| 7 | Motherwell | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | -18 | 42 |
| 8 | Hearts | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | -2 | 40 |
| 9 | Kilmarnock | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | -18 | 38 |
| 10 | Dundee | 33 | 10 | 7 | 16 | -20 | 37 |
| 11 | Ross County | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | -25 | 35 |
| 12 | St Johnstone | 34 | 8 | 5 | 21 | -26 | 29 |
We need to reiterate that the use of pyrotechnics in football grounds is a criminal offence and we are disappointed they were used by some of our supporters at last night’s game.
The use of pyrotechnics can cause injury to players, stewards and fellow supporters.
If this continues, the club could be subject to sanctions.
Supporters are the most important component of match days and we encourage that support to continue in a safe manner.
Stuart Kettlewell has been hoping that his team would spark into life at McDiarmid Park on Tuesday night, and it looked like they had done just that when Conor Wilkinson found the back of the net having dinked Mitov in goals.
A VAR check would follow however and after the goal was ruled out for handball, St Johnstone powered home two goals from corners to take a healthy lead into the break.
Another game and the big moments seemed to be going in the opposite way of Motherwell, however they didn’t give up.
With the introduction of Theo Bair and Georgie Gent, Motherwell were lively and got a deserved goal through Shane Blaney just past the hour mark.
Less than 10 minutes later, Mika Biereth finished off a team move to level the game with 15 minutes remaining.
The visitors continued to push to find a winner with Oli Shaw presented with the best chance to win the game, however he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet in time.
Motherwell came back to earn a point from behind once again this season, a similar tale that Stuart Kettlewell wants to rectify ahead of Hearts on Saturday.
Lennon Miller and Paul McGinn have both picked up injuries that will keep them out for a period of time.
17-year-old Lennon Miller sustained a knee injury against Aberdeen in the cinch Premiership at the start of November.
As a result, it’s expected he will face a minimum of three months on the sidelines to achieve a full recovery.
Paul McGinn picked up a facial injury against Kilmarnock and has underwent surgery.
The surgeon has advised us that he is expected to be out for approximately six weeks.
Speedy recovery, Lennon and Paul.
Brodie Spencer has been named in the latest Northern Ireland squad.
Northern Ireland round of their EURO 2024 qualifying campaign with a double header in November.
They will travel to face Finland Friday 17 November before round off their campaign against Denmark on Monday 20 November.
Liam Kelly has been named in the Scotland squad for the upcoming November internationals.
Scotland face Georgia in Tbilsi on Thursday 16 November before a home match against Norway on Sunday 19 November.
Scotland have already qualified for EURO 2024 however will now look to top the group.
Liam Kelly earned his first cap last month for the dark blues and faces competition from Zander Clark and Robbie McCrorie this time around.
Stuart Kettlewell’s thoughts on tonight’s 2-2 draw with St Johnstone.
• Not up to standard in the first half
• Didn’t roll over
• We could have won the game
Motherwell had to battle from behind to claim a point at McDiarmid Park.
Second-half goals from Shane Blaney and Mika Biereth cancelled out a two-goal St Johnstone advantage.
The Steelmen thought they had take the lead in the 12th minute as a ball over the top found Conor Wilkinson. He cooly lifted the ball over Mitov and into the net but VAR ruled there was a handball in the build up.
It looked like a bright start but minutes later, the home side were ahead.
A corner from the left found Nicky Clark, who rose highest in the box and headed past Kelly.
In the 27th minute, there was another corner and another goal.
A delivery pinged about the box and fell at the feet of Andy Considine who finished from 6 yards.
‘Well had a decent spell of pressure as they looked for a goal just before the break but Dan Casey’s diving header was cleared as it looked to be goalbound.
Stuart Kettlewell made a change at the break with Theo Bair coming on for Brodie Spencer and the Canadian almost made an immediate impact.
Blair Spittal’s ball across the box seemed destined for the big striker but a last-ditch tackle from Ryan McGowan cleared the danger.
With just over twenty minutes to go, the Steelmen had a life-line. A Motherwell corner was recycled to Spittal and his ball into the box was nodded across goal to Shane Blaney who headed in his first goal in claret and amber.
Motherwell looked rejuvenated and grabbed an equalised sixe minutes later.
Substitute Georgie Gent burst down the left and delivered a poinpoint cross to Mika Biereth who applied an expert volleyed finish – his third goal in his last four games.
Liam Kelly was forced into a superb save from Matt Smith’s volley but it was the visitors who almost snatched three points as Oli Shaw was slid in but the ball seemed to get caught up in his feet and the chance was gone.
Motherwell team: Kelly, O’Donnell, Casey, Butcher, Blaney, Spencer, Spittal, Slattery, Paton, Biereth, Wilkinson.
Motherwell subs: Oxborough, Gent, Mugabi, Zdravkovski, Wells, L.Ross, M.Ross, Shaw, Bair.
Blair Spittal knows it’s not been good enough results wise of late for Motherwell but insists that this team have the quality to turn that around.
The midfielder says the team have been working hard behind the scenes and doing that little bit extra to try and spark the turnaround in fortunes.
Assistant manager Stephen Frail says they will need to access the fitness of Calum Butcher and Brodie Spencer, as both sustained broken noses against Kilmarnock on Saturday. He says they are waiting on the scan results for Paul McGinn to determine whether he will be able to feature in the near future or not.
Frail declared that there is no panic within the ranks at the club as the team know they have the qualities to not only win football matches, but to also go on a run of form. He said it may take that one win for that run to ignite.
There were no fireworks on display for the women of steel, as a clinical Aberdeen side punished attacking complacency, with Motherwell left to rue their squandered opportunities on a disappointing evening at K-Park on Sunday.
Bayley Hutchinson strengthened her goalscoring pedigree for the season, firing four goals past Emily Mutch, with youngster Darcie Miller also finding the target. Carla Boyce and Kayla Jardine both netted, but the visitors cruised to a commanding three-goal advantage in South Lanarkshire.
Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made two changes from the defeat to Hearts at the Oriam prior to the International break, with Tara McGonigle and Carla Boyce both returning to the starting XI, as Murron Cunningham and Kaitlyn Canavan were made available from the bench.
Motherwell came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening few minutes, as Bailley Collins latched onto Kayla Jardine’s incisive through ball, bending a threatening effort towards the bottom-left corner, but Annalisa McCann reacted quickly to produce a smart stop.
The hosts continued to threaten and almost found the breakthrough moments later, as Gill Inglis’ floated cross-field pass sailed invitingly into the Aberdeen penalty area, with Jo Addie lurking in the box, but the defender couldn’t apply the finishing touches.
Paul Brownlie’s side were denied what proved to be the first of many notable penalty claims, as Tara McGonigle was hauled down directly on the 18-yard line. The winger darted across the face of goal from the right-hand side and looked to have been impeded with a late-lunging tackle, but the referee waived play on despite the adamant pleas of the Motherwell squad.
Motherwell were left to reflect on their numerous chances on goal, as the Dons netted the opener late into the first-half, with Bayley Hutchinson finding the target from close-range.
Motherwell again thought they might’ve had an instant route back into the game, with their second penalty claim of the evening, as McGonigle’s chipped cross from the right clearly struck an Aberdeen arm in the penalty area, but the referee ruled against awarding the penalty.
Nevertheless, Motherwell pressed forward and deservedly found the breakthrough through Boyce, with a close-range finish moments before half-time.
As the second half resumed, Motherwell struggled to pick up from where they left off, and the visitors capitalised with two quickfire goals.
A quick counter-attack left Hutchinson racing through on goal, and the striker fired a low delivery across the face of the six-yard box, which Miller calmly converted from a few yards out.
Moments later, the striker was through again, coasting past numerous claret jerseys before placing a composed effort into the bottom-left corner.
In the latter stages of the second-half, Hutchinson secured her hat-trick with a replication of her second. The striker coasted across the face of goal unchallenged and applied the finish to match, leaving Mutch with no chance.
Hutchinson netted her fourth with less than a minute left, as Amy Anderson was pickpocketed on the halfway line and one incisive through ball cut through the Motherwell backline, and the forward calmly dispatched her effort into the bottom-left corner.
Motherwell secured a late consolation, as Jardine’s strike from distance sailed over the head of McCann in the Aberdeen net, but the visitors were able to hold out a three-goal advantage to secure all three points.
