THE battered and bruised figure of Mark O'Brien sat slumped in the Motherwell press room on Saturday.

Sporting a lump on his head, a patched up arm and a strapped up finger, the Irishman looked like he had gone a round with Floyd Mayweather rather than playing at centre-half in the 1-1 draw with Ross County.

For all his physical scars, however, the Well centre-half is still defiant in his belief that he and his team-mates are fit for the fight to come off the ropes and floor either County or Kilmarnock into the relegation play-off place.

Ian Baraclough's side claimed a point against the Staggies at Fir Park that has them six points adrift of both rivals.

It was not the result the Lanarkshire side were hoping for after taking an early lead through Scott McDonald, only for them to be pegged back by Liam Boyce.

But O'Brien is adamant that failing to close the gap on County is not a knockout blow to their cause.

He said: "It was disappointment at first because we wanted the three points, but the manager saw a lot more fight and desire that hasn't been evident in the last couple of weeks.

"We can build on that and if we have that same fight over the last three games, while improving our quality in the final third, we will get the results we deserve.

"Coming from Ireland you play Sunday League football and then an English team picks you up at the age of 16. All through those years in Ireland it is hustle and bustle, your tackling, your scrapping and fighting.

"When you got to England they teach you the other side of the game and you become more refined. Growing up in that kind of scenario has helped me in the long run because I prefer the old-school type of defending where you stick your head in at someone's foot if needs be."

The man on loan from Derby County was enjoying a rare start for Motherwell with injured Louis Laing out of action.

In his first game since January, the 22-year-old unfortunately played a part in County's leveller as his failed clearance allowed Boyce to capitalise.

But, given it was the only black mark against him in a sturdy showing at the heart of the Steelmen defence, it's a mistake O'Brien is keen not to dwell on.

"It is a split-second decision and, obviously, at the time, it was the decision I went with," he said. "The connection on to the ball wasn't what I wanted.

"You look at it and you could say it could have ricocheted off him and gone somewhere else, but in the position we are in, it has landed at his feet and he scored.

"It affects you at the time and leaves you thinking 'should I have done this or done that?' But you have got to move on and wipe the slate clean."

Motherwell's focus now turns to Friday night when Kilmarnock come calling.

While a victory over County was billed as a must, the point taken means there is still a slim chance for Well to reel in the Rugby Park club, who have now lost six games on the bounce.

O'Brien said: "Any game in the remaining three games is going to be crucial. But obviously, Kilmarnock's form has not been the greatest. You would fancy yourselves, but you still don't take it for granted and you still work hard on the same things like we did against County."