Latest News

Extended highlights from Caledonian Stadium as Steven Higgins scores a late winner to beat Caley Thistle 3-2.

-WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

Under 20s boss Jonatan Johansson was full of praise for his side as they made it eight games unbeaten in the SPFL U20s league.

The Steelmen twice had to come from behind to eventually edge out the experienced league-leaders 3-2 on their own patch.

Goals from Craig Moore, Jack Leitch and Steven Higgins have propelled the youngsters to within two points of the Highlanders in the league table.

The Finn highlighted his side’s character and quality of football as they inflicted Inverness’ first defeat in almost two months.

Speaking to MFC TV, Johansson said: “I thought we played really well today and created the most chance we’ve ever created in a game.

[pullquote]We played really well today and created the most chance we’ve ever created in a game.[/pullquote]

“The three goals we scored were great, and the other chances we had came from really good football so I’m really pleased.

“We started poorly; we struggled to have an build up play and they could have been two up. However after that we played really well and not one player on the pitch had a bad game, which was really pleasing.

“Their second was a sloppy goal to lose after we had a free-kick in a good position and they hit us on the counter.

“I wasn’t angry, I was more upset for them to go in 2-1 down after such a good second half performance.

“Thankfully after Moore’s fantastic strike, Leitch scored what was a great team goal and Higgins has smashed it into the net to win the game.”

-WATCH HIS INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

Motherwell U20s twice came from behind to beat top-of-the-table Inverness at the Caledonian Stadium this afternoon.

Played in varying conditions throughout the afternoon, the Steelmen were excellent against their vastly more experienced opponents, extending their unbeaten run to eight matches.

The Highlanders opened the scoring inside two minutes but Craig Moore smashed home a leveler twenty minutes later.

‘Well were very much on top before the home side went ahead again, only for Jack Leitch to level shortly after.

Then, with almost the last kick of the match, Steven Higgins smashed home the winner to ensure the three points were heading back down the A9 to North Lanarkshire.

Jonatan Johansson made just one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Dundee United seven days ago; Steven Higgins replacing Bob McHugh in attack.

The wind and rain battered the Caledonian Stadium at kick-off but it did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the hosts, who made much the better start.

They fired a warning shot across the bow after just thirty seconds with a ball across the face of goal before taking the lead a minute later.

A ball from the right flank found Curtis Allen whose header cannoned off the back of Morgyn Neill. It spun fortuitously out to the supporting Ryan Christie who finished it neatly into the far corner with his first touch.

Caley had further chances to extend their lead; Shane Sutherland shot low straight at Stewart, Liam Polworth went on a mazy run before firing just wide before Sutherland again tried his luck with a low effort that trundled narrowly wide of the post.

It was a wretched start for the young Fir Parkers who, after thirteen minutes, would have be pleased to be just one down.

However, an improvement in the weather coincided with an improvement in Motherwell’s performance. Moore was the first to have a go for the Claret and Amber men, shooting over after good pressure from the visitors.

Leitch’s unorthodox set piece gave Draper in the home goal something to think about before Higgins dragged an effort wide of the post.

The pressure finally told when Craig Moore netted his twelfth of the campaign. David Raven’s short free kick allowed Higgins to pressure Danny Devine. He won the ball for Moore who wasted no time, smashing it high past Draper from twenty-five yards into the top right hand corner.

That goal gave the away side confidence and they almost went ahead on the half hour after a super move down the left flank. A lovely one-two between Thomas and Higgins set up the chance for Moore on the six-yard line but he blazed over.

Six minutes later, Moore again came close. Leitch, McCafferty and Moore all combined down the right this time. The striker’s deflected shot came back off the bar only for the rebound to be turned wide of the post by Thomas.

Just before the interval, Higgins came close to getting on the score sheet. A loose Caley ball in midfield presented Thomas the opportunity to run at the home defence. He slid a nice through ball for the young striker but his first-time shot blazed wide of the post.

Motherwell started the second period much the same way the first ended. McCafferty stung the palms of Draper with a curler from the edge of the box.

‘Well continued to attack and shots from both Leitch and Thomas had to be deflected wide by the charging Thistle defence.

The weather again took a turn for the worse; a freezing gale blew across the pitch making football difficult for both teams. However, it was Caley who adapted better and scored with virtually their first attack of the second half very much against the run of play.

A long ball from the back was controlled well by Allen on the halfway line. He carried it forward before slotting in Christie who smashed home from twenty yards. It was such a cruel blow on the away side who had been well on top since the interval.

They didn’t have to despair for too long though as Jack Leitch soon leveled. The skipper started the move, nutmegging Devine on the halfway, before spreading it left to Moore. He in turn fed Thomas, who cut it back to the edge of the area where Leitch had kept his run going to slot it coolly beyond Draper with his right foot.

Higgins should have made it 3-2 when a spinning ball dropped to him inside the box but he flashed it high and wide. So it was to his immense credit that when presented with his third chance minutes later, he smashed home the winning goal.

The Bellshill-born striker, who only turned 17 in the summer, did well to control a rebounded shot, twisted inside Jason Brown before curling a shot high past Draper and into the top corner.

Incredibly, Inverness passed up two chances to level in stoppage time. Sutherland flashed a header just wide before Allen sent a backpost header into the ground and wide when he perhaps should have made Stewart work.

It would prove to be the last chance in this topsy-turvy encounter as the referee soon blew the full-time whistle. The win, Motherwell’s seventh in eight fixtures, pushes Johansson’s men to within two points of Inverness at the summit, with a huge match against title contenders Celtic next week.

Motherwell: Stewart, Cadden, Ferguson, Murray, Neill, Leitch, McCafferty, Shirkie, Moore, Thomas, Higgins

Subs: Currie, Kellock, Anderson, Mackin

Motherwell club sponsor Cash Converters is delighted to announce that the October Player of the Month is Stephen McManus.

Lucky Motherwell fan Scott Smith won the Cash Converters Player of the Month competition and his two sons, Ryan and Gary, presented Stephen with the award before Saturday’s game against Dundee United.

After congratulating their hero in person, Scott and his sons received a Motherwell pennant as a souvenir of their experience.

Look out for the next vote at the end of November to be in with a chance of presenting the award to the winner. Simply visit our Cash Converters SPL Facebook page by CLICKING HERE.

The Cash Converters Football Facebook page will also give you the opportunity to enter the draw to take part in the next Convert for Cash, and the chance to win a whole host of other prizes.

Extended highlights from Fir Park as a depleted Motherwell side crash 4-0 to an impressive Dundee United.

-WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

Pictures from the 4-0 defeat to Dundee Utd in the SPFL Premiership at Fir Park.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix.

[svgallery name=”dundeeutd091113″]

Stuart McCall conceded his side were beaten by the much better team on the day as ‘Well crashed to a disappointing 4-0 defeat.

Motherwell, who were without three of the recognised back four through injury and suspension, were soundly beaten by an impressive Arabs side.

Whilst praising the opposition, McCall was keen to put a line through the day and is already focused on the next match against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in two weeks time.

[pullquote]Days like this can happen. We’ll lick our wounds; we’ll take it on the chin. Obviously, you don’t want to get beat at home and you don’t want to get beat by that scoreline.[/pullquote]

McCall told MFC TV: “I’ve had almost three years in the job here and that’s far and away the best away performance that has been here.

“Days like this can happen. We’ll lick our wounds; we’ll take it on the chin. Obviously, you don’t want to get beat at home and you don’t want to get beat by that scoreline.

“We wanted to be better. You’ve got to just hold your hands up, take your hats off and say we were beaten by an outstanding young side, who were playing at the top of their game.

“We’ll put a line through it, you can’t look too deeply into that. They’ve got a really good, talented squad we’ve got to regroup. It’s a sore one but we’ll certainly be in better fettle when we go to Kilmarnock.”

-WATCH HIS INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV–

[tab:Match report]

Phil McGhee at Fir Park

A depleted Motherwell slumped to their heaviest defeat of the season as Dundee United scored four at Fir Park.

Stuart McCall commended the Tannadice side by saying it was the best away performance he had seen from any team at Fir Park in his time as manager – it was a punishing afternoon for the Motherwell players and fans.

Although it would be easy to use the absence of the ever present defensive trio of Simon Ramsden, Stevie Hammell and Shaun Hutchison missing through injuries and suspension, undoubtedly United took to the field with Motherwell’s untried back four in mind.

And it was a testing afternoon for them. Although after a couple of early threat from the visitors, ‘Well fans were given some hope when inviting crosses from Iain Vigurs and Lionel Ainsworth just eluded John Sutton in front of goal.

But it all started going wrong after fourteen minutes when Adam Cummins, short of first team match practice, thumped into the back of Ryan Gauld. And while the United youngster looked dazed, he was still alert enough to volley Gunnar Nielsen’s punched clearance home from the edge of the box.

Two minutes later United were two up after Zaine Francis-Angol, covering at left back, lost possession allowing Gauld to cross and Paul Paton to head home from inside a packed penalty box.

The Fir Park goal had a few narrow escapes before half-time but John Sutton almost pulled one back when his angled drive was touched beyond his post by Radoslaw Cierzniak.

Encouraged by the introduction of James McFadden at half time, there was some faint hope that Motherwell might get back into the game but, in truth, the second half was a case of solid defending by Stephen McManus and some outstanding saves from Nielsen to keep the score respectable.

Gauld grabbed his second and United’s third while Stuart Carswell was off and Euan Murray waited to take his place. But the Tannadice side were not content and Nielsen produced great stops to deny Graham and then Goodwillie making the scoreline even worse.

Substitute Craig Moore came close to giving ‘Well fans some consolation with a dipping volley which wasn’t far off the target.

But it was Andy Robertson who rounded off the scoring in injury time, lashing the ball high past a helpless Nielsen to end a terrific afternoon for the fans from Dundee but a miserable one for the home fans.

As a disappointed McCall pointed out the ‘Well players now have two weeks to lick their wounds and prepare for the visit to Kilmarnock.

[tab:As it happened]

Ally Reilly at Fir Park

FT: Motherwell 0 – 4 Dundee Utd

90mins: GOAL! Robertson makes it a miserable day for ‘Well with goal number four.

90mins: Three minutes left to play here at Fir Park. It is sadly going to be our first home league defeat in three months 🙁

87mins: Great save from Nielsen to deny Goodwillie low to his right!

86mins: ‘Well counter and Moore see’s his volley drift wide of the right hand post

85mins: Graham has a tame effort straight at Nielsen from distance

82mins: Moore gets on the end of Ainsworth’s cross but heads wide.

79mins: Dundee Utd sub, Ciftci off for Gomis

71mins: Dundee Utd sub: Armstrong off for Goodwillie

66mins: Utd sub as well, Graham on for Gauld

66mins: Motherwell sub: Anier off for Moore

64mins: Euan Murray makes his senior debut, introduced for the injured Stuart Carswell.

63mins: GOAL! Gauld makes it 3-0

58mins: MacKay-Steven hits the bar with a cross from the right. No sign of any sort of revival from ‘Well

56mins: Great save from Nielsen to tip the ball onto the bar from Gauld’s effort which looped up off Kerr

49mins: Ball falls nicely to Lasley about 25 yards out. He takes it on the volley but it’s just past

46mins: Utd win a corner which falls to Paton. He shoots just wide of the post

46mins: Second half underway

HT: Half-time sub for ‘Well, McFadden on for Cummins

HT: Motherwell 0 – 2 Dundee Utd

45mins: Ciftci fires just past with a good effort from 28 yards

36mins: Sutton flashes a shot across the face of goal. Unlucky.

33mins: Robertson has the ball in the net but thankfully the linesman’s flag is up!!

25mins: ‘Well searching for a way back into this. Vigurs slides in Sutton who gets tackled as he’s about to pull the trigger. Corner ‘Well

21mins: Utd running us ragged at the moment. Ciftci drags his shot just wide from 12 yards on the angle

18mins: GOAL! Utd go 2 up after Paton heads home from 10 yards

15mins: GOAL! From the free kick Nielsen punches clear but Gauld was on hand to stick it in the net

14mins: Cummins booked for barging into Gauld

12mins: Corner to ‘Well….McManus heads just over!

10mins: Armstrong has a left footed effort from 25 yards which Cummins took the sting out of. Nielsen prevents the corner

6mins: Vigurs beats Wison to the ball and whips it across goal for Sutton. The Englishman was just inches away from making contact

4mins: Decent chance for Utd as Ciftci gets in the box. His cut back is gathered by Nielsen though

1min: Carswell and Lasley kick the game off #COYW

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“I’ve had almost three years in the job here and that’s far and away the best away performance that has been here.

“Days like this can happen. We’ll lick our wounds; we’ll take it on the chin. Obviously, you don’t want to get beat at home and you don’t want to get beat by that scoreline.

“We wanted to be better. You’ve got to just hold your hands up, take your hats off and say we were beaten by an outstanding young side, who were playing at the top of their game.

“We’ll put a line through it, you can’t look too deeply into that. They’ve got a really good, talented squad we’ve got to regroup. It’s a sore one but we’ll certainly be in better fettle when we go to Kilmarnock.”

Dundee Utd manager Jackie McNamara:

“I thought we were excellent from start to finish. We looked a real threat with the chances we were creating.

“They have ability and they have a lot to offer. Andrew Robertson, I thought was terrific. He got his just rewards at the end with a fantastic finish.

“If anything I was a wee bit disappointed just going in at 2-0 at half-time. This is always a hard place to come to. Motherwell had won five out the last six games at home.

“We had to be on our game and today we were.”

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”167″]