Motherwell cruised into the quarter finals of the Premier Sports Cup after blowing Inverness Caley Thistle away in a blistering first half.
Inverness, having narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premiership last season and finishing top of their League Cup group, came south to North Lanarkshire intent on producing a cup shock.
Any such thoughts evaporated after only nine minutes when Kevin van Veen claimed his fifth goal of the season. ‘Well were ruthless in the first half and after Daniel Devine turned the ball over his own goal line, van Veen converted a penalty to make it 3-0 before the interval.
The Steelmen continued to dominate the game after the break but despite carving out numerous chances to extend their lead, it was left to van Veen to claim his hat-trick from the penalty spot and round off a superb evening’s work for the home side.
Steven Hammell made three changes to the side which disappointingly lost at Kilmarnock. On loan left back Matt Penny made his debut, Ross Tierney replaced Dean Cornelius and Joe Efford was preferred to Connor Shields up front.
That gave ‘Well a more attacking looking formation. And it didn’t take long for Efford to impose himself on the hard pressed visitor’s defence.
With four minutes played the American winger’s pace and quick feet carried him to the byeline but with three team-mates waiting in the six-yard box Efford inexplicably rolled the ball into the side netting.
Five minutes later he made amends. Callum Slattery’s low through ball sent Efford towards the penalty area. After cutting inside Cameron Harper he squared the ball to van Veen who calmly steered it into the net from 10 yards and make it four goals from his last four games.
Before the Highlanders could recover it was almost two nil. Van Veen turned provider cutting the ball back for Blair Spittal whose drive from the edge of the box was blocked on its way to goal.
The Motherwell attacks were swift and incessant and Spittal repaid the favour when he laid the ball back for van Veen but form the ‘D’ the Dutchman drove his shot wide of Mark Ridgers’ goal.
A second goal was on the cards but when it arrived in the 25th minute it was via the Inverness captain.
Penney, who had a fine debut on the left flank, worked his way to the visitor’s byeline before whipping a low cross into the six yard box where Devine’s outstretched leg diverted the ball past his own ‘keeper.
There was no sense of the Fir Park side being content with a two goal lead, though, and eight minutes from the break it was 3-0 to effectively kill the tie. A quick exchange between Slattery and Goss sent the latter into the box and sprawling as David Carson’s foot caught the ‘Well midfield man.
There was never a doubt about the penalty award or its conversion, with van Veen hammering the ball high over the diving Ridgers and into the ‘keeper’s top left hand corner.
Thistle’s half time substitute Steven Boyd almost made an immediate impact and reduce the leeway but his 20 yard drive was palmed away by Liam Kelly at full stretch.
‘Well’s response was a couple of shots from Efford and Ross Tierney which were comfortably taken by Ridgers.
The Inverness ‘keeper had to then thanks his defenders who cleared cut backs from Spittal and Efford with van Veen lurking in front of goal for his hat-trick.
The Fir Park striker was not to be denied though and after 66 minutes he claimed his third goal and the match ball.
This time the penalty award was rather harsh on Carson as van Veen’s attempt to play the ball into the six yard box saw it bounce up striking the Inverness man’s hand.
Van Veen showed little sympathy driving the ball low under Ridgers to take his total to seven for the season.
With 20 minutes remaining Hammell made a double substitution giving on loan players Rolando Aarons and Stuart McKinstry their first taste of action.
It was almost a dream return for the former youth player McKinstry when he set up van Veen inside the six yard box but from the tightest of angles his cute effort slipped past the far post and his chances of grabbing a fourth goal.
Five minutes later van Veen left the field to a standing ovation as he made way for Connor Shields looking to bag his first goal of the season.
More changes followed the most notable being the introduction of Lennon Miller who only celebrated his 16th birthday last week to become the youngest player to make his first team debut.
Ross Tierney should have been celebrating goal number five but his downward header from Shields’ perfect cross was blocked on the line by Ridgers’ feet.
However, by then ‘Well fans weren’t complaining as Steven Hammell’s men produced their best 90 minutes of the season to set up a glamour home quarter final tie with Celtic.
