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‘Well boss Stuart McCall has urged his side to finish the season in style and sign off the last match at Fir Park with a win.

The Steelmen take on Derek Adams’ Ross County side still needing a single point to tie up second spot in the Scottish Premier League.

The match is also likely to be the last at Fir Park for a few ‘Well players who will likely depart at the end of the current campaign when their contract expires.

And paying tribute to his players, former Bradford boss McCall has challenged his squad to go out with a bang and wrap up what has been a superb 2012/13.

[pullquote]We all want to win the game and for both sides it is a big game.[/pullquote]

Speaking at Motherwell’s weekly news conference, he said: “I’ve been very fortunate to be in charge of a team like this as they’re a great bunch.

“I inherited a lot of them but also brought in some of my own to strengthen and I think they deserve to go out on a high.

“We all want to win the game and for both sides it is a big game. Our home form up to playing them (Ross County) in December was lost three and drawn two, however after winning that match we’ve never looked back.

“We’ve scored goals, played well and won games. Last season I was slightly disappointed when we lost the last game of the season to Dundee United even though we had already qualified for The Champions League, so certainly we’ll be looking to win the game and end the season on a positive note at home.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON MFC TV- 

Cash Converters have confirmed that the overall winner for the season was ‘Well fan Markus Schieren.

Throughout the season, the Convert for Cash Race has pitted a home fan against an away fan during half time at a home game each month.

Faced by two giant inflatable footballs, fans had to dribble the balls with their hands around a designed slalom course and cross the goal-line to take home £150.

Markus will receive £1,000 from Cash Converters.

Markus was absolutely delighted and had this to say: “I just wanted to say thank you to you all at Cash Converters and a special thanks to the event team.

I hope you will do something similar again next year. By the way, that’s season tickets for me and my girlfriend next season sorted!”

We would invite all Motherwell fans to get along to Fir Park this Sunday for the last home match of the 2012/13 season.

It has been yet another fantastic campaign; Stuart McCall and his side have performed incredibly well and currently sit second place in the Scottish Premier League table behind Celtic.

The club have worked with North Lanarkshire Council and other local bodies to hand out over 5,000 tickets to local schools, community groups and clubs, boys brigade, scouts, local community teams and many more.

The Maxim Park Stand will hopefully be full to capacity this Sunday* and we want you to join us.

‘Well boss Stuart McCall said: “The lads deserve a big crowd for all their efforts this campaign.

“For some of the lads, this may well be their last appearance at Fir Park and I know they will be looking forward to thanking the fans for their terrific support throughout the season.

“It’s a big match for us too. We desperately want to confirm that second spot and try and eclipse last year’s record points total in the SPL.

“I would encourage everyone to get along and hopefully it will be an afternoon to remember.”

Kick-off is 4.05pm on Sunday 12th May 2013 – standard ticket prices apply.

*Please note you will not be able to purchase tickets for the South Stand either prior or on the day of the match.

Highlights from the Excelsior Stadium as a late Dale Shirkie goal gave Motherwell all three points against Ross County.

-WATCH THE FULL HIGHLIGHTS ONLY ON MFC TV-

Under 20s boss Jonatan Johansson praised his players after the U20s 1-0 win over Ross County.

The youngsters have taken fourteen points from the last six matches, the best run of the campaign. Putting it in context, it took eighteen league matches to achieve that total in the first part of the campaign.

They signed off the league campaign with a 1-0 win over the Staggies thanks to a last-minute Dale Shirkie.

And the former Finnish International paid tribute to the way his team have really picked up in the closing stages of the campaign.

[pullquote]This season we’ve learned a lot together and are a better team now. All credit to the players for their attitude and work everyday in training.[/pullquote]

He said: “It was an excellent day and everyone played above their level. It was a real team effort and to get the winner so late on made it perfect.

“We played some excellent football and created four or five really good chances to score. They started coming into the game and made it end to end.

“Dale [Shirkie] came on near the end and showed a great attitude after being disappointed not to start and ended up scoring the winner.

“This season we’ve learned a lot together and are a better team now. All credit to the players for their attitude and work everyday in training.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON MFC TV-

A last-minute winner from substitute Dale Shirkie gave ‘Well all three points against Ross County in the final U20s match of the season.

The Steelmen had created numerous chances throughout the ninety minutes, including having the ball in the net on three separate occasions only to be thwarted by the assistant’s flag.

And just when it seemed Jonatan Johansson’s men would have to settle for a share of the spoils, Shirkie got on the end of a lovely Lee Erwin pass before slotting under Sean McCarthy.

It means the youths finish the season six games unbeaten, taking fourteen points from the last eighteen available.

Johansson made four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Falkirk on Tuesday night. Stewart, Saunders, McNulty and Shirkie dropped out, replaced by Hollis, Ferguson, Cadden and Higgins.

Motherwell thought they had made the best possible start when Steven Higgins put the ball past McCarthy in the visitors goal. Chris Cadden and Dom Thomas combined to set-up the Scotland youth forward but the assistant’s flag was up and it wouldn’t count.

‘Well continued to create and a couple of Morgyn Neill headers, a scuffed Higgins shot and a bullet Euan Murray header all didn’t provide the opening goal.

It took County until the 13^th minute to really make Lee Hollis work, a stinging Ryan Ross effort from just outside the box forcing the ‘Well stopper tip over.

That strike did little to alter the flow of the match, which was predominately towards the Highlanders’ goal.

Thomas forced McCarthy into two decent saves, the first was a shot from just outside the box after a long Hollis kick-out, the other created by a barnstorming run from young Cadden, was turned round at the expense of a corner.

The half continued in the same manner. Lee Erwin forced McCarthy into a decent block at his near post after a neat one-two with McCafferty. Then, shortly after, a Jack Leitch free kick from the touchline fell kindly for Higgins inside the box but he could only fire over from close range.

As the game got closer to the interval, Motherwell chances continued to come and go. Erwin fired over after a tantalising McCafferty cross from the left. The little winger then had a pop of his own shortly after, his strike from the left side of the penalty spot forced McCarthy into a smart, one-handed save. The rebound fell for Cadden inside the area but his shot hit the side netting.

After being out of things for the majority of the half, the Staggies could and perhaps should have got their noses in front just before the half-time interval. Ross McKillop headed a corner inches wide of the post before skipper Steven Ross sent a fizzing strike just off target.

Seconds before the whistle, County had a penalty claim turned down when Gary Glen fired a stinging shot into a ruck of players. Whilst the ball may well have hit an arm, it would have been difficult for any of them to get out the way of the ball given how close they were to the former Hearts man.

The second half started in the same vein as the majority of the first, with Motherwell creating chances.

Frazer Johnstone sent a beauty of a half volley just wide of target sixty seconds in. A minute later, Jack Leitch had the ball in the net again but yet another goal was ruled out, the referee having blown for a foul by Cadden on Hutchinson in the build-up.

Johansson’s side continued to push and a County survived a couple of fizzing balls across the face of goal.

Both teams made a number of substitutions that certainly slowed down the tempo of the match. indeed, it was ten minutes to go before either side were to create again.

Ryan Ross brought out a good save from Hollis low to his left hand side. Down the other end, Erwin forced McCarthy into another decent block with a strike from twenty yards.

With two minutes left to play, Motherwell thought they had grabbed the winner but for third time in the match, the officials would rule it out; Lee Erwin the unlucky players this time.

However, substitute Dale Shirkie would have the final say. Lee Erwin slid him clear of the last defender and the youngster showed terrific composure to blast it through the legs of McCarthy for all three points.

Motherwell: Hollis, Ferguson, Neill, Murray, Johnstone (McCall – 75mins), Cadden, McCafferty, Erwin, Higgins (Anderson – 66mins), Leitch, Thomas (Shirkie – 75mins)

Subs Not Used: Stewart

Referee for Sunday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Ross County at Fir Park will be Craig Thomson.

40-year old Thomson will be handling his third Motherwell game of the current season.

His first was the 4-1 demolition of Aberdeen back in December when goals from Tom Hateley, Michael Higdon and a Jamie Murphy swept Craig Brown’s side away.

His other was the 2-1 win at Tynecastle when two early goals from Michael Higdon and a Dylan McGowan own-goal was enough to see off the Jambos.

Craig will be a familiar face to Fir Park fans having been a top-flight official for a decade.

His record in charge of the Steelmen is a bit of a mix bag with eleven wins from 35 matches. There have been sixteen defeats and eight draws too.

Not included in that list was the 2007/08 Scottish Cup fourth round replay win against Hearts at Fir Park, when he replaced the injured Stuart Dougal midway through the second-half.

In those games, Motherwell have scored 47 and conceded 49.

125 players have gone into the book, 62 were wearing claret and amber, while five players, including former and current captains Stephen Craigan and Keith Lasley, have been dismissed.

Thomson will be ably assisted by Derek Rose and Graham Alan Mulvanny with Greg Aitken on fourth official duties. Referee Observer is George Clyde and SPL Delegate is John Connelly.

Highlights from the Falkirk Stadium as Lee Erwin’s second-half strike earned Motherwell U20s a 1-1 draw with Falkirk.

-WATCH THE FULL HIGHLIGHTS ONLY ON MFC TV-