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Motherwell rounded off their outstanding SWPL 2 campaign with a 5-1 victory over St Johnstone at Braidhurst.

The women of steel scored an incredible 90 goals in 21 league matches during a superb season and the champions finished 21 points ahead of nearest rivals Kilmarnock.

Donald Jennow’s side can now look forward to the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup final against Hibs, after a convincing win in which the three points were rarely in doubt.

The hosts were forced into an early change when Kerry Montgomery hobbled off to be replaced by Lesley Condie and the substitute almost opened the scoring on 10 minutes when she headed wide Katey Turner’s cross.

The hosts would break the deadlock six minutes later, courtesy of an unlikely source.

Ashley Nicolson has been a rock at the heart of the Motherwell defence throughout the season, but she had failed to add her name to the scoresheet until she reacted quickest to pounce on Kirsty McLaughlin’s delivery and smashed the ball high beyond Rebecca Cameron.

After taking the lead, Jennow’s side were clearly buoyed and what would follow in the next four minutes effectively ended the match as a contest.

Turner, who was causing all sorts of problems for the Saints defence, sent across a tantalising delivery and Amy Henderson’s sliced clearance found the corner of her own net.

On 20 minutes it was 3-0. Hayley Cunningham’s corner with perfect and Suzanne Mulvey leapt to head the ball home.

Motherwell looked determined not to let their levels drop and Sammy Hare passed up two opportunities, before adding her name to the scoresheet with three minutes remaining in the first half.

Turner took on her marker, before cutting the ball across the face of goal and Hare made no mistake from close range.

To their credit, St Johnstone didn’t let their heads drop and they got a goal back early in the second half when Rhianna Tweedie’s shot looped over the head of Kendall Welsh and found the net.

A series of substitutions for both sides broke up the rhythm of the second half, but it was Motherwell who continued to enjoy the better of the chances.

The final goal of the game came when two substitutes combined. Caitlin Russell’s cross slipped through the grasp of the Saints keeper and Susan Fairlie was left with the simple task of tapping the ball into the net from a yard out.

Emma Black almost got in on the scoring act with a deft chip, but she would see her effort land on the top of the goal in what would prove to be the last incident of note in the match.

The women of steel will now bid to clinch a double in next Sunday’s Scottish Cup final at Firhill.

Motherwell will end their record breaking SWPL 2 campaign on Sunday, when they host St Johnstone at Braidhurst Academy.

The women of steel defeated Glasgow Girls last weekend to move on to 53 points for the season and surpass Forfar Farmington’s previous league record of 52.

With the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup final against Hibernian firmly on the horizon, Donald Jennow will be looking for a big performance from his side and may also use the occasion to hand game time to some of his fringe players pushing for a place on the big day.

Kick off at Braidhurst Academy in Motherwell is at 2pm. Entry to watch the game is free.

The Visitors

St Johnstone will visit Braidhurst hoping for a change in fortunes, having lost their three previous meetings with ‘Well.

While they have failed to get the better of Motherwell so far this season, Jason McCrindle’s side have represented a stern test on each occasion, especially in the previous two clashes in which a single goal has separated the teams.

Saints currently sit fourth in the table and behind Hearts only on goal difference. Should they avoid defeat against the champions, they will surpass their points total of 31 from last season.

Form Guide

Motherwell last five:

• W – Glasgow Girls 3-2
• W – Spartans 3-1
• D – Hearts 1-1
• W – Aberdeen 4-0
• W – St Johnstone 1-0

St Johnstone last five:

• D – Kilmarnock 2-2
• L – EUHV – 2-0
• W – Glasgow Girls 3-0
• L – Motherwell 1-0
• L – Hearts 0-2

Last Meeting

St Johnstone 0-1 Motherwell, SSE Scottish Women’s Cup, 16 September 2018

Motherwell booked their place in the semi-final of the SSE Women’s Scottish Cup with a hard fought 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Megan Burns bravely headed home the only goal after 10 minutes and despite finding themselves on the back foot for much of the second half, the ‘Well defence held firm to book their place in the last four.

What They Said

Katey Turner believes the meeting with St Johnstone will provide perfect preparation ahead of the Scottish Cup final clash with Hibs and insists it’s important that performance levels don’t drop.

“It’s absolutely vital that we go out and get the three points at the weekend,” the new signing said. “A good performance will stand us in good stead to go on and compete in the final, we’ve got to be ready to raise our levels, so we can go out and compete at the highest level.”

‘Well head coach Donald Jennow has paid tribute to his players following an excellent league campaign and called for an improved performance after a below-par display against Glasgow Girls.

“I’m delighted to be talking about this game as the second last of our season,” he said. “The players have grown as individuals and as a group and deservedly close out the season as league champions.

“Since I took over there have been some good performances and some that fell below our standards, last week was one of the latter but given the mentality of the players we have I fully expect them to react positively against St Johnstone.

“St Johnstone have given us some of our toughest games this season and so if we want to finish our league campaign off properly we will need to perform well.”

Follow the action

If you can’t make it along to Braidhurst, you can follow @MotherwellLFC on Twitter for team news, live updates, goal highlights and action shots from the match.

Chris Humphrey made a visit to Fir Park on Friday to reflect on his career with the Steelmen.

The winger announced his retirement in October through injury, before returning to the game with Lowland League side East Kilbride.

Katey Turner believes the warm welcome from her new Motherwell team mates has allowed her to make an instant impact with the women of steel.

The former Hibs attacker came off the bench to set up the decisive goal in the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup win over Spartans, before marking her league debut with a goal and two assists as ‘Well defeated Glasgow Girls 3-2.

Turner is now hoping to continue her excellent start when St Johnstone visit Braidhurst on Sunday for their final SWPL2 fixture of the season and has stressed the importance of the game in building her match sharpness.

“It’s been a really good first few weeks here,” she said. “The girls have been very welcoming and that’s made the transition easy.

“I hadn’t been in a team environment for a few months, but they’ve made me feel very comfortable.

“You can be as fit as you possibly can be, but match sharpness is a totally different ball game.

“I played the 90 minutes against Glasgow Girls and hopefully I can get more game time against St Johnstone.

“These games are going to be absolutely vital for me in building up my match fitness.

“My aim coming in was to make a positive impact, I’ve put as much effort in as possible and I think that’s paid off.”

Motherwell will have the opportunity to conclude what has been a fantastic league campaign in style when they host Saints on Sunday.

Donald Jennow’s side have an 18-point lead over nearest rivals Kilmarnock and have set a record SWPL 2 points total with one game to spare.

It’s an encounter that Turner believes will provide perfect preparation ahead of their Scottish Cup final clash with Hibs and insists it’s important that performance levels don’t drop.

“It’s absolutely vital that we go out and get the three points at the weekend,” the 20-year-old added.

“A good performance will stand us in good stead to go on and compete in the final, we’ve got to be ready to raise our levels, so we can go out and compete at the highest level.”

Having had three different spells with Hibs, Turner is well versed on the qualities the Edinburgh side possess.

She admits coming up against her former team mates is a challenge that excites her and an occasion where she is keen to show demonstrate her qualities.

“It’ll be a strange one, they were my last club before joining Motherwell and I know a lot of the girls really well,” said Turner.

“It’s all about going out there, trying to prove yourself and hopefully we can come out on top.

“The Scottish Cup final is the best we could have wished for and it’s very exciting for us all to be preparing to give it our best choice shot against Hibs.

“It would be great to have a big support and a good atmosphere for the final.

“The women’s game has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of years and the media coverage has increased, there’s so many positives right now.”

Talented youngster Alfredo Agyeman has joined East Kilbride on loan.

The forward has signed for the Lowland League side until January, and will go straight into the side to face Civil Service Strollers on Saturday.

Agyeman will join ex-Well winger Chris Humphrey with the Kilby, as they push for promotion to the SPFL.

Currently joint top of their division with Spartans, they narrowly missed out on reaching League Two in the 2016/17 season, when they lost in the play-off to Cowdenbeath.

Agyeman, who was born in Ghana and holds Italian citizenship, is yet to make a top team appearance for the Steelmen but is a regular feature with Stephen Craigan’s Reserves side.

The 18-year-old will continue to be eligible to feature for the reserves, as well as playing for East Kilbride.

Christian Mbulu has won the public vote to be named the best player in the IRN-BRU Cup third round.

The Englishman helped seal victory over Sligo Rovers with a stunning strike in the 2-0 win against the Irish side.

Motherwell became the first colts team to reach the quarter-finals in the process, where they will face Ross County on 17 November.

Our lottery scheme to help invest money in youth development and our academy is changing.

As of 5 November, we are changing to a new system that allows you the chance to win up to £25,000, while also continuing to back the future players of the club.

Still priced at £1 per entry, our new lottery providers Unity will also offer up smaller prizes of £1,000 and £25 will also be on offer when the new Well Lottery launches.

What’s more if you sign up before 30 November, you’ll go into the pot to win hospitality at Fir Park and a signed Motherwell jersey.

The final draw of the Well Lotto will be held on Friday, 2 November. Existing Well Lotto players should begin to cancel their standing orders ahead of the new lottery taking place.

HOW TO JOIN THE NEW WELL LOTTERY

To join the new Well Lottery, you can now choose one of the following options:

• Fill in the lottery leaflet provided and return via the freepost address provided to Unity.
• Download a lottery leaflet from the Well Lottery website and return to Unity by post.
• Sign up online here.

Once you have signed up, you will receive a letter welcoming you to the lottery which will tell you your lottery numbers. You will then be entered into the draw for as long as you wish to play.

How does the new Well Lottery work?

We have teamed up with Unity to run the Well Lottery. For as little as £1 per week, you’ll have the chance to win up to £25,000. At least 50p of every £1 played goes straight to youth development but most importantly, there are no ongoing costs to the club.

How is it different to the old lottery?

New lottery numbers: Every player will be allocated a six-digit lottery number for every entry they wish to play. If you match your number with the winning number drawn on a Saturday in the correct sequence, you can win up to £25,000.

Higher prize fund: Through Unity, we can now offer a higher weekly jackpot of £25,000, with smaller prizes of £1,000, £25 and five entries into the next draw on offer.

More payment options: You can join the lottery by direct debit, credit card or cheque.

Proceeds: Every £1 ticket gains Motherwell FC at least 50p towards the club’s youth development and academy programme.

No change to the ticket price: It’s still £1 to play.

Where does the money go?

Every £1 is split three ways. At least 50p of every £1 comes straight to Motherwell FC, which is put towards the club’s youth Development and academy programme. The other 50p covers the cost of the administration of the lottery, and goes towards the fantastic prize fund.

How do I win?

Every player of the new Well Lottery will be allocated a six-digit lottery number for every entry they wish to play. This idea is to match your number with the winning number that is drawn on a Saturday in the correct sequence. Every entry in the Unity lottery has an equal one in 63 chance of winning a prize.

For example:

325764 – random winning number

326574 – your lottery number

This is a three-number match, winning five entries into the next draw.

How do I know if I have won?

Players are notified automatically, and prizes sent out by post, so you do not need to claim your prize. If you would like to check the winning number each week, these can be found on Unity’s website and here on the official Motherwell FC website.

What is Unity?

Unity is a platform on which charities run their own fundraising lottery. It is run by an external lottery manager, Sterling Lotteries, who administer hundreds of charity lotteries for clients across the country.

He may be just a few months in to his captaincy at Fir Park, but Peter Hartley knows the importance of his leadership in the coming weeks.

In the aftermath of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against St Johnstone, the message from the manager was simple: it’s time to stand up and be counted.

And for 30-year-old Hartley, it’s something he believes each and every player in the dressing room is capable of doing.

“We know what’s at stake and that we need to be better,” he admitted. “There’s definitely been times when we’ve played well but perhaps not got the results, but now is the time for results to follow.”

St Mirren and Dundee lie in wait for a Motherwell side searching for a much-needed win, and the skipper admits the next two games are crucial for him and his teammates.

He said: “They’re massive, of course they are. To be going up against two sides sitting below us in the table is incentive enough for us to go out there and do what we have to, and that’s get points on the board, it’s as simple as that.

“On top of that I think it’s also safe to say that we’re not a million miles away at the moment. We’ve come through a sticky patch of injuries, we’ve been unlucky at points, and I believe all it takes is a victory to spark us back in to life.”

And while it sounds simple, the captain is well aware that it isn’t.

He said: “After the game on Saturday the atmosphere in the dressing room wasn’t doom and gloom, it was different. There was a real sense of determination but also anger with ourselves, a sense that we all knew we have to find that bit extra to pick up points.

“It’s one thing creating more chances or having more of the ball, but what matters is that for the last few games we haven’t had that extra bit needed to get over the line.”

He added: “Every game in this league is a difficult one, you see examples of it every week and all it takes is a quick glance at the table for you to see how competitive this division is.

“One thing that I always believe in with this group is our mentality. We’ve arrived back in to training this week and haven’t let anything get to us or deter us from the task at hand.”

He added: “Are we in a disappointing position? Absolutely. Do we have the character and desire to turn things around? Of course.

“We’ve shown the supporters that we’ve got it in us before, and we’ll be sure to show it again.”

Motherwell have received three nominations for this year’s Scottish Women’s Football annual awards.

Top scorer Suzanne Mulvey is one of four players up for the SWPL 2 Player of the Year award, going head to head with St Johnstone’s Jade McDonald, Lauren Evans from Glasgow Girls and Hearts’ Pamela Liddell.

The team collectively have been nominated for the Senior Team of the Year gong, marking their incredible season which has seen them win the league with a record points tally and upset the odds by reaching the SSE Scottish Cup final.

Motherwell are up against the nation’s top two clubs, Glasgow City and Hibernian, as well as Forfar Farmington.

Former boss Eddie Wolecki Black has also been nominated for Senior Coach of the Year for his efforts in delivering the league title, before departing for Celtic.

This year’s awards dinner will take place in Glasgow on Saturday, 17 November.

Get your tickets for our own Player of the Year awards

Our women’s team have had a hugely successful year, lifting the SWPL 2 title in record time and reaching the SSE Women’s Scottish Cup final against Hibernian.

Let’s celebrate their success as we hold their Player of the Year awards dinner on Friday, 16 November.

For just £32 per person, you can enjoy a two-course meal at the Centenary Suite here at Fir Park. With a glitz and glam dress code, the night will be hosted by Suzie McGuire.

To book your ticket, just email events@motherwellfc.co.uk or call 01698 333333.

It was a tale of missed chances and a last minute sting in the tail.

This is the Story of the Match from the weekend visit of St Johnstone.