Motherwell returned to Development League action with a 2-1 win over Aberdeen, after nearly two months without a game.
Snow and ice led to countless postponements for Stephen Craigan’s youngsters over December and January, and following an early morning pitch inspection, the clash at Glebe Park was given the go ahead.
First team midfielder Ross MacLean was included in the starting line-up, with forwards Alfie Agyeman, Jamie Semple and James Scott all included from the start. Shea Gordon, returning from a long injury lay-off, made the bench.
Agyeman and Semple, working tirelessly up front, nearly combined to give the Steelmen a perfect start in Brechin. The former closed down Dons stopper Archie Mair, who sliced the ball straight to Semple, whose attempted finish landed narrowly over the crossbar.
In a rather quiet first half, Craigan’s side nearly took the lead in style just before the break. Barry Maguire linked up Davie Turnbull in the middle of the park, who slid in James Scott with a reverse pass on the left side of the box, but his shot was dragged wide of the mark.
But it didn’t take long in the second half for the travelling Steelmen to take the lead. After winning the ball in the middle of the park, ‘Well broke down the left flank. Scott, racing back on to the park following an injury, burst through and slotted beyond the keeper.
Just four minutes later, Aberdeen were level. Jordan Armstrong’s foul on the edge of the area led to a free kick in a decent position. A low, driven effort was palmed in to the path of Sam Roscoe, who finished high past PJ Morrison to equalise.
Craigan didn’t hesitate to change things up, introducing Gordon in place of Semple with just under 25 minutes remaining.
And it was the Northern Ireland under-21 international who nearly provided the leveller with a terrific cross from a clever free kick.
Turnbull slipped a neat reverse ball around the Dons wall for Gordon to stand up to the back post. Hastie turned a header goal ward but it crashed off the crossbar.
Play stayed alive though and MacLean’s cross back in to the box was headed beyond Mair by Gordon late on to grab all three points for the Steelmen.