Shaun Hutchinson knows only too well how fortunes can fluctuate in football after his dramatic Motherwell breakthrough was followed by a two-month lay-off.

So the defender is confident Motherwell can instantly bounce back from their 3-0 Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat against St Mirren when they face Hearts on Saturday.

The 18-year-old made his first start since August in the cup loss after his rapid rise was cut short by injury.

Hutchinson scored against Flamurtari in an 8-1 Europa League triumph in July after Jim Gannon unexpectedly brought him into the first team.

The Newcastle-born youngster then played twice against former European champions Steaua Bucharest and scored in the first two games of the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League season.

Those performances earned the centre-back a new and improved three-year deal despite having only signed a two-year contract in May, when he made his Motherwell debut.

But a niggling ankle injury kept him out until the double header against St Mirren.

"It was a massive frustration being out for a while after such a good start to the season," Hutchinson said.

"It's horrible every day watching them go to training, you don't realise how much you miss it until you are not actually doing it.

"I had an ankle injury last season but it was nothing too serious. But with the start I had this season the injury could not have come at a worse time.

"That's the way football is, one minute you are up at the top and the next minute you are down at the bottom."

Hutchinson came off the bench during last Saturday's 3-3 SPL draw at Love Street before starting in the cup defeat.

And he admits it was a challenge coming back in such a difficult game.

"It's not easy," he said. "I had a bounce game to try to get my fitness back up.

"I got a bit lucky on Saturday when Steven Saunders got knocked on the head and I managed to get on.

"Hopefully I will get more games in the coming weeks."

Motherwell and Hearts had contrasting weeks with the Edinburgh side knocking Celtic out of the cup.

But Hutchinson is confident the Steelmen can reverse the fortunes when Hearts visit Fir Park in the SPL.

"It was a disappointing result but we have defended well for most of the season," he said. "There were a few deflections that didn't help. We will be well prepared for Hearts."