LIONEL AINSWORTH admits his toughest pep-talks are taking place round the dinner table at home as Motherwell bid to pull themselves away from the relegation zone in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Ainsworth’s fiancé, Laura, attends most matches home and away with the couple’s seven month-old daughter, Sienna-Lilly, and is something of a football expert with her brother, Bradley Quinton, currently the manager of English non-league side Enfield Town.

Ainsworth admits she is often his fiercest critic, but insists her ruthless examination of his performances actually helps him sharpen his game.

“The missus keeps saying I’m being a bit too nice and passing the ball when I should be selfish and shooting,” said the winger ahead of today’s trip to Ross County.

“I’ve got to take her advice on board, but I give her a bit back when it comes to mealtimes.

“Seriously, I listen to her. She’s been great for me throughout my career and knows a bit about the game.

“Her brother is manager of Enfield in the lower leagues in England and played with Braintree in the Conference for 15 years, so she’s watched him all of her life.

“She goes to pretty much every home game and most away games except Ross County, Inverness and Aberdeen. She takes my daughter and gives me feedback, which isn’t always positive. It makes me work harder, though.”

Ainsworth admits his daughter’s approach is a little more laid-back.

“She loves it,” he said. “She’ll watch the first half, fall asleep in the second and wake up in the Players Lounge.”

Ainsworth, perhaps predictably, concedes there is merit in the criticisms he has been receiving from Laura of late. He has managed just one goal so far this season – in a League Cup win at East Fife – and accepts he can do much better.

“I scored nine goals last season and 11 before that,” he said. “I want to score more goals, but if I can keep on assisting Louis Moult, Scott McDonald, Theo Robinson and Wes Fletcher, I’ll still be a happy man.

“My role is similar to last season. The gaffer said the wingers will get freedom in the future. We’ve got to set a base and go from there.”

Motherwell have managed just four league wins all season, but Ainsworth’s assessment of the league standings carries some weight. Despite lying 10th, they are only four points away from the top six and, like most clubs, would rocket up the table with a couple of victories.

“We’re four points off fifth place, so, if we’d beaten Inverness Caley Thistle the other week, we would have been going to Dingwall with the chance of going above Ross County,” he said.

“As it is, we’re third bottom, but one win can take you right up there.

“If you look at the teams below us, they will have momentum at some time, but we need to have some ourselves.

“The draw at Aberdeen and win against Kilmarnock was good, but we have to dust ourselves down after the Inverness defeat.”

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee has revealed that McDonald and Moult will remain his favoured front two as he seeks to record an important win from a difficult venue later today.

“Scott and Louis are the strikers of choice just now and the others have got to step up,” he said. “I know what my strongest 11 is.”