Motherwell survived a sickness bug and a broken-down bus last week to keep their European dream on course.
They’ve not quite managed to shake the lurgy from the dressing room but Graham Alexander hopes there will be no more bumps in the road as he looks to steer his squad to a top five finish and a place in next season’s Europa Conference League.
The Steelmen’s preparations for last week’s win over Ross County were hit when a swathe of first-team stars were laid low by illness.
Matchwinner Kevin van Veen was among the group who spent most of the week reaching for the bucket.
Yet it was Malky Mackay’s team dealt a sickener when the Dutchman dragged himself out of bed to fire the winner in Dingwall.
The journey up to the Highlands was not without incident either after one of Motherwell’s two coaches clapped out on the A9 but even that could not stop Alexander’s team motoring off to a huge win.
The Fir Park boss admits he’s still not been able to give his group a clean bill of health after last week’s outbreak but he is happy to have a positive prognosis for his side’s European ambitions.
A win at home to Hearts on Wednesday night will be enough to book their spot so long as County don’t spoil Rangers’ Seville send-off by winning at Ibrox.
Alexander said: “There’s still a couple of other players dealing with the bug now. It’s still difficult for to lads who had it last week.
“A couple of them started the game on Saturday and completed it which was every credit to them.
“Obviously Callum Slattery and Kev were on the bench but unfortunately a couple of other players have picked it up over the weekend and they haven’t trained.
“So it’s still lingering unfortunately. We are just waiting until the last possible minute to see who’s in good shape to run around for 90 minutes or at least for an hour or so.
“The players came together on Saturday. There had been quite a few off all week.
“We had a separate little mini bus for the lads who were ill 20 metres behind the main bus - which broke down - so they got there before us.
“We’re going to have to run hard against Hearts to get a result. We’ll just have to see how they are.
“All I’m hoping for is that no one else gets it.”
Alexander knew how hard it would have been for those players looking green around the gills to have to report for duty last weekend.
But he was tickled pink by their commitment to Well’s Euro cause.
He said: “When it comes down to the season-defining period which we are at, it adds a little bit more to the pressure but to the motivation as well.
“You saw from the squad on Saturday that the motivation was high and we needed that.
“The victory was down to that spirit. We know we have to do a lot of good things defensively and attacking wise but if you haven’t got that togetherness and motivation them you don’t get the rewards.”
