LIONEL Ainsworth is a man on a mission to slam Motherwell's stuttering season into a forward gear.

Coming to Fir Park just over a year ago, the winger had previously been on the books of 11 clubs despite only being 27 years old.

But not once had he experienced the spectre of being in the drop zone.

And the Englishman doesn't intend to start now.

Ainsworth has been left bamboozled by Well's poor start to the SPFL Premiership campaign, a run of form that has left them second bottom of the table. Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to Dundee was the latest disappointment for the Steelmen as they now face a trip to Aberdeen on Friday night to turn their season around.

And the Motherwell wideman told SportTimes he is determined to find an answer to the club's current conundrum and haul them clear of the dreaded play-off spot.

"I don't know what's happened. We knew it was going to be a tough game against Dundee.

"They had been on a bad run and we've had a hell of a bad run. It's just continued," he said.

"We're trying to do what we can to get out of this and progress, but it's just not happening for us just now.

"We're all digging in and, if anything, we're fitter and stronger than we were last season.

"I just can't put my finger on it. We had such a great season last year and at the moment it's not working.

"Fortunately there are a lot of games left for us to stand up and be counted."

While Ainsworth has never been relegated, he has seen up close the pain it can cause.

During the 2012/13 season, the winger spent a loan period with League Two basement club Aldershot Town, who seemed destined to drop out of the Football League.

However, he was recalled by parent club Rotherham a month before the end of the season, with him bizarrely part of the Millers squad that earned promotion while relegating the Shots in the same match back on April 27, 2013.

It's an experience that the winger has vowed to make sure will not be felt around Fir Park this season.

"I've played for a few clubs but I've never been relegated, and I don't expect it to happen here with Motherwell," said Ainsworth.

"I'll personally not let it happen. I'll train my heart out and I'll play my heart out, do everything I can to stay fit and firing.

"The goals and the wins will come, we must look forward to that.

"We've just to keep that at the forefront of our minds and keep going.

He added: "I went on loan to Aldershot when they were down there fighting relegation but, about a month or so before the end of the season, I got called back to my parent club.

"It wasn't a good time, nothing would drop for us there either. Unfortunately, when they played us at home we relegated them, that's football for you.

"I'll say it again though, I don't see relegation round here any time soon.

"We may be in a fight, but we have boys in here who can stand up and be counted."

Ainsworth is confident that upturn can start on Friday.

"We're always aiming high," he said. "You finish second for however many years and get European football, that's the good side.

"Now we're down in a fight. I don't think it's a relegation fight, but we really don't want to be here. We have to do what we can for each other, a result is just around the corner.

"Look at the togetherness in the team when we drew away at Celtic last month, it was brilliant. That's what we need to get back to."