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“It was a different win from last week but I thought we deserved it.”

A second half Kevin van Veen penalty was enough to give Motherwell a deserved three points against ten-man Livingston at Fir Park.

The home side dominated most of the ball and the chances at a sub-soaked Fir Park, but it took a spot kick to separate the sides.

The visitors’ attempts to get back into things were made more difficult when substitute Dylan Bahamboula was ordered off for two quick-fire bookings near the end of the match.

‘Well boss Steven Hammell made just one change from the team that beat Aberdeen at Pittodrie seven days previous, with Ricki Lamie restored the starting eleven following a two-game ban in place of Bevis Mugabi. New loan signing Stuart McKinstry was named amongst the subs.

It was a largely quiet and uneventful first 45 in the Fir Park sunshine.

The first chance came on 20 minutes when Lamie got on the end of a Sean Goss free-kick from the right, but his diving header finished the wrong side of the post.

Shortly after, Spittal, who opened his Motherwell account the previous weekend, took on a shot from distance after some neat interplay between him and Kevin van Veen, but he dragged the effort wide of target.

Livi were happy to concede territory and let their hosts see much more of the ball in the opening exchanges had their solitary effort of the half on 37 minutes. Sean Kelly shaped up a free-kick, looking to get the better of his brother Liam in the Motherwell goal, but although his effort got up and over the wall, it landed a few yards wide of the right hand post.

Motherwell started the second half of the front foot and but for a last-ditch Fitzwater block, van Veen would’ve put his side in front after the Dutchman got on the end of a long Lamie pass into the channel.

‘Well continued to probe and O’Donnell had a curling effort from distance sail over before substitute Joe Efford had a snap-shot from just inside the area blocked and out for a corner.

It was from the resulting kick from the quadrant the Steelmen would grab the winning goal. Slattery’s back post effort was met by Goss, and his header down was handled by Christian Montano. Referee Nick Walsh took his time before pointing to the spot. Van Veen stepped up and drilled it high into the net.

It was Hammell’s men who continued to ask the questions and a well-worked throw-in between O’Donnell and sub Josh Morris presented an opening for Spittal, but the midfielder’s half volley spun wide of target. Seconds later, the claret and amber men were on the attack again and Efford had a run and shot that lacked any power to trouble Shamal George.

Livingston’s day went from bad to worse when substitute was sent off for two bookings in quick succession. The first a tactical foul on Spittal, before catching Goss with a late lunge just a few minutes later.

David Martindale’s side would rarely threaten Kelly’s goal. As the game neared its conclusion, sub Esmaël Gonçalves fired high over the bar from a half volley and Ayo Obileye sent a 35-yard free kick sailing over the crossbar.

Motherwell could’ve added a second in the dying seconds with a breakaway, but neither Efford, van Veen or Goss could convert from close range, but it remained 1-0, a result that puts Hammell’s men into third.

Motherwell: Kelly, McGinn, Lamie, Johansen, O’Donnell, Spittal (Maguire – 83), Goss, Slattery, Cornelius (Morris – 54), van Veen, Shields (Efford – 54)

Subs Not Used: Oxbrough, Mugabi, Johnson, Tierney, McKinstry, Mahon

Yellow Cards: Morris

Goals: Van Veen (68 – pen)

The McGinns have become a household name in Scottish football but that hasn’t put a stop to things going at 100-miles-per hour.

First there’s John, who has been named captain of Aston Villa by legendary Premier League midfielder Steven Gerrard. Not bad for someone also in the engine room.

Then there’s Stephen, who is continuing to motor on with his playing career even as it approaches its twilight, looking to help Falkirk out of their League 1 doldrum.

Finally we get to Paul, who probably lays claim to being the busiest sibling this summer. He’s had two new managers, a move to a fresh employer and a wedding to contend with. It’s been a hectic time but one he’s tried to take in.

It has been difficult at times. The highs of signing for a different club matched with the boss heading for pastures new within eight weeks was tough, but in former opponent Steven Hammell, McGinn reckons he’s got a good chance of settling down.

That is what he feels can benefit him after a tumultuous year at Hibs saw him injured for a sustained spell and watch Jack Ross, Shaun Maloney and David Gray take charge of the club in various spells.

“In the last year I have had Jack Ross, Shaun Maloney, Graham Alexander, and I didn’t really deal with Lee Johnson at Hibs,” stated the right-back on his recent permanent gaffers.

“In the last season I have worked with four permanent managers so I am hoping that will begin to settle down now. I had signed my extension at Hibs a while back so it wasn’t another surprise to me when it came out in the papers, it was under Shaun Maloney I had signed that.

“It is just the way it is. That’s modern football. It looks as if it is going that way. From what I gather it is Callum Davidson at St Johnstone who is now the longest serving manager in the Premiership (appointed as boss in 2020). It just shows you.”

Hammell’s interim reign kicked off with a 1-0 win at St Mirren and while a defeat to St Johnstone last time out at Fir Park was tough to swallow, last week’s 3-2 victory at Aberdeen got the Steelmen back on track.

“I am really happy with how things have panned out with the manager,” the 31-year-old said.

“He knows the club inside-out, doesn’t he? He has seen the good here and he has seen the bad. He knows what is needed to bring the good times back here. I think it is a no-brainer from the club.

“I am pretty sure I have played against him earlier in my career. He was always one of the players that people spoke about at Motherwell as a great player.

“He is a Motherwell legend. Of course he needs time. Give him a few weeks to get some players in.

“The club has not messed about with the appointment which is probably beneficial. They got the interviews done quickly and got it sorted.”

His marriage was slotted in somewhere along that timeline of football change and he’s taken a leaf out the Ricki Lamie book of wedding descriptions when talking about his big bash.

Lamie was the last player under the MFC programme interview microscope, and described his wedding as “We had around 100 bodies there so it was more than enough.” It was subsequently picked up on the well-known ‘Football Cliches’ podcast for his Harry Redknapp- like description of a guestlist and his defensive partner has had a go at similar.

“It’s been a busy summer for the McGinns, I got married as well,” he started. “It is always busy with the three of us. I don’t know how I can describe my wedding like that.

“I will have to try and think of a football cliché to go along with it. Everybody gave it their all and played until the last minute!

“We took advantage of that free bar anyway. John had nothing to do with it sadly but he does help out otherwise. The nephews and nieces get the benefit of John.”

Overall, the capped Scotland defender is enjoying his early introductions in ML1, despite the upheaval. Defeat to Sligo Rovers in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds was tough, but there’s only one way you can go when you hit the bottom according to McGinn.

Counterpart Stephen O’Donnell has spoken of the need for fresh faces and his defensive team- mate hopes he and others can bring that freshness.

Motherwell has established itself as one of Scotland’s best-run community clubs in recent years and it’s that community feel which helped attract one third of the McGinn brotherhood to ML1.

Now under a new manager in Hammell, there is fresh optimism that a positive season can be had under the club stalwart.

“Stephen probably looks at things as part of a bigger picture,” said McGinn. “He probably sees things a bit different to me as I was one of the ones hopefully coming in here to bring in something new to the team.

“It is just the same as anything. With the start we had, you do probably need somebody to come in and provide an injection around the place.

“It was all fine until Sligo, I would say. Even the Sligo game was frustrating because we lost the goal off a mistake and then you are chasing the tie.

“They then score an unbelievable goal early in the second leg and then you are left chasing your tail two games into the season when our match sharpness and fitness probably wasn’t there.

“I would have fancied us to win the tie if we had taken the lead but it is all well saying that. There is no point looking back now, we just need to move on.

“You just need to look at Celtic and Rangers, sometimes having bad nights and then having good seasons. There is no reason why we can’t do the same.

“I have settled in really well. It is a really well run club and everybody in the country seems to know that about Motherwell just now. It is good to be at a place that is stable so now we just need to improve the performances on the pitch to go along with that off the park.”

On a personal note, McGinn wants to bounce back from a first full year back in front of fans post pandemic. An injury marred his involvement to some extent with Hibs last year, who struggled to get any rhythm going as they changed managers twice over the campaign.

Jake Carroll’s unfortunate injury which may end his season very early means that a move to the left could beckon for the club’s right-back recruit while a hunt for fresh blood goes on.

Optimism is in play but for the former Hibs man, there’s plenty more to come from Motherwell this season which has not yet come to the fore in full. That will come in time and the immediate reaction to adversity has been strong.

Now he hopes to stay on the park and contribute to similar success that saw last season book a stop in European football. There was a settled life in Edinburgh, which may be transferred to Lanarkshire.

“I don’t think you are seeing the full potential of us as a club just now but that is just the way it goes if you start like that and you lose the manager,” McGinn added.

“Hopefully now that we have that settled manager we can start to kick on. I had a bad injury last year that ruled me out for a while but touch wood over the course of my career I haven’t had too many bad injuries.

“It was just the way it worked out. I was pretty settled at Hibs and playing so hopefully I can have the same here. It is two years I have signed up for.

“There’s a lot of competition at right-back now but me and Stephen might need to do a shift at left-back with the news Jake
is now injured. After Sligo we were probably as low as you can get so to show that reaction in recent games is a boost.

“It was good to get that early but right now it is early doors. Motherwell seems like a good place to be.”

Motherwell manager Steven Hammell says Livingston will present a different kind of challenge to the one they faced in their previous cinch Premiership match against Aberdeen.

The new boss reckons his side are slowly gaining confidence and is delighted with the players have bought into what the staff are trying to do.

Blair Spittal is delighted to have got his first goal for his new club in the cinch Premiership and is now looking to kick on from here.

He says the team put in a terrific performance last weekend and are now looking to build the foundations for a really good season.

London Pollard and Jemma Hughes have been called up to Scotland’s Under-19s squad. 

Pauline Hamill’s side will play Friendly matches against Hungary on August 31 and Slovakia on September 3, as they prepare for their UEFA Women’s U19 Championship clash against Spain in October.

Pollard was in the most recent Scotland Under 19s squad in April, where she played in all three games, scoring two and assisting three in the process.

Motherwell travel to the capital to take on Hibernian at Meadowbank Sports Centre on Sunday 21 August. 

Kick off is 4pm.

Tickets

Tickets for the match can be purchased online.

The Story of the Match

Hibernian have had a mixed start to the season. On the opening day of the campaign, the Hibees fell to a 9-0 defeat to Celtic.

However a comfortable 4-0 victory over Hamilton last Sunday has put Hibs back on track.

Motherwell opened their SWPL campaign with a 1-1 draw with Dundee United.

In their second outing, Glasgow City snatched all three points with the last kick of the game after Motherwell had held the title chasers for 96 minutes.

Stuart McKinstry has joined Motherwell on a season-long loan from Premier League side Leeds United. 

The winger, a graduate of the Motherwell academy where he worked directly with manager Steven Hammell, returns to the club after a three-year stint at Elland Road.

A regular for Leeds’ under 23s, McKinstry was named on the bench for Leeds in the Premier League ten times last season, before being handed his Premier League debut by Marcelo Bielsa against Spurs last November.

He also scored an important penalty for Leeds in the EFL Cup against Fulham in a penalty shootout.

“I’ve worked with Stuart before and know exactly what he is capable of,” manager Steven Hammell said.

“He has progressed in his time down south and having the experience of being in and around the first-team has been beneficial for him.

“He is an excellent addition to the squad and I look forward to seeing what he produces this season.”

McKinstry will wear the number 17 shirt this season.