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Motherwell U20s are back in action tonight (Tuesday) when they take on Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Stephen Craigan’s men return from their mini winter break with a trip to Ayrshire to face an out of sorts Kilmarnock side who have lost their last four games.

The two sides have met twice this season; a 2-2 draw in the League and a 1-0 win for Motherwell in the Youth Cup, with Ross MacLean’s superbly taken free-kick being the difference that afternoon.

Both sides sit on seventeen points in the table but ‘Well have two games in hand.

The match will take place at the Rugby Park ,Kilmarnock, with kick-off at 6pm.

Motherwell have been drawn to face Stirling Albion or Inverness CT at Fir Park in the Fifth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

The tie is due to be played on Saturday 6th February. Admission information will be confirmed in due course.

FULL 5th ROUND DRAW

Motherwell V Stirling Albion or Inverness CT

East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle V Celtic

Dundee Utd V Partick Thistle

Dunfermline or Ross County v Linlithgow Rose or Forfar

Rangers v Kilmarnock

Annan Athletic v Greenock Morton

Dumbarton v Dundee or Falkirk

Hearts v Hibernian

Reaction to follow..

There are a limited number of tickets left for sale for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Premiership game with Hearts at Tynecastle.

Motherwell fans have been allocated 680 tickets  in a section of the Roseburn Stand, with those tickets being sold on a first come, first served basis from the Fir Park Ticket Office.

The ticket office will be open for business on Thursday night.

Tickets for the match are priced at:

• Concessions are listed as 65 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card
• Hearts will open a Pay at Tynecastle facility on the day of the match depending on pre-sales

Extended highlights from Fir Park as goals from Moult, McDonald,  Johnson and a Pearson double seal a 5-0 win for Motherwell against Cove Rangers.

‘Well boss Mark McGhee heaped praise on his players for their attitude in today’s Scottish Cup win over Cove Rangers.

The Fir Park boss named the same starting eleven that has played in the last four matches, and was rewarded with a throughly professional performance, extending Motherwell’s unbeaten run to six matches.

Louis Moult and Scott McDonald gave the Steelmen an early cushion before Marvin Johnson and Stephen Pearson added a third and fourth before the interval.

Pearson completed the scoring with a fifth during the second half, rounding off a throughout satisfying day, which was only played due to the fantastic effort of the Groundstaff and a group of volunteer supporters, who helped clear Fir Park of several inches of snow from 6am this morning.

‘Well will now take their place in Monday’s last sixteen drawn, and McGhee was delighted with the application shown by his side.

“It was a professional performance; at not point did we take Cove lightly,” the Fir Park boss told MFC TV after the match.

“We gave the opposition total respect in the way we prepared this week and the way the players have trained has been outstanding.

“Going into the match, I was confident that if we took that sort of showing into the game, then we would win and that’s what happened.

“We made a great start with two early goals, and that really settled everyone down.

“I should also credit John Sheran and his Cove side, they stuck at it, kept their shape and worked extremely hard for each other and contributed a lot to the game.

“However, they came up against a team in good form with players at the top of their game, particularly in the forward positions. It was a good Cup tie, and we can be very pleased with ourselves.”

[pullquote]“We gave the opposition total respect in the way we prepared this week and the way the players have trained has been outstanding.[/pullquote]

McGhee also praised the contribution of substitute James McFadden, who made his ‘third’ debut in Claret and Amber to an almighty roar from the home stands.

The 48-times capped Scotland legend contributed with several excellent touches and went close on a couple of occasions.

And McGhee hailed McFadden’s presence around the club, saying: “He has still to get up to speed but he will be able to make a contribution.

“He is an entertainer. You saw the way he teamed up with Scott so there will be another day where we will be able to use him in the same sort of way and he will be effective for us.

“I have said before, he is just brilliant, having him around the place, the influence he has in others like Dom Thomas for instance. It was a pity he didn’t score.”

Action images from today’s 5-0 win over Cove Rangers in the William Hill Scottish Cup at Fir Park.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix, Ian McFadyen and Jeff Holmes.

[svgallery name=”CoveRangers090116″]

[tab:Match report]

 Phil McGhee Fir Park

Motherwell cruised into the last sixteen of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a throughly professionally performance against Cove Rangers.

Any thoughts the Highland League club had of causing a cup upset evaporated with the first five minutes as goals from Louis Moult and Scott McDonald gave ‘Well a dream start.

Further first half goals from Marvin Johnston and Stephen Pearson and another from the midfielder in the second reflected the Fir Parker’s superiority, but the plucky Aberdeenshire men battled hard to deny ‘Well further goals especially in the closing stages.

Mark McGhee paid the Highland side the utmost respect by fielding an unchanged side from ‘Well’s last 4 SPFL Premiership games.

And while the Cove players probably relished the prospect of challenging a full-strength top-flight team the gulf between the sides was apparent from the kick-off as Motherwell took the lead within 90 seconds.

Moult was involved in the build up which led to Liam Grimshaw’s clever pass allowing the over lapping Josh Law to hoist the ball to the back post where Moult finished off the move nodding home his 13th goal of the season.

The ‘Well striker had another chance before his strike partner doubled the home lead. A neat one-two with Pearson at the edge of a congested box before guiding the ball inside the ‘keeper’s right hand post to make it 2-0 and effectively kill the tie before Cove had found their feet.

It took a couple of good saves from Cove ‘keeper Stuart Mckenzie to prevent further damage.

Law was again the provider after twelve minutes and his cut back set up McDonald whose toe-poke from 10 yards was turned over by McKenzie. In a well rehearsed corner Keith Lasley floated the ball to Marvin Johnson and from 18 yards his thumping left foot drive was beaten away by the diving ‘keeper.

To their credit the Aberdeenshire side recovered from their dreadful start and had a couple of efforts on the home goal. After 19 minutes Blair Yule progressed from the middle of the park before firing his shot narrowly wide of the post and a minute later a powerful shot from Stuart Walker warmed Connor Ripley’s palms.

It was only a temporary respite for the visitor’s defence and having had a couple of earlier pots at goal Johnston made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute when he slammed the ball high into the net after Stevie Hammell’s cross was only partially cleared.

As the Highlanders were thinking about their half-time break, ‘Well added a terrific fourth goal. From a Cove corner McDonald sent Grimshaw down the right on the counter and his pass infield was collected by Moult who unselfishly teed-up the on rushing Pearson who slid the ball across the ‘keeper and into the far corner to make it 4-0 at the interval.

Within minutes of the restart it should have been five when Johnston’s pace carried him clear of the visitor’s defence, but with McDonald waiting in front of goal he elected to claim a second for himself, side footing the ball into the side netting.

Having toiled with Johnston’s pace for 52 minutes, the Cove defenders were then required to blunt the the threat of Lionel Ainsworth and James McFadden, who made his third ‘debut’ in claret and Amber at the expense of Moult.

Within a couple of minutes the subs combined, McFadden threading a pass in front of Ainsworth but his angled drive was well blocked by the advancing McKenzie.

In a rare break upfield Cove striker Daryl Nicol had a chance to add to tally of 31 goals for the season but his delicate lob over Ripley sailed over an open goal.

The pattern of the game continued to be around the visitor’s box and after McFadden’s mazy run was blunted at the edge of the six yard box, Ainsworth worked himself for a shot before he unselfishly set up Pearson for a finish similar to his first to make it 5-0.

After 63 minutes Nicol thought he had added to his impressive goal tally as his low shot was sneaking inside the post until Ripley somehow stretched to palm the ball round the post.

The ‘Well fans were still looking for more goals and their favourite Faddy almost capped his comeback after 70 minutes running onto McDonald’s pass but his left foot finish curled the ball into the side netting.

McDonald was denied minutes later when his low drive was pushed for a corner by the diving McKenzie who was doing his best to keep the scoreline respectable as the Fir Parker’s lined up for numerous attempts at his goal.

The ‘Well striker was twice denied again in the final 10 minutes. Firstly McFadden drew the ‘keeper before playing in McDonald who from 10 yards seemed certain to score until Darryn Kelly threw himself across the goal to block the shot. Then McFadden, who appeared to have rediscovered his old swagger, cut in from the right and rolled the ball across the goal face only for the ‘keeper to again block McDonald.

The final chance fell to the visitors, in front of their 300 fans, when Nicol lobbed the ball over Ripley only to watch his header towards the unguarded goal hooked off the line by Hammell to deny the hard working striker and Cove a consolation goal their efforts deserved.

[tab:As it happened]

 Ally Reilly at Fir Park

The Steelmen are safely into the fifth round of the Scottish cup. COYW!!!!!

FT: Motherwell 5 – 0 Cove Rangers

90′ | 5-0
Nicol chips Ripley but Hammell is on hand to sweep clear off the line

82′ | 5-0
Final Cove Rangers sub, Scully off for Watt

79′ | 5-0
Somehow it’s not 6 after McFadden and McDonald have close range efforts blocked by Stuart McKenzie and Stuart Walker

Young ‘Well fans should vote now for their Man of the Match. Tweet us with their name, age, choice & #MatchAttaxMOTM

75′ | 5-0
Cove Rangers sub, Burnett on for Watson

71′ | 5-0
Motherwell sub, Pearson makes way for Thomas

70′ | 5-0
McDonald plays in McFadden on the left of the box who tries to dink it with the outside of the boot but only finds sidenetting

67′ | 5-0
Cove Rangers sub, Park off for Smith

64′ | 5-0
Nicol inches away from pulling a goal back but Ripley gets a fingertip onto his low shot from 15 yards

62′ | 5-0
PEARSON grabs his second, with a fine low shot below McKenzie from Ainsworth’s lay-off.

GOAL!!!!!!!

59′ | 4-0
Nicol goes for a cheeky chip over Ripley but gets the weight wrong and it floats over the bar.

54′ | 4-0
The two subs combine down the right but McKenzie makes the save from Ainsworth’s low shot.

52′ | 4-0
Motherwell subs, McFadden and Ainsworth on for Johnson and Moult

49′ | 4-0
Walker slides in just in time to intercept Johnson’s square ball to McDonald to deny a certain goal!

47′ | 4-0
Glorious chance for Johnson as he broke away from the half-way line but with better opens, slots it into the side-netting.

No changes at the break as Cove get the Second half underway. COYW

HT: Motherwell 4 – 0 Cove Rangers

44′ | 4-0
Quick counter from a Cove corner sets up PEARSON, who slides home from 15 yards to make it 4-0!

GOAL!!!!!

35′ | 3-0
Cove win a corner, which Hammell manages to head clear.

33′ | 3-0
Hammell’s cross is cleared as far as Johnson who fires in off the bar!

GOAL!!

24′ | 2-0
Johnson fizzes a shot into the side-netting from the corner of the box. Bit ambitious but good effort.

20′ | 2-0
Walker tries the same, but his powerful effort is only parried by Ripley to Nicol, who was flagged offside,

19′ | 2-0
Yule bursts forward and from 25 yards gets a powerful low away which has Ripley scrambling. Thankfully goes just wide.

14′ | 2-0
From corner, the ball is drilled to the edge of the box to Johnson who gets a fierce shot away but McKenzie is equal to it!

13′ | 2-0
Very nearly 3 as McDonald and Law combine down the right but McKenzie gets a good hand on it to push it over

6′ | 2-0
McDONALD makes it 2-0, with a lovely left footed finish from Pearson’s one-two

GOAL!!!

1′ | 1-0
MOULT nods Motherwell into the lead from Law’s back post cross. Great start!

GOAL!

‘Well get the game underway!

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:

Cove Rangers manager John Sheran:

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”257″]

Josh Law has spoke of the dressing room determination to have a run in this season’s William Hill Scottish Cup.

The Fir Parkers haven’t managed past the fourth round for four years, knocked out by Aberdeen, Albion Rovers and Dundee Utd at the first hurdle during the last three seasons.

However, in what will be the 25th anniversary season of Motherwell’s now famous 4-3 win over Dundee Utd in 1991, the right-back says the players are desperate to progress and will take the challenge and threat of Cove extremely seriously.

Speaking to the gathered media, he said: “We’ll be making sure we’re right at it on Saturday to get a good result and obviously get to the next round of the cup,” he added.

“Cove will have players that can hurt you, like any team.

“We have heard that they’re a good side and anyone left in the cup at this stage is obviously doing something right.

“We’ve got to approach it with massive respect for them and obviously the focus from ourselves is to get the game won.

“The experienced boys have been saying that they came unstuck against Albion Rovers a couple of years ago. It just shows that if you’re not at it on the day and not on your mettle, you can come unstuck against any side.”

[pullquote]We’ll be making sure we’re right at it on Saturday to get a good result and obviously get to the next round of the cup.[/pullquote]

Law also hailed the work being done by boss Mark McGhee, who yesterday collected the Ladbrokes Premiership Manager of the Month award.

‘Well are now five unbeaten, with wins over Celtic, St Johnstone and Dundee and draws with Hearts and Hamilton Accies.

And Law was full of praise for his contribution, “When a new manager comes in I think unconsciously the players maybe, in training and games, give that 10 or 20 per cent more.

“You are obviously trying to impress your new manager, you’re trying to get your place in the team and you’re trying to stay there.

“So I think, maybe a combination of that and the manager bringing his own methods and training style have helped us.

“The squad take massive pride from the manager getting this award. He has done really well and we’ve helped him along the way which is good.

“The award is a nice way to mark the upturn in form since the manager’s come in.”

Tickets for Saturday’s match are available on the gate priced at £12 for adults and £5 for concessions. Season Tickets are not valid for the match.