JIM O'Brien is desperate to go on a glory run in the Homecoming Scottish Cup - so he can bury the memory of his Final heartache in 2007.

O'Brien played for Dunfer-mline in every round of the competition two years ago as the East End Park club made it all the way to Hampden.

However, the winger was on loan at the Pars from Celtic and was not allowed to play in the glamour showdown with the Glasgow giants by their manager Gordon Strachan.

Motherwell are facing a potential banana skin in their fourth-round tie against Highland League rivals Inverurie Locos which was scheduled to go ahead tomorrow, but will now be played at Harlaw Park on Wednesday, January 21 at 7.45pm after the game was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

O'Brien, now a firm fixture in the Well first team after a difficult start to his Fir Park career, will not be under- estimating the part-time minnows on Wednesday week.

For the 21-year-old is keen for the Steelmen to enjoy an extended run in the competition this year - and possibly even go on and reach the final.

He said: "Everyone at Motherwell knows it will be a hard game up there at Inverurie. I don't know much about the opposition, but we have to treat them with respect and work hard to get the win.

"We want to go on a good cup run this season and the match against Inverurie is the sort of tricky away tie you have to win in order to do that. We are definitely up for it.

"I went on a good cup run with Dunfermline a couple of years ago. We beat Rangers, Partick Thistle, Hearts and Hibs, after a replay, to get to the final at Hampden.

"But because I was on loan from Celtic, who we were playing in the final, I wasn't allowed to play. It was tough to take.

"That cup run, though, gave me a real taste for success in this competition. It was fantastic to be a part of it. I think we are capable of doing something similar at Motherwell if we can win this game."

O'Brien, who joined the Steelmen during the summer, has certainly helped Mark McGhee's men turn around their fortunes in the SPL in the last month after a dreadful run of results.

His involvement in the first team has seen them beat fellow strugglers Inverness Caley Thistle, draw with St Mirren and defeat Hearts.

And the skilful Republic of Ireland Under-21 internationalist, man of the match in the 1-0 triumph over the Jambos, has thanked boss McGhee for helping him hit top form once again.

O'Brien said: "I thought we played well against Hearts. In the last few weeks we have started to turn that corner.

"It was nice to get a good result and to be in the team is nice at the minute. I am happy just to be playing. But having a hand in the goal against Hearts was great. I thought I did okay against Inverness, better against St Mirren and better again against Hearts on Wednesday night.

"I am quite happy with my performances, but as long as the team is doing well I am quite happy."

He added: "The manager explained to me why I wasn't in the team and I took what he said on board. Basically, he felt I needed to be more disciplined. Hopefully, I have added that to my game.

"It was also a confidence thing. I got myself in a bit of a rut when I wasn't doing well. When I got a chance to show what I could do I would try too hard and things wouldn't come off.

"However, the manager has worked hard with me and hopefully I have turned the corner. I am playing with a smile on my face once again."

O'Brien helped set up striker Chris Porter for his eighth goal of the season with a wonderful piece of skill early on in the league clash with Hearts on Wednesday.

But he is hoping the big English hitman, who has been linked with a move out of Fir Park, remains where he is.

He reflected: "There is a lot of interest in Chris, but all the boys would like him to stay. Chris is one of the main men for us."