Chris Cadden hit rock bottom on Saturday afternoon just moments after being within touching distance of the top.

Two late Kenny Miller goals broke the heart of the Motherwell midfielder who was less than 10 minutes away from what he reckoned would be the greatest moment of his career.

Instead, he's now left thinking what could have been as Well's Scottish Cup dream is over for another year.

The Steelmen went down 2-1 in the fourth round tie at Ibrox despite Cadden's cross allowed Louis Moult to score on 74 minutes.

And the 20-year-old midfielder who guided Motherwell to their first ever Scottish Youth Cup back in April couldn't hide his grief as he looked back on the blow inflicted by Mark Warburton's men.

"That was as bad as I've felt. I can't imagine feeling any lower than this. It's absolutely heartbreaking," he said.

"We put so much into the game, it's heartbreaking.

"If we had won the Rangers game it would have trumped the youth cup final. What an achievement it would have been for us and the fans, they were brilliant. It would have been unbelievable.

"I thought the game plan was working well. We held and limited their chances by keeping them in front of us. You just hope with that goal we can go on and win.

"You are hoping for at least a replay, but it wasn't to be."

Cadden's rise to prominence over the last year has been a major shining light for Motherwell as they burst into last season's top six while they aim to get back there again.

The same could be said for top striker Moult who since joining the Steelmen in the summer of 2015 has already banged in 30 goals in claret and amber.

His header at Ibrox only went to bolster his already growing reputation, even if the man supplying his cross thought his team-mate had missed for a change.

"At Ibrox I thought he hit the side netting then the next thing you see him running away," said Cadden, a hint of a smile breaking through the gloom. "I never doubted him for a second!

"There is more to come from him. If you give him a chance you'd put your house on him to score.

"As a winger, you just put it into a space for him. You supply him because you see day in, day out what kind of finisher he is."

Potential suitors are already beginning to circle around Moult with now less than a week to go this January transfer window.

Motherwell have insisted that there is no need to sell one of their prized assets, and Cadden hopes the board stays true to their word and keep their star man at Fir Park.

"Hopefully we can keep a hold of him," he said.

"It doesn't surprise me he's attracting interest, what a player he is. It's not by coincidence he's one of the hardest working at the club.

"He's always at the gym, always putting that bit extra in. You can see that on the park.

"Moulty is absolutely vital to us, so we are hoping he stays."