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It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims player of the month for February. 

Jack Vale, Blair Spittal, Theo Bair and Paul McGinn are all up for nomination.

To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.

Games in February

• Motherwell 1-1 Kilmarnock
• Motherwell 5-0 Ross County
• Morton 2-1 Motherwell
• Aberdeen 3-3 Motherwell
• Hearts 2-0 Motherwell
• Motherwell 1-2 Celtic
• Livingston 1-2 Motherwell

It was 1997 when Motherwell last went to Ibrox and came away with three points and as Rangers had just overtaken Celtic to go top of the table, it would seem the odds were stacked against the Steelmen.

A small pocked of travelling fans were rewarded for their loyalty after just ten minutes, when Theo Bair scored to silence Ibrox.

Rangers created numerous openings however, the solid backline of McGinn, Mugabi, Blaney and Kelly remained robust and kept the hosts out.

The Gers were given the opportunity to level the game from the spot after an hour, when Alan Muir was asked to got he VAR monitor for a supposed foul in the penalty area from Dan Casey. The Rangers skipper levelled and momentum would go with hosts.

Motherwell, however, didn’t let this effect their game plan and from the second phase of a corner, Casey nodded the ball past Butland at the back post to restore the Motherwell advantage.

Time eventually ran out after Liam Kelly pulled out a number of stops and Paul McGinn standing firm on the line. The 27-year wait was over and Motherwell moved to within two points of the top six.

Motherwell coasted into the post-split with the momentum after securing a hard-fought but deserving three points in a successive league victory over Spartans at Ainslie Park on Sunday.

Jo Addie got the women of steel off the mark inside the opening 10-minutes, drilling a low effort through the Spartans goalkeeper. Motherwell continued to control proceedings until Mya Bates stunned the visitors with an early second-half equaliser against the run of play.

Midfielder Louisa Boyes marked her return to the starting XI in style, restoring the advantage for Paul Brownlie’s side shortly before the hour mark. Morgan Cross prodded home a third from close-range in the latter stages of the game before Boyes secured her brace and Motherwell’s fourth in an exceptional display in the Scottish Capital.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie made four changes from the hard-fought defeat to defending champions Glasgow City over a fortnight ago. Goalkeeper Emily Mutch returned in goal, with Jo Addie, Sarah Gibb and Louisa Boyes all returning to the starting XI.

Looking to head into the post-split campaign on a high, Motherwell started firmly on the front foot, with Rangers loanee Laura Berry causing the hosts problems only moments into the game. The forward accurately read the opponents predictable through ball, making a comfortable interception beyond the halfway-line before driving towards of the edge of the Spartans penalty area, but the strikers powerful attempt arrowed agonisingly over the crossbar.

The visitors early momentum persisted, with the breakthrough materialising shortly after. Kayla Jardine’s floated corner kick sailed invitingly across the six-yard-box, ricocheting through several players before falling kindly to Addie 10-yards from goal, and the defender drilled a low effort through the legs of the Spartans stopper.

Motherwell were gifted the opportunity to double their advantage midway through the first-half, with Morgan Cross utilising her pace to escape her marker before being hauled down within the box. Bailley Collins stepped up, but reminiscent of her attempt in Meadowbank, the defenders low strike rattled the post. Despite converting the rebound, the referee quickly ruled the goal out for offside.

Motherwell’s control in the contest was soon undermined moments into the second half, with the hosts netting an equaliser against the run of play. Rebecca Galbraith’s pinpoint attempt struck the right-hand post, with Caley Gibb’s rebounded effort brilliantly parried clear by Mutch, but Bates reacted imminently to prod home a header from close-range.

Un-wavered by the motivation of the Spartans squad, Motherwell stuck to their gameplan and their efforts were rewarded 10-minuites later. Jardine proved to be the provider again, coasting into the Spartans penalty area with ease before clipping a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, and Boyes calmly placed a low strike into the bottom-right corner.

The third soon followed, with Motherwell capitalising on the counter-attack. Gibb’s close-range effort was again denied by the reactive Mutch, with Motherwell instinctively launching the ball deep into the final third of the pitch. Berry skilfully worked her way to the byline before teeing up Jardine, who’s low strike fell fortunately into the path of Cross, who dispatched a third goal into the bottom-left-corner.

In the final moments of the game, Motherwell decisively wrapped dup the game with a clinical fourth. Cross turned provider, driving to the byline before chipping a dangerous delivery across the six-yard-box, with Boyes finding space at the front post to convert her second of the game.

Motherwell defied the odds and the history books by securing a hard-fought but deserving three points at Ibrox for the first time since 1997.

Theo Bair fired Motherwell into the ascendency within the opening phases of play, adding another strike to his goalscoring pedigree, finding the target inside the opening 10-minutes.

Rangers skipper James Tavernier netted from the penalty spot on the hour mark moments after Motherwell were narrowly denied their second of the evening. Rangers pressed the Motherwell defence, but the backline stood resolute, with centre-back Dan Casey demonstrating his attacking capabilities, powering home a second from Blair Spittal’s floated delivery.

The hosts continued their barrage of opportunities in the final moments of the game, but countless exceptional saves from captain Liam Kelly kept the scoreline intact, with Motherwell shattering a 27-year winless league record at Ibrox.

As the midweek victory over Livingston remained firmly within memory, Motherwell started on the front foot, with Bevis Mugabi almost securing the early breakthrough after latching onto Spittal’s dangerous delivery, but the towering defender’s headed effort fell agonisingly over the crossbar.

The decisive moment came minutes later, as Bair expertly escaped his marker within the centre of the Rangers penalty area, drilling an unstoppable strike into the bottom-left corner.

Motherwell skipper, Kelly was called into action as the first-half progressed, reacting instantly to parry Mohamed Diomande’s effort beyond the reach of the Rangers forward line.

The half-time whistle was met with a chorus of boos from the frustrated home support, with the drum of the jubilant traveling fans echoing throughout the stadium.

Motherwell came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage as the second-half progressed, with Spittal’s left-footed effort from Stephen O’Donnell’s whipped cross rattling the hosts crossbar.

Directly on the counter-attack, Rangers penetrated through the Motherwell defence, with substitute Fabio Silva brought down under O’Donnell’s challenge. The defender looked to have perfectly-timed his interception, but the referee was instructed to the VAR monitors and subsequently reversed his decision.  Tavernier stepped up and coolly dispatched his strike to draw his side level.

Un-wavered by the deafening motivation of the home support, Motherwell stood firm, hitting the hosts on the counter-attack. With less than 15-minutes remaining, Motherwell restored their advantage, as Spittal’s chipped delivery sailed invitingly across the Rangers six-yard-box, with Casey diverting his teammates cross into the bottom-left-corner.

Rangers flooded the Motherwell penalty area in search of a late equaliser, but the Steelmen prevailed to secure their first league victory at Ibrox since 1997 and the first league victory over Rangers since 2002.

Stuart Kettlewell was proud of his players as they recorded their first league win at Ibrox since 2002.

The Motherwell boss praised an excellent 1-2 win at the home of table-topping Rangers, with goals from Theo Bair and Dan Casey.

Captain Liam Kelly says he has been much happier with his most recent performances and is more than happy to take the criticism that comes his way when his standards drop. 

The Scotland stopper has his eyes on a spot in the Scotland squad that are heading to the EUROs this summer and believes showing good signs on the pitch and a positive attitude, will help his cause.

Manager Stuart Kettlewell was pleased to get a winning result on Wednesday night against Livingston and says there are no, new, injury concerns ahead of the trip to Ibrox. 

Wednesday’s win moved Motherwell to within three points of a top-six spot and Kettlewell says his team haven’t got the credit they deserve for the way they have competed with most teams in the league this season.