SCOTT McDONALD hopes Motherwell can get off to a flying start when they begin their post-split push for Premiership safety tonight.

Ian Baraclough's side face Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton aiming to bounce back from a costly defeat to Partick Thistle last time out as their survival hopes suffered a blow at Firhill.

Motherwell are six points from safety as they look to reel in Ross County and avoid a play-off clash against the side that emerges victorious from the Championship promotion battle.

With a 10-point cushion over St Mirren at the foot of the standings, the Steelmen are looking onwards and upwards in the coming weeks as they get set to face all of their relegation rivals in a huge run of fixtures.

McDonald has been a key figure for Baraclough's side in recent weeks, and the Aussie strike star is determined to get back to winning ways at New Douglas Park.

He said: "Here's hoping there is a reaction as the loss and manner of the defeat to Partick was disappointing. We let them off the hook and missed a chance to bring them closer to us.

'It is a huge task ahead of us for the next five games and all we can do is concentrate on ourselves and winning and let other results take care of themselves.

"If Motherwell win all five games, and that is a tall order, then I reckon we should be safe.

"This is a Lanarkshire derby against Hamilton on their home turf and our last two results there have not been great.

"It will be a tough game and Hamilton want to bounce back in the split and get a first win for their manager.

"If we could win that would be one down out of five games. We have a chance to apply pressure on others by winning against Hamilton tonight.

"We are more than capable of getting a result there if we perform the way we did before the Thistle match."

After flying high at the top end of the standings for three years, it has been a far different campaign for Well this time.

McDonald is no stranger to the stresses of a battle at the bottom after helping Millwall to Championship survival 12 months ago. And the 31-year-old hopes lightning will strike twice as he looks for another reason to celebrate at the end of the campaign.

McDonald said: "Every season throws up a great escape story and Motherwell have been trying to do that for the last five weeks, but Ross County are also on the same page.

"Fair play to them, they have embarked on a fantastic run and gone nine matches unbeaten and that is incredible. But it is still all to play for as we will all take points off each other. The Millwall experience teaches you that until it is arithmetically gone, then you keep going.

"Losing to Partick Thistle was a downer, but we just have to keep focusing on the positives. We will go about our business quietly and hopefully gain the three points against Hamilton tonight."