Steven Hammell admits he enjoyed watching his Motherwell side dominate Dundee United and entertain the home fans in their goalless draw - but he would rather have won ugly.
The Motherwell manager was at a lose to explain how his side didn't come away with three points after Kevin van Veen - who netted a midweek hat-trick in the cup win over Inverness - spurned a hat-trick of chances at Fir Park.
The Dutchman saw a first half penalty saved, hit the crossbar with a venomous strike and then saw a late goal-bound effort turned around the post as the Steelmen failed to find a way past managerless United.
But for all the positives he feels he can take for the display, he'd much rather have played poorly and taken three points.
He said: "I don't think there was a lot between that and Inverness in midweek, which we won comfortably so I'm just disappointed.
"But I think when I look back and reflect on it, we played well.
"I thought we looked a threat, we kept possession and I enjoyed watching us play and what we were doing.
"I think the players did as well, but would I rather have played not so well and won 1-0? Yes I would have.
"I'm not getting carried away, because we've drawn 0-0, but the players need to enjoy it and there needs to be an element of entertainment in what we are trying to do.
"We've got a little bit of responsibility to the people that come and watch us to actually enjoy watching us play.
"I've been here a lot of years and I know that isn't always the case but we need to try and do that.
"I felt we did that today, but the overriding feeling is just disappointment that we didn't manage to win the game."
The biggest cheer of the day came before kick-off when new signing Louis Moult was paraded to the fans.
The Englishman is back for a second spell, arriving on a season-long loan from Burton Albion yesterday, and Hammell admitted it came just too soon for the Fir Park favourite.
"Louis would have been involved today but he's not trained this week," Hammell revealed.
"He drove up yesterday. It would have been great to have him up here but he's not here for one game, he's here for the season and he's hopefully going to play a big part in what we are doing this year.
"If he came on today, he wouldn't have been ready so we'll just need to assess him tomorrow and hopefully he will be good to go [for Ross County next week]."
However, he insisted there will be much more Motherwell's attacking threat than Moult.
He added: "I think there is goals throughout the team - as we draw 0-0.
"But I do think we will create chances if we continue to do what we are doing.
"I think even three or four of the players are threats. Even Paul McGinn today had one when the defender has got to the line and stopped a certain goal.
"There's threats all over the park and we need to be more of a goal threat from more positions than just the nine."
It was a frustrating game for Hammell in more ways in one, as he ended up picking up a booking in the second half for protesting a decision.
Referee Craig Napier allowed United the advantage when Callum Slattery brought down Ian Harkes outside the box, but when Tony Watt played on into the box and had a shot at goal blocked, the whistler pulled play back and awarded a free-kick.
That angered Hammell and he added: "I don't know what I got booked for. It's a learning curve.
"I kind of got an explanation from the fourth official after it, but when I look at it, you've played advantage, it's rolled on and, okay we blocked it, but the player goes on.
"You can't let it go and then also give the free-kick and a booking.
"We live and learn."
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