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[tab:Match report]

Phil McGhee at Rugby Park

Kilmarnock scored a goal in either half to beat nine-man Motherwell at Fir Park this afternoon.

The score line does not even begin to tell the story of this game!

Ultimately an own goal from Stevie Hammell and headed goal from William Gros gave Kilmarnock three points.

In truth, though, in thirty minutes of first half domination after going behind,  ‘Well produced some great flowing football and created enough chances not only equalise but probably bury the home side.

And although a mixture of goal line clearances and poor finishing cost Motherwell at least a share of the points, frustration and lack of discipline cost them two sending offs.

Two straight red cards for Fraser Kerr and Keith Lasley in a crazy closing six minutes left the side with nine men and Stuart McCall with selection problems for next week’s crucial game with ICT.

After a pretty tame start Killie took a lucky lead after twelve minutes. Ross Barbour out wide on the right aimlessly drilled a low ball into the box only for Stevie Hammell’s outstreched leg to deflect the ball past the helpless Darren Randolph from ten yards.

Amazingly, that set back gave the Fir park side a jolt and from then until half time they attacked Kilmarnock down both flanks producing a wealth of great chances.

A series of crosses and Tom Hateley corners from wings had the Killie defence stretched for the remainder of the half with at least three goal line clearances from the diminutive Gros needed to keep them in front.

A poor clearance from Kyle Lethernan after 21 minutes gave the ball to Nicky Law but after racing to the goal line his cutback set up Keith Lasley who shot over the bar, much to the ‘keepers relief.

Three minutes later the keeper had to thank Gros, who popped up on the goal line to clear Shaun Hutchison’s powerful header from a Hateley corner.

Remarkably it took another clearance from Gros on the half hour to deny Hutchison with a thumping volley eight yards in front of a packed goal.

Then from yet another Hateley corner Simon Ramsden’s header was palmed onto the face of the bar by Letheren, leaving Gros to once again clear the ball out of the six yard box.

Four minutes from the end of half dominated by the visitors, Motherwell passed up another opportunity to grab a deserved equaliser. This time Henrik Ojamaa was the provider but after working his way to the goal line he could only watch as Lasley once again scooped his shot over the cross bar.

Stevie Hammell had a long range strike that Letheren had to block and Michael Higdon sent a close-range header wide that normally he would have nestled.

Although not as dominant in the second half, ‘Well still looked the more likely to score – until Kilmarnock hit with a sucker punch.

After 69 minutes ‘Well brought on Kallum Higgginbotham for his first appearance in Motherwell jersey but it was the home side that doubled their lead just two minutes later.

James Dayton on the left touchline swung over an inviting cross and Gros from 6 yards powered a great header down and into the net past Randolph.

Motherwell were then reduced to ten-men six minutes from time. Fraser Kerr, having replaced Hatelely only four minutes previously, was first to go for a wild swing at Dayton.

And three minutes later Keith Lasley capped a miserable afternoon when a frustrated lunge at Dayton led to another red and a sad ending to a match where Motherwell earned a lot of positives for their attacking play but pointless and with two players facing a two-match ban.

[tab:As it happened]

Ally Reilly at Rugby Park

FT – Kilmarnock 2 – 0 Motherwell. 9 men Motherwell put to the sword by a Killie side who simply took their chances

90mins: 687 ‘Well fans here today,

88mins: Tempers lost as ‘Well go down to 9 men. Both late lunges and both dangerous.

88mins: RED CARD, Lasley sees red.

84mins: RED CARD: Kerr sent off.

80mins: Motherwel sub: Kerr on for Hateley.

79mins: And now Hateley finds himself in the book for a similar incident

76mins: Humphrey booked for stopping a Killie break just inside the Motherwell half.

72mins: Lasley slides the ball past Letheren but is ruled to be in an offside position.

71mins: Motherwell sub: McHugh on for Ramsden.

70mins: GOAL: Gros heads home to make it 2-0 to Killie.

68mins: Motherwell sub, Higginbotham on for Carswell. And a Killie sub, Tesselaar off for Racchi

66mins: Hay spins a tries his luck from 30 yards. Curls the ball well over the bar.

62mins: Corner to Motherwell after Pascali hooks Ojamaa’s cut back away from Higdon who was lingering with intent.

62mins: Killie sub, Perez off for Hay,

57mins: great position for a shot here. Free-kick 25 yards out for ‘Well. Hateley shoots straight at Letheren.

50mins: Corner to Killie……eventually swept clear by Humphrey.

46mins: Second half underway – There was a Killie sub at the interval. Barbour making way for Clingan

HT: Kilmarnock 1 – 0 Motherwell

40mins: Another chance! This time it’s Lasley heading a fraction over!

39mins: Hammell zings and effort goalward not unlike Barbour’s goal. Just needed a touch but Letheren gathers at second attempt

36mins: It’s been a good spell of pressure from Motherwell, only denied by solid and admirable Killie defending at the last minute.

35mins: Woah, and again! This time it’s a tremendous reaction save from Letheren to deny Hutch.

33mins: UNBELIEVABLE! How the ball wasn’t in the net there I’ll never know. Twice Killie bodies were flung in front of ‘Well efforts to deny on line.

28mins: Barbour scuffs his shot just past then ‘Well rush forward and win a corner.

24mins: Sissoko clumsy in his attempt to win the ball from Law. Free-kick from wide……falls to Law but his volley is awkward and is saved

23mins: Hutchinson meets it with his head. Gros clears and danger with his thigh.

22mins: Make that 3 in a row…..

22mins: Good spell of pressure now from ‘Well. Second corner in a row coming up….

20mins: Lasley slides in at the front post to get in the end of law’s pull back. Somehow blazes over from 8 yards!

19mins: Hateley curls in a free-kick which Ramsden is only inches away from connecting with!

19mins: Ojamaa being boo’d after he raced though on goal and looked to be impeded by Pascali. Ref disagreed.

14mins: Humphrey eases past Tesselaar and gets a good ball in across goal. Letheren gathers comfortably though.

12mins: GOAL: Barbour opens the scoring for Killie. His shot from 25 yards got a wicked deflection which took it past the helpless Randolph

11mins: Ramsden given a talking to after a firm challenge on Gros.

8mins: Fowler swings in a great ball which Tesselaar is only inches away from connecting with with his head.

5mins: Ojamaa wins Motherwell’s first corner. Short corner is eventually squared to Law who tries his luck from 20 yards. Blocked by Pascali.

1mins: Bit of an early scare. Barbour drills in a low angled cross which narrowly misses Heffernan.

Formalities complete, it’s time for kick-off. Law and Lasley get us underway #COYW

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“You can’t be too hard on the players today because I thought they were excellent. Our inability to take our chances has cost us, but the way we played I am more than happy.”

“It’s the old cliché – if it had been a boxing match it would have been stopped at half-time. They got a fortuitous goal, a deflection, which can happen, and I just think our luck was out today.

“They had valiant last-gasp clearances and you’ve got to give them credit for getting blocks on the line. After half-time I don’t think we played as well as we did in the first half but I still think we were in control of the game.

“They weren’t causing us any problems whatsoever. And then from a rare breakaway up the park, a good cross, a good header and we were 2-0 down.”

Kilmarnock assistant Jimmy Nicholl:

“We had a great start, going at them, stopping them from playing and then we scored a goal and then we stopped playing.

“We couldn’t get a grip of the game. Fair play to Motherwell, they were passing the ball about and moving and posing us lots of problems.

“It was swathes of attack and we couldn’t get a grip or hold the ball – and we were playing far too deep.

“We told the players at half time they couldn’t keep it up for another 45 minutes, so they were a lot better in the second half – and we got a great second goal.

“Motherwell just lot a wee bit of discipline, so it made it comfortable for us when they went down to nine men.”

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”136]

January recruit Kallum Higginbotham is desperate to sample competitive football again having not featured since November.

The Huddersfield Town front man last played whilst on loan at Carlisle Utd, a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers three months ago.

Now on loan at Fir Park, the 23-year old can’t wait to get involved but admits he might have to bide his time given how well the current starting eleven have performed.

[pullquote]I have to keep working in training. The boys have been playing really well and winning games so it’s hard for me to come along and get in straight away.[/pullquote]

He said: “I need to get back playing football because it’s not worked out how I would have liked it at Huddersfield and this was the perfect opportunity for me to come and play my football.

“I have to keep working in training. The boys have been playing really well and winning games so it’s hard for me to come along and get in straight away.

“I have to bide my time and when my chance comes I’ll take it with both hands.”

-WATCH THE FULL BROADCAST CONFERENCE AT MFC TV-

‘Well boss Stuart McCall admits he can’t wait to get back to matches after a run of just one game in 37 days.

The Steelmen have played just once – a 3-2 victory over St Johnstone in mid January – since meeting Celtic in the New Year.

A combination of postponements, switched matches and free weekends on the back of the SPL winter break has the Fir Parkers desperate for football.

‘Well visit Kilmarnock tomorrow afternoon and Scotland coach McCall is hoping his players can respond.

[pullquote]The boys should be raring to go, since we have been in-active results have been quite kind, now we need to do our own bit.[/pullquote]

“We want to come out of the blocks early and don’t want to see any signs of rustiness,” he told the gathered press and ‘Well’s weekly news conference.

“The boys should be raring to go, since we have been in-active results have been quite kind, now we need to do our own bit.

“First and foremost we have to clinch a place in the top-six and it would be fantastic if we could go on and achieve a European place again.”

-WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE ON MFC TV-

Young midfielder Steven Hetherington has become the latest player to go out on loan, joining Lanarkshire neighbours Airdrie Utd for a month.

He’s the second Steelmen youngster to play for the Diamonds this season, following in the footsteps of winger Josh Watt who was farmed out in October last year.

Hartlepool-born, Hetherington has found regular first-team football difficult to come by and is behind the likes of Keith Lasley, Nicky Law and Stuart Carswell for a start in the middle of the park.

The former Rangers man made his bow in claret and amber as a substitute as ‘Well came from behind to draw with St Johnstone in August 2012 and quickly followed that up with a start against St Mirren, where he marked the occasion with a crunching tackle on Saints’ Dougie Imrie seconds into the game.

He also got his first European start when he formed part of the midfield that took to the field against Levante in the Ciutat de València in the UEFA Europa League.

He has been a regular for Jonatan Johansson’s Under 20s side but has gone on loan to the First Division side to gain valuable first-team experience.

Hetherington is just the latest in a list of players who have been used in short-term deals this season – Nicky Devlin (Dumbarton), Jonathan Page (Hamilton), Josh Watt (Airdrie Utd) and Craig Moore (Cowdenbeath) the others.

The Dundee Utd match postponed in late January will now go ahead on Tuesday 19th February 2013, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Any pre-purchased tickets for the original match will be valid for the new date.

The Under 20s will be hoping for a return to action when they take on Hibs at New Victoria Park, Newtongrange this Tuesday.

The second half of the campaign has been stop-start for Johansson’s men with call-offs interrupting the schedule.

Tuesday’s match with Ross County fell foul of the snow and this week’s game is only likely to go ahead weather permitting.

‘Well are looking to finally move off the second bottom spot whilst Hibs are looking to get themselves into the pack for second spot.

Kick-off at New Victoria Park, home of Newtongrange Park, is 7pm.

Henrik Ojamaa collected his ninth cap as Estonia crashed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Gordon Strachan’s Scotland at Pittodrie.

The 21-year old striker operated in the hole behind the central striker and played for the first 72 minutes before being substituted.

The former Derby County, Alemannia Aachen and Fortuna Sittard front man impressed for the Sinisärgid; neat and tidy for the time he was on and rarely surrendered possession in difficult conditions.

In the end, it was a Charlie Mulgrew goal shortly before the interval that separated the sides.

On the other side of the world, Omar Daley picked up his 67th cap as Jamaica came away from the Azteca Stadium with a credible 0-0 draw against Mexico.

The winger was introduced as a late substitute and played his part in sturdy performance from the Reggae Boyz.

Both will return to Fir Park in time for Saturday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Motherwell Football Club Community Trust’s February Football Camp for boys and girls aged between 5 and 14 starts on Monday.

During the February break, the club will again be holding our own Football Camp aimed at young people at the Fir Park AstroTurf.

The three day course, which starts on Monday 11th February and runs to Wednesday 13th, will provide a fun programme with special appearances from some of Motherwell’s first team players.

For our football enthusiasts, we will have a wide range of football activities from dribbling, passing and shooting through to penalty competitions, and small sided games.

We are passionate about improving the skills of all our players and our experienced SFA Accredited coaches will help young players take themselves to the next level.

Prices are £8 per day or £22 for the full 3 days. For further information on times, a detailed breakdown on what you need to bring with you as well as bookings, visit www.motherwellsoccerschools.com. Alternatively, phone the Motherwell Football Club Community Trust on 01698 239 926.

The Board of Motherwell Football Club is in the process of putting together a general fans forum on league reconstruction.

Chief Executive Leeann Dempster, along with Derek Weir, were invited to attend a ‘Well Society meeting of members last Saturday afternoon.

There were some honest and frank discussions from both the board and members.

Following the presentation most understood and subsequently backed the clubs’ position of continuing to support the restructure of our game.

The board intend to expand that to the general support. A date and time for the meeting, along with a mechanism in which to confirm your attendance, will be announced in due course.

Tickets for the Celtic match on Wednesday 27th February have gone on sale to both home and away fans from the Fir Park Ticket Office.

The club has sent a batch of tickets to Celtic for the Maxim Office Stand behind the south goal and they will distribute in the usual fashion.

Similar to the last match between the sides back in September, Motherwell will also sell ‘Away Family Section’ tickets in the North (Cooper) end of the Phil O’Donnell Stand – priced at £25 for one adult and one juvenile.

Please note that no single Adult, Concession or Juvenile tickets can be purchased for this section; only Family Tickets.

‘Home Family Section’ tickets are also available in both the Davie Cooper and East Stand, again priced at £25.

Tickets are priced at:

• Concessions are listed as Over 60s and Full Time Students with a valid matriculation card.
• Juveniles are listed as Under 16s.
• Family tickets consist of 1x Adult and 1x Juvenile (Away Family Tickets are only available in the Phil O’Donnell Stand ‘Family Section’)
• The cheaper priced ticket is for the East Stand only.
• If you are new to Fir Park, check our handy ‘New Fans’ section that will detail everything you need to know about matchdays.
• Fans who require wheelchair access should contact Sharon or John McCaskie on 01555 870122 or email disabledfans@motherwellfc.co.uk.

PAYMENT OPTIONS: You can either pay cash or, if you prefer, via credit or debit card at the Fir Park Ticket Office – There is no cash at the turnstile. Please note there is a 2.5% surcharge on any credit card purchase. Alternatively, you can pre-purchase your ticket by booking online – just click the link below. *The following credit cards are accepted at the Fir Park Ticket Office: