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McGinn out for four months as Motherwell hit with triple injury blow

Motherwell captain Paul McGinn is unlikely to play again this season, while Aston Oxborough and Steve Seddon have also been ruled out for lengthy periods as the club's injury woes worsen.

McGinn suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury in last weekend's defeat at Hibs - the defender's first start since October - and needs surgery that will sideline him for four months.

Goalkeeper Oxborough faces three months out with a thumb injury and Seddon's ankle injury is set to keep him out for a further eight weeks.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos faces another two weeks out with a torn calf and Jair Tavares, Liam Gordon and Harry Paton are doubts for Saturday's Scottish Cup fourth-round tie against St Johnstone where manager Stuart Kettlewell faces being without nine players.

"We've obviously encountered a lot of issues since the start of the season," Kettlewell said. "But I would feel that in terms of injuries, that this is possibly the worst stage that we're at.

"Looking at the board the other day, we were looking at nine pretty serious injuries and nine players that we're without. That's hard for us to absorb, of course it is.

"And from that, you're looking at a lot of significant players, and some players that have been very good for us, some for a long period of time, some since they came to the football club.

"So it's not an excuse. It's just that in an injury front, it's a bleak outlook. Me as always, I'm the most positive person in the world, and what we do is focus on the players that are available and that's what I've done since the start of the season."

Kettlewell signed midfielder Kai Andrews and goalkeeper Archie Mair on loan last week to take his squad number to 28 but with the latest blows, he has been told money will be made available to add options.

"We'll have to be patient," he said. "We're trying our best. We're working endlessly to try and make sure that we can strengthen the group and help the group out, but I can't really put a timescale on that. But what I can finish off by saying is that the club have been supportive in that."

A new goalkeeper is an urgent priority after Krisztian Hegyi was recalled by West Ham on the day Oxborough got injured. Matthew Connelly was recalled from East Kilbride on a temporary basis to sit on the bench against Hibernian on Saturday, but is cup tied this weekend.

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[BBC]