barr has got it in abundance. And I keep saying that to Darren: 'You have got something that most of the boys in your team have not got. You wear your heart on your sleeve, your heart is that size, you will put your head in where it hurts. Just make sure you know what those strengths are and play to them'.

"Darren Barr doesn't know how good he can become. He leads by example and that's why he is my captain. He is a wonderful captain.

"He needs to say to the next guy, 'I am not getting beat today'. But be big enough to grab a big guy, grab Jackie McNamara or Neil McCann, and say, 'No matter who you are, that's not acceptable' or 'You're better than that'.

"They have got to do that within that dressing room. I am not talking about fisticuffs, I'm just talking about a bit of pride, a bit of passion not to get beat.

"There's no criticism of these boys, there's a frustration that they give so much and don't take anything away from it."

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee pledged to use the international break to try to learn the lessons of their UEFA Cup defeat by Nancy.

"I think we have got work to do," he said. "I talked about it after the Nancy game, that we think we saw a model for what we are trying to be like on Thursday night.

"There is so much that I saw in that game and so much that I recognised again that I will be taking on the training ground."