LIONEL AINSWORTH has warned Motherwell that their ability to make the most of home comforts will define their season.

The Steelmen have three of their final five post-split fixtures at home, starting with the visit of champions Celtic on Saturday.

An away day at Dundee United is then followed by successive Fir Park bows against St Johnstone and Inverness before Well end their campaign at Aberdeen in a potentially thrilling final day second-place shoot-out.

Despite the fact that Celtic handed the Lanarkshire side a 5-0 thrashing at Fir Park back in December, the affable Englishman has taken succour from a home record that has seen his side lose just once in eight outings since that mauling.

Ainsworth said: "We believe at Fir Park we have a chance against any side, including Celtic.

"Obviously they gave us a sore one in December but our home form has been consistent since then. So we have got to take a lot of encouragement from that and if we can take anything from the Celtic game it would give us a terrific launchpad into the remaining four games."

Ainsworth added: "All you can ask for in the post-split fixtures is that you get three of the five games at home and we have that, so it is vital we make the most of it.

"Since the turn of the year we have already beaten St Johnstone and Inverness at Fir Park and have not conceded a goal in either of these games, so that is another big plus looking forward."

Motherwell slipped three points behind second-placed Aberdeen when they blew a two-goal lead at St Mirren last time out with the aid of whistler Iain Brines' hapless penalty award.

But Ainsworth says there were still a lot of positives to take from the Paisley setback.

He rapped: "For the majority of that game I felt like we played pretty well and had control of it."