KEITH LASLEY has admitted Mark McGhee's players let him down after he was sacked as Motherwell boss.

The Well have shipped 17 goals in their last four matches including Saturday's 5-1 defeat to Dundee at Fir Park which ultimately cost McGhee his job.

The Scotland No.2 failed to turn around the fortunes of the Steelmen as they slumped from one poor result to the next, dragging them to within two points of the bottom of the Premiership.

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That hammering by Dundee led to angry fan protests outside the ground, but Motherwell captain Lasley expressed his regret at the 59-year-old losing his job in such circumstances.

“That’s probably the main point where the disappointment comes from," he told SportTimes. "We feel we have let the manager down, to be honest.

“I think he has taken a lot of the flak for our misgivings and the reasons behind our recent slump are certainly not tactical or based on preparation. Each individual has just not been up to scratch.

“That’s where the players, and myself included as the captain, must take responsibility. That’s where the disappointment lies."

There is little time for Motherwell's players to feel sorry for themselves with a pivotal game already just three days away.

Lasley and his team will travel to Rugby Park to take on a Kilmarnock side who are also currently managerless following Lee Clark's resignation last month.

It is a challenge the veteran Well midfielder knows they must rise to, for themselves and for McGhee.

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“We were all in training and we found out in the morning," said Lasley of the news of McGhee's sacking. "Mark spoke to us and relayed the news and told us about the situation.

“There was a big sense of disappointment from all parties but we have to move on. I know Mark will want the best for us, he had belief in us and will want us to go prove we are far better than what we have shown.

“We can’t keep saying that, though, we have to show it. The players need to take responsibility and those who are lucky enough to play on Saturday must play for the shirt, play for the club and give a performance that is much better than what we have shown lately.

“We need to move forward and prepare for Saturday. I know Mark would want us to get on with it and the fans will back us.

“I have had the chance to speak to him and it’s never nice. It’s what happens in football and we have to move in."

Motherwell will go into the game under the stewardship of Steve Robinson as caretaker manager flanked by first team coach James McFadden and U20s boss Stephen Craigan.

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The one silver lining to this situation is that those in interim charge are experienced enough not to be daunted by the situation, and Lasley added: “It’s an experienced group in charge and we will be prepared properly.

“There’s no worries there at all and the players have to step up. That’s what the focus will be on between now and Saturday.

“The league is still tight and we feel we need to start incrementally getting ourselves further up because our performance levels over the last few weeks simply haven’t been good enough. That is something we have to turn around.”