BEATEN but not broken, Ben Heneghan’s defiance was stronger than ever as he picked through the bones of defeat.

The Motherwell centre-half had just suffered an agonising 2-1 home loss to Rangers on the opening day of the Premiership campaign, the anguish of the game being lost on a penalty only compounded by two glorious late chances spurned at the other end in the dying seconds.

Yet there was nothing defeatist about the demeanour of Heneghan. Instead, the former Everton defender’s spirit seemed galvanised by the near miss just suffered by Stephen Robinson’s team, who have been written off by many this season.

“We have high expectations at the club. We don’t fear anyone. If you come to our ground we want to make it our fortress,” said the 23-year-old. “We have to build on that performance. We know we can do better in certain bits but I thought the boys did well.

“It’s all about growing as a team and seeing where it takes us.

“We are always going to get written off against the bigger sides but during the pre-match build up we didn’t get a mention. We just went on the park and did our job.

“Hopefully people realised we are a good side.”

Looking beyond an opening 10-minute spell that saw Well a goal down and on the ropes, Robinson’s side picked themselves up and punched back during an enthralling contest.

Heneghan himself got the equaliser for the Steelmen – his first in claret and amber – but it was of little consolation in the midst of collective disappointment.

“It’s my first goal for the club, or at least the first one that counted,” he added.

“It’s good but at the end of the day we still didn’t get anything out of the game. It’s annoying and frustrating.

“Hopefully it leads to a few more from myself, but not taking any points is harder to take.

“I think after the first five minutes we grew into it and actually thought we were the better side in spells. We played around them.

“It’s just such a frustrating finish and a hard one to take. I thought the lads were brilliant.”

Reflecting on the game-winning spot kick, given for an adjudged elbow to Fabio Cardoso from Louis Moult, Heneghan was blunt in his assessment.

He said: “I’m shocked at how it was given. From where I was it was very soft.

“There was nothing in it. But obviously we can’t see it from where the referee does.

“Louis is adamant that it’s not. One angle it shows it to look bad and the other looks like he was nowhere near it. It’s a hard decision and a tough one to take.”

There is little time for Heneghan or his Motherwell team to get hung up on Sunday’s disappointment. Not that this group seem content to wallow in self-pity.

Instead, they will go to Dingwall tomorrow night aiming to keep their 100 per cent winning streak in the Betfred Cup going.

Despite being substituted off Moult will be fit for the encounter, along with Gael Bigirimana who missed out at the weekend, and Heneghan added: “It’s not an easy trip but we want to turn things around.

“Despite the disappointment we’ll go up there and get the win.”