Ryan Bowman: Motherwell strikers need to up our games with key man Moult out

Bowman (26) and his mates drew a blank in Saturday’s 1-0 Scottish Premiership defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle, the first in a run of December fixtures which key man Moult will miss due to a hamstring strain.“It’s up to the likes of me, Alex Fisher, Deimi Petravicius and Tanner to step up to the plate,” said the Carlisle-born frontman.“Today, from a striking point of view, we didn’t get as many shots off as I’d like.“Especially Deimi and Fish. Fish wasn’t on the park as much as we’d like (he went off with concussion at half-time).“And I need to be getting more shots on goal because that’s how you score.“I had a sniff with a header from a corner (which he put over the bar in the second half). I should do better, I’ve got a clear chance.“I dropped off a defender and I saw my head in lights!“I should have at least hit the target.”Despite their lack of striking prowess on Saturday, Motherwell were well in the game against the Jambos and perhaps merited a draw.“We’re disappointed,” Bowman said. “We feel we should be coming here and winning the game, especially after our recent form bar Celtic.“A lot of people are going to go to Parkhead and lose heavily. Bar that, our recent form’s been good.“We beat Aberdeen away, we drew with Celtic when we were three minutes away from winning.“Hearts have been a top six side for however long they’ve been back in the top flight but it’s disappointing because we feel like we were the better team today and they didn’t have many chances.“But we didn’t either.”The goal Motherwell lost to Hearts – which saw Kyle Lafferty strike after evading ’Well defenders Cedric Kipre and Carl McHugh – summed up a poor day for the Steelmen.“I think Cedric slipped first and then Carl barged into him,” added the former Gateshead striker.“But take nothing away from Lafferty for the finish, he’s done well in the penalty box, got the shot away and scored but we feel we could have defended that better.”Motherwell’s busy December league programme continues with a trip to bottom club Partick Thistle tonight (Wednesday) before another away fixture at Kilmarnock this Saturday.The Steelmen are still a lofty fifth in the table and Bowman is anxious that they get back to winning ways to stay in the top six.“We have done well to get where we are,” he added. “But we don’t want the season to fritter away. We’ve got a great chance on Wednesday to rectify today. Thistle got thumped by Kilmarnock so we’ve got to go there, play our usual game and win.”Bowman’s Motherwell contract is up at the end of the season and the number 12 is keen to remain at Fir Park.“Of course I want to stay at Motherwell,” he added.“Last season it wasn’t the best by far from a personal point of view. I got two goals.“But this season it’s much better. I’m playing with more confidence and I’ve scored six goals.“Me and the manager will sit down and speak about what’s going to happen.“I’ll find out if he wants me here next season or not, and we’ll go from there.”Motherwell face a gruelling run of games with another five fixtures before the end of December, but it’s not a schedule which worries Bowman.“Home or away it doesn’t matter,” Bowman added.“It’s 11 v 11 and it’s a game of football.“We’ve just got to play to our usual game like we have all season.“Hopefully we’ll pick up as many points as we can.”’Well will still be without injured pair Moult and Peter Hartley for tonight’s encounter at Firhill.But there is better news for the Steelmen in that number one goalkeeper Trevor Carson will be fit to face the Jags.