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Under-20s boss Stephen Craigan looked ahead to his sides Development League opener against Dundee United tomorrow night.

And the Northern Irishman admitted his players will need to maintain their performance levels from last weeks victory in the Irn-Bru Cup.

Speaking to MFC TV, Craigan insisted that his team are hungry to get points on the board early in their league campaign.

[pullquote]It’s important the players maintain their level of performance and maintain their level of fitness and the first league game of the season is always something to look forward to.[/pullquote]

He said: “We’re looking forward to it after last week’s win against Queen’s Park and you get a sense now that the players are wanting to get back to competitive football.

“We’ve got a busy spell coming up with Dundee United tomorrow followed by Aberdeen and then we’re away to Belfast to play Crusaders with St Mirren two or three days later.”

He added: “It’s important the players maintain their level of performance and maintain their level of fitness and the first league game of the season is always something to look forward to and we want to try and get points on the board as soon as we can.”

The Under 20s kick off their league season tomorrow night (Tuesday) when they take on Dundee Utd at Station Park.

The young Steelmen, fresh from their impressive Irn Bru Cup triumph over Queen’s Park at Forthbank, will look to get their league campaign off to a similar sort of start.

Stephen Craigan’s side will be buoyed by their victory last midweek but also in the knowledge they recorded two 3-0 wins over the Arabs last campaign too.

The game kicks off a busy schedule of matches that also includes a fixture against Aberdeen at Forthbank on Tuesday week (29th August) before the Irn Bru Cup Round 2 clash with Crusaders of Northern Ireland.

Upcoming fixtures:

Dundee Utd U20s vs Motherwell U20s
SPFL Development League
Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Station Park, Forfar
Kick off: 6pm

Motherwell U20s vs Aberdeen U20s
SPFL Development League
Tuesday 29th August 2017
Forthbank, Stirling
Kick off: 6pm

Crusaders FC vs Motherwell U20s
Irn Bru Cup R2
Saturday 2nd September 2017
Seaview, Belfast
Kick off: 3pm

Extended highlights from Fir Park as Tait and Moult score in a 2-0 win over Ross County.

Images from this afternoon’s 2-0 win over Ross County in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

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‘Well boss Stephen Robinson admitted that there was an element of “relief” as his side picked up their first three points of the league campaign.

Despite registering six wins in eight games, there was a slight hint of pressure to get points on the board in the Ladbrokes Premiership this afternoon.

And game changing half-time decisions turned a poor performance in to a home victory for the Fir Parkers against tough opponents Ross County.

[pullquote]Sometimes you make changes and they don’t come off but they came off today and I thought the boys who came on were terrific.[/pullquote]

Speaking to MFC TV at full time, the Northern Irishman said: “There’s obviously a bit of a relief and we had a very good second-half performance there.

“Credit to Ross County they outplayed us and they outfought us in the first-half and we had to turn it around to win the game.”

He added: “Sometimes you make changes and they don’t come off but they came off today and I thought the boys who came on were terrific.”

[tab:Match report]

In the first of three consecutive home games, Motherwell claimed their first league win of the season. But it was truly a game of two halves as ‘Well, second best to well drilled County in the first half, raised their game in the second to finish comfortable winners. 

After a disjointed opening 45, Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson rang the changes at the break with the Fir Parkers looking more like themselves in the second period. Richard Tait gave them the lead within nine minutes of the break and when Louis Moult claimed his first league goal of the season from the penalty spot, to ease ‘Well to their first league points.

Without the suspended Trevor Carson, Russell Griffiths started in goal and with Carl McHugh also serving a one match ban, it allowed Alex Fisher to partner Moult in attack with Craig Tanner supporting from the midfield.

Within 90 seconds, Moult almost caught Scott Fox off his line with an effort from 35-yards but the ball drifted past the County ‘keeper’s post.

With four red cards already this season, a harsh early booking for Ben Heneghan made the ‘Well defender wary of collecting a second during the remaining 87 minutes.

It was generally an untidy opening period with both sides guilty of misplaced passes and Griffiths’ first save after 18 minutes was as a result of an error when Cedric Kipre’s acrobatic attempt to clear the ball sent it towards his own goal.

The visitors were the more comfortable on the ball and from a great break down the right Michael Gardyne was set up at the edge of the box but his firm drive was well parried by Griffiths.

There was no fluency to ‘Well’s play and a frustrated Andy Rose was shown a yellow card after pulling back Craig Curran at the edge of the box – but thankfully Alex Schalk fired the resultant free kick high into the Davie Cooper stand.

As County continued to control the play Schalk forced a routine save from Griffiths.

Then five minutes from the break the Steelmen came close to stealing the lead. A swift break down the right found Chris Cadden racing onto Moult’s measured pass but the final ball across the six-yard box just eluded the diving Fisher.

That aside, it was a poor first half from the Fir Parker’s with the only consolation being that County failed to make superiority count in terms of goals.

The ‘Well boss recognised that changes were required at the interval and, as well as bringing on Ryan Bowman and Allan Campbell, he shuffled his defence, switching Kipré to right back with Tait moving to the opposite flank.

That helped inject some urgency into ‘Well’s play and within two minutes Moult had earned himself a free-kick, but from 25 yards he curled his effort over the bar.

As the home side continued to press the visitors they were presented with the opener in the 53^rd minute. Gael Bigirimana’s ball across the box was completely missed by Andrew Davies allowing the unmarked Tait to sweep the ball past Fox from 10-yards and claim his second goal of the season.

That stunned the Highlanders who might have grabbed a quick equaliser when Schalk broke through on goal but Griffiths stood tall forcing the County striker to fire over the bar.

Motherwell needed a second goal to kill of the spirited Staggies and it arrived in the 74^th minute. Moult worked a clever one-two with Bowman at the edge of the box before being impeded by Kenny van der Weg as he homed in on goal. The County defender was shown a red card before Moult sent Fox the wrong way from the spot and make the first win of the season safe.

With the extra man advantage, the Fir Parker’s finished the game in control. And on a couple of occasions some clever play from a sharp looking Moult just failed to set up Bowman for a goal that his presence and appetite in the second half deserved.

[tab:As it happened]

 Alastair Reilly at Fir Park

FT: Motherwell 2 – 0 Ross County

A much improved second half from the Steelmen provides the first three points of the season. COYW!!!!

FULL TIME!!

88′ | 2-0
Bowman bursts away but Fraser gets the tip of his toe on the ball to nick it away from what surely would have been a goal

85′ | 2-0
Pause in play as Bowman and Naismith are treated for headknocks. Looks like both will play on.

82′ | 2-0
Motherwell sub, Bigirimana off for MacLean

77′ | 2-0
Moult with a great first touch with his left foot to set himself up for a shot but it’s too weak to trouble Fox.

75′ | 2-0
MOULT steps up and sends Fox the wrong way from 12 yards. COYW!!!!

GGGOOOAALLLL!!!

74′ | 1-0
RED CARD! Van Der Weg fouls Moult in the box and is sent off!

And a final sub for County, Davies makes way for Kelly.

65′ | 1-0
Ross County sub, McKay on for Schalk

60′ | 1-0
Great burst of pace by Bowman gets him past Fraser but his cut-back to Moult is intercepted!

57′ | 1-0
Glorious chance for County as Schalk gets in behind but blasts his shot well over the bar!!

53′ | 1-0
It’s TAIT who gives the Steelmen the lead! Found himself with plenty of room in the box and cooly slotted past Fox!

GGGOOAAALLL!!!

51′ | 0-0
Ball falls kindly to Bigirimana but he shoots just wide of the post.

50/50 | Today’s Half Time Draw winning tickets are: 173945 for £200; 173158 for £75 & 173987 for £25.

…..Moult curls it well over the bar.

46′ | 0-0
Chance for ‘Well. Free-kick from about 25 yards….

Second half is underway. COYW!!!

Half-time subs for ‘Well, Campbell and Bowman on for Fisher and Tanner

HT: Motherwell 0 – 0 Ross County

5 replies 1 retweet 6 likes

There will be one minute added on.

43′ | 0-0
County have a free-kick wide on their right…..headed clear by Cadden

40′ | 0-0
Decent chance there as ‘Well break through Cadden but his cross is not met by Fisher who goes down, ref not interested.

38′ | 0-0
Schalk has a low shot from range but it fails to really trouble Griffiths.

27′ | 0-0
Rose booked for pulling down Curran about 25 yards from goal.

24′ | 0-0
Good save by Griffiths! Gardyne received it in the box but his low shot is equalled by the stopper.

18′ | 0-0
Acrobatic effort there from routis but it’s a routine stop for Griffiths from his overhead-kick

17′ | 0-0
Tim Chow booked for hauling down Tanner as he broke away.

14′ | 0-0
Early change for County, O’Brien limps off and is replaced by Routis

6′ | 0-0
Curran gets past Heneghan but Dunne is on hand to knock it out for a corner.

4′ | 0-0
Fisher does well on the left and wins a free-kick for the Steelmen. From Tanner’s delivery, County clear.

3′ | 0-0
Yellow already! Heneghan shown the card for a foul on Curran

2′ | 0-0
Half-chance for ‘Well as Moult gets the break of the ball some 30 yards out. Tries the lob but it drifts wide.

Schalk gets the game underway. COYW!!!

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson:

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

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Motherwell host Ross County in the Ladbrokes Premiership tomorrow afternoon as they search for an all-important three points. 

And with just seven competitive games played so far this term, Saturday’s clash marks the second meeting with the Staggies in the 2017/18 campaign already.

Three points separate Jim McIntyre’s men in seventh from the Fir Parkers in eleventh as Stephen Robinson’s men search for their first win of the league campaign.

And the manager admits that, despite positive performances and a solid start to the season of five wins in seven games, the main focus is on the result tomorrow.

“We want to get our league season up and running,” he said. “We started well in the cup and in the two league games that we’ve lost we’ve been very much in the game and had we taken our chances things may have been different.”

He added: “We’ll play a lot worse but win football matches because we’ve had two good performances – but I’d prefer to play poorly and win on Saturday if I’m honest.”

[pullquote]We’ll play a lot worse but win football matches because we’ve had two good performances – but I’d prefer to play poorly and win on Saturday if I’m honest.[/pullquote]

And following the last-16 Betfred Cup victory over Ross County, striker Alex Fisher believes the Steelmen can take confidence from their win in to this weekend’s clash.

He said: “Off the back of our cup win [against Ross County], we showed to ourselves and to the rest of the league what we’re about – going down to ten-men and still going on to win.”

He added: “There’s no easy games in this league so we’ve been working on our game plan all week and hopefully if we manage it right we’ll come away with the important three points.”

Having started the league season in decent form, winning their opening game away to Dundee before being narrowly defeated by Aberdeen last weekend, the Staggies look to have carried in some momentum from the tail end of the 2016/17 season – where they ended the campaign in fine form.

And that dramatic cup-tie will have had knock on effects for the Fir Parkers and Ross County, who come in to the game relatively unscathed compared to Motherwell.

Skipper Carl McHugh will be out through suspension alongside Trevor Carson, while Charles Dunne will be eligible to play following a successful appeal to his red card last weekend.

	Motherwell V Ross County
	Saturday 19th August 2017
	3.00pm
	Fir Park, Motherwell
	Available on the gate or purchase in advance from Ticket Office.

Admission prices are as follows: 

We have a fantastic offer for our supporters to watch Stephen Craigan’s under 20’s when they travel to Northern Ireland to face Crusaders in the second round of the Irn-Bru cup.

Join us on our supporters coach leaving Fir Park at 8am and enjoy a day with other ‘Well fans and lunch on us before you see the stars of the future in action at 3pm.

We’ll be offering our supporters the chance to nominate a ‘Well man of the match and then one lucky fan will get to present the award to the star man.

Also anyone that books onto the trip will also receive discounted hospitality for the game vs Kilmarnock on September 9th.

To sail the seas for the under 20’s call our commercial team on 01698 333 333 or email commercial@motherwellfc.co.uk and book your £70 place now.