THE next time that Motherwell fans will get to see their team in action, the buzz of Champions League football will be in the air at Fir Park as their dream becomes a reality.

The arrival of Panathinaikos next week will rightly set pulses racing in Lanarkshire but, the testimonial for Steven Hammell against Everton aside, the build-up has been less glamorous, with teams from the Irn-Bru football leagues providing the opposition.

After losing 4-0 to Ayr United and drawing 1-1 with Raith Rovers, Stuart McCall's side made the short trip to Hamilton last night, emerging 3-0 winners over their close rivals, courtesy of a Bob McHugh brace and a Tom Hateley penalty.

The Motherwell boss received a welcome boost before the match with the news that Simon Ramsden, the former Bradford City defender, had agreed a one-year deal with the club.

The versatile Englishman has spent the last few weeks on trial at Fir Park and has now finally put pen-to-paper on a permanent switch to add to McCall's threadbare squad.

"It seems as if I have been here for a while already," said the 30-year-old.

"I went to Portugal with all the lads at the start of the month and that was really good in terms of getting to know everyone as you're spending 24 hours a day with them all.

"Everyone is making me feel very welcome and it's nice to get everything sorted. I am really looking forward to the challenge ahead."

It took the Steelmen just eight minutes to open the scoring at New Douglas Park. McCall handed McHugh a starting berth alongside Michael Higdon against the First Division side, and the front two combined well to break the deadlock, the youngster latching on to a knockdown from his partner before slotting the ball past Kevin Cuthbert.

Having acted as provider for the first goal of the evening, Higdon was clearly keen to get in on the scoring, testing Cuthbert twice in quick succession as Motherwell looked to build on their early advantage.

Both efforts, one from a tight angle at the keeper's near post, and the other from the edge of the area, stung Cuthbert's palms but the scoreline didn't change.

Minutes later, McHugh had a chance to double his tally, but blazed over after stretching to meet Higdon's cross from the left before Ali Crawford saw his effort rise narrowly over Darren Randolph's crossbar.

Accies continued to try their luck from range, with Randolph tipping a Gary Fraser drive over before a flying save to his left denied Jon McShane what would have been a spectacular goal on the half-time whistle.

By that time, Motherwell had already extended their lead, with McHugh again on target. Higdon and Nicky Law were the architects with some neat link-up play, and the youngster was left unchallenged to convert for his second goal.

With McCall and Reid making 14 substitutions between them, it was no surprise that the game quickly lost its rhythm.

But there were encouraging signs for the Accies boss, with Grant Gillespie the latest to force the Well keeper into an acrobatic stop.

The Irishman was to save the best for last, however, pulling off a superb block to deny new boy Darian MacKinnon from close range with just 10 minutes remaining.

It was left to Hateley to complete the scoring, converting from the spot to add a shine to the scoreline for Motherwell after a low key second-half display.

McCall said: "It was good for Bob McHugh to come through his first 45 minutes and get two goals, while Shaun Hutchinson coming through and looking strong was a plus.

"We did okay in the first half but they were certainly better in the second half. The standards were not good enough after the interval. We were sloppy and, if it wasn't for Darren, they would have got at least one goal. There are still things to work on."