A special night under the Fir Park lights saw the women of steel coast past Dundee United to extend their unbeaten run to four games and continue their momentum in closing down nearest league rivals Aberdeen.
Morgan Cross broke the deadlock shortly after half-time, latching onto Bailley Collins’ pinpoint through ball. The visitors levelled in the latter stages of the game, but the women of steel’s never say die attitude showed, with Laura Berry finding the target less than two-minutes later.
Head coach Paul Brownlie made one change to the starting XI from the side that overcame rivals Aberdeen over a fortnight ago. Murron Cunningham made way to settle for a place on the bench, with Kayla Jardine returning to the starting line-up.
The hosts were poised to continue their exceptional run of form when they took to the Fir Park turf in a pivotal encounter with the Tangerines after cruising into the post-split with three successive victories over Hamilton, Spartans and nearest rivals Aberdeen.
Motherwell started firmly on the front foot, controlling the majority of possession and finding space in-behind the United backline. The hosts earliest opportunity fell to Brooke Nunn, as Katie Rice’s whipped delivery from the right floated into the Hibernian loanees path, but the pacey winger couldn’t divert her headed effort past Lisa Rodgers in the United goal.
Motherwell continue to threaten the United penalty area, with Berry’s whipped delivery across the face of goal finding the unmarked run of Louisa Boyes, but the midfielder couldn’t find a clean connection on the ball, and the chance fell wide of the target.
Berry continued to be a focal point for the women of steel in the final third, with the youngster driving across the edge of the box before drilling an ambitious strike, but the forwards effort flashed across goal before eventually curling agonisingly wide of the bottom-left corner.
Despite having numerous goalscoring opportunities, the hosts couldn’t find the breakthrough as the half-time whistle blew.
Nevertheless, the squad rallied in the opening few minutes of the second-half and almost instantly found the opener. Substitute Bailley Collins made an instant impact from the bench, working her way through several lacklustre challenges before teeing up Morgan Cross, who coolly converted from a few yards out.
Motherwell looked to be firmly in the ascendency as the final stages of the game emerged, but against the run of play, United netted an equaliser, with Georgie Robb capitalising on a defensive mix-up at the back before slotting an accurate effort beyond Emily Mutch in the Motherwell goal.
Nevertheless, the women of steel stuck to their game plan and almost instantly restored their advantage. Collins again the provider, clipping a precise delivery to the edge of the 18-yard-box, and Berry calmy worked her way past Rodgers before placing her strike into the empty net.
Motherwell held out in the final few minutes to record their fourth straight SWPL victory and their second successive victory at Fir Park.
