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The women of steel return to ML1 this weekend looking to regain their early signs of momentum, as Motherwell prepare to face Partick Thistle at Fir Park on Sunday.

The women of steel will be set to take to the Fir Park turf for the fourth time after previously facing Hamilton, Glasgow Women and Dundee United in the previous three SWPL campaigns. The encounter in ML1 will provide the women of steel with the ideal opportunity to regain their early signs of progression after defeats to Celtic, Hibernian and Hearts followed two comfortable victories over Spartans and Montrose.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

Motherwell return their attention to competitive action after encountering a defeat in the Scottish capital to high-flying Hearts last weekend. Chelsie Watson netted a magnificent free-kick to narrow the deficit, but a quickfire Hearts double ensured the hosts coasted to a comfortable victory at the Oriam National Performance Centre.

The women of steel maintained an exceptional start to the 2024/25 SWPL campaign, striking five-times against Spartans before defeating Montrose by 3-goals at K-Park. Striker Morgan Cross and summer addition Rachel Todd have both netted three-times and will be looking to add to their tally this weekend.

After a disappointing result in Edinburgh, Motherwell will be determined to earn three points when they take to the Fir Park turf this weekend, as they welcome Brian Graham’s side to North Lanarkshire.

Partick Thistle 

The visitors have had a tough start to the 2024/25 SWPL campaign, suffering three defeats and a draw against Aberdeen at Firhill last weekend, with their only victory coming in a narrow 2-1 win over Spartans at Ainslie park.

Ticket information 

There will be free entry to the stadium for the match. However, if you are able to, there will be buckets available for fans to place donations.

All profits will go towards the girls academy.

Fans will be located in the John Hunter stand for the match.

How to follow the action 

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match. Kick-off from Fir Park at 1PM.

Ewan Wilson has earned his first call up to the Scotland Under 21 squad. 

Having broken into the first-team setup this season, Wilson quickly cemented his place in the starting 11 with his impressive displays.

Yet to miss a minute of league action, and only missing six minutes in the Premier Sports Cup, Wilson has been involved in the build up of goals for his team, but has also been dependable in the backline.

The 19-year-old now earns his first international call up at any level, and will join the Under 21 squad, and Lennon Miller, immediately ahead of their first match on Friday 6 September against Spain.

• Scotland v Spain 
• Friday 6 September
• 7pm Kick Off 
• Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh

• Malta v Scotland 
• Tuesday 10 September 
• 5:30pm Kick Off
• National Stadium (Ta’qali), Ta’qali, Malta

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

Lennon Miller, Dan Casey, Ewan Wilson and Stephen O’Donnell are all up for nomination.

To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.

Games in August

• Motherwell 0-0 Ross County
• Rangers 2-1 Motherwell
• Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock
• Motherwell 3-1 Hearts
• St Johnstone 1-2 Motherwell

With the first international break of the season looming, Motherwell wanted to round up the first batch of games on a high with a win in Perth over St Johnstone. 

They made a perfect start in do so when Dan Casey’s header found the back of the net early on in the first-half. Andy Halliday thought he doubled his side’s lead but Tawanda Maswanhise was in an offside position in the build up.

With the visitors well on top, St Johnstone found a leveller in one of their rare attacks forward.

With it all to do again, Casey, Liam Gordon, Moses Ebiye and Jack Vale all seen their efforts saved by the St Johnstone keeper, with Tony Watt’s goal also ruled out due to a foul on the man between the sticks.

Just as it was looking like one of those days for Motherwell, a perfect Lennon Miller delivery found Casey, who headed goal wards before Ebiye threw his head at the ball to knock the ball home and send the travelling support into rapture.

St Johnstone would be reduced to ten men before the final whistle to round off a fantastic result, as manager Stuart Kettlewell and assistant manager Stephen Frail celebrated signing new contracts with the club in the most perfect way possible.

The women of steel were hit for six when they faced a high-flying Hearts side in the Scottish capital on Sunday. 

Georgie Timms, Joely Andrews, Monica Forsyth, Lisa Robertson and an Emma Brownlie double comfortably surpassed Chelsie Watson’s consolation for the visitors in an afternoon of mixed emotions for Motherwell at the Oriam National Performance Centre.

Paul Brownlie and Leanne Crichton named one change to the starting XI from the side that were defeated by fellow Edinburgh outfit Hibernian last weekend. Chelsie Watson returned to the starting line-up, playing ahead of the back four of Gill Inglis, Jenna Penman, Jo Addie, and Katie Rice.

Motherwell started brightly and grew in confidence throughout the opening phases of play, however a sudden Hearts opener shifted the women of steel’s early momentum. The breakthrough came after only 14-minutes, with an unfortunate slip on the damp turf allowing the hosts to capitalise on an unanticipated counter, with Timms converting Jessica Husband’s whipped delivery across the face of goal.

The second followed shortly before the half-time break, with Andrews finding the target from close-range after a quick counter-attack.

Immediately following the restart, Motherwell narrowed the deficit. Morgan Cross fought through numerous maroon jerseys before being hauled down directly on the edge of the Hearts penalty area. Watson stepped up and coolly curled a magnificent free-kick into the top-left corner.

Almost instantly after pulling themselves back into the contest, Hearts netted two goals in a matter of minutes, with Motherwell continually struggling to defend crosses into the box.

The hosts continued to extend their advantage in the latter stages of the game, with Robertson and Brownlie coasting Hearts to their fourth victory of the 2024/25 SWPL campaign.

A dramatic finale at McDiarmid Park, as super sub Moses Ebiye fired home the final kick of the game to rescue the three points in an exhilarating ninety minutes under the Perthshire sunshine.

Irishman Dan Casey bulleted home the opener amid the early exchanges, powering home Andy Halliday’s whipped delivery across the 18-yard-box. Motherwell continued to control proceedings and toiled in search of a crucial second, that would’ve fairly reflected their assured first-half display, however the hosts soon punished Motherwell’s attacking woes by pulling themselves level in the latter stages of the second-half.

Motherwell’s first-half dominance looked a distant memory, as Benjamin Kimpioka’s unanticipated equaliser rejuvenated a strained St. Johnstone side, but Ebiye’s late heroics proved to be the difference, with the Nigerian striker capitalising on the final kick of the game, diverting Casey’s direct headed effort beyond the reach of Ross Sinclair much to the jubilation of the emphatic travelling support.

Manager, Stuart kettlewell named an unchanged side from last weekend’s comfortable victory over Hearts at Fir park. Deadline day addition Jack Vale was named amongst the substitutes, as fellow late arrival Jair Tavares watched on from the sidelines.

Motherwell almost certainly looked to have earned an early penalty kick after Paul McGinn was impeded deep into the St. Johnstone penalty area, but despite a four-minute VAR check, referee Iain Snedden ruled in favour of a St. Johnstone goal-kick.

The breakthrough emerged soon after with defender Dan Casey opening his account for the 2024/25 Premiership campaign, powering home Andy Halliday’s accurate delivery across the face of goal.

The visitors almost doubled their advantage soon after, with Maswanhise turning provider, teeing up Halliday at the edge of the box. The midfielder lent back before curling a magnificent finish into the top-left corner, but an offside in the build-up prematurely ended Halliday’s celebrations.

Motherwell were firmly in the ascendency and deserving of amassing more of an advantage, as the first-half drew to a close.

The hosts took advantage, with Kimpioka coasting across the left-flank before dispatching a composed finish into the bottom-right corner. The stands of McDiarmid Park firmly rose to the occasion, lifting an abject St. Johnstone side into life.

Motherwell thwarted numerous attempts on goal during a frantic period of the game, but Stuart Kettlewell’s side soon composed themselves, implementing the game-plan and pinning the Saints backline into their own penalty area.

Following two identical miraculous saves to deny Casey from netting a brace, Casey soon headed Lennon Miller’s dangerous delivery across the face of goal, and super sub Moses Ebiye converted from a yard out; sending the visiting support into raptures.

Stuart Kettlewell gives his thoughts on a dramatic late win in Perth.

Manager Stuart Kettlewell and Assistant Manager Stephen Frail have signed new contracts at the club. 

The Motherwell manager and Assistant have agreed to new rolling contracts.

“It’s been a huge honour to lead this team since February 2023,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

“Remaining at the club was always something I wanted. I’m proud of what we have achieved as a team so far.

“When I first joined, the outlook was bleak, and we needed to turn the form around quickly. Fast forward 18 months, and we have gone on a scintillating run at the end of the 22/23 season, just missed out on top-six last season, increased the revenue from player sales, and progressed to the quarter-final of the Premier Sports Cup.

“The development of players has been something I’m particularly proud of.

“But what made this decision so easy was the unwavering support I’ve received from staff, the executive board and most importantly, the supporters.

“Since my first day at the club, the backing has been immense. We’ve had lots of good moments that we have celebrated together.

“I said right at the very start of my tenure that there was lots we could achieve here. That included producing a team that the supporters could buy into.

“The work towards that doesn’t stop here; if anything, it increases. I will continue to do as best I can, work as hard as I can, to reach our goals and aspirations.”

Stuart Kettlewell named Stephen Frail as his assistant back in March 2023, having had experience at both international level with Northern Ireland and at club level.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at this fantastic club so far,” assistant manager Stephen Frail added.

“I love working with the players, the staff and the manager. I didn’t know the manager prior to coming here, and it’s been rewarding to work with him.

“I’m privileged to have been offered these new terms and hopefully we can have a very successful season.”

Stuart Kettlewell was named Motherwell boss in February 2023, having won his two games in interim charge.

He made the best start of any Motherwell manager since Roger Hynd in 1977, winning a manager of the month award in the process.

With the side joint bottom of the league at the start of February, Kettlewell led the team on an incredible few months of results, which included wins against Hibernian, Hearts, Livingston, Dundee United, St Johnstone and St Mirren. Motherwell also earned a point against Celtic at Parkhead. That run of form saw the Steelmen finish on 50 points, with Kettlewell at the helm for 30 of them.

That impressive run of form continued into the 23/24 season. Going into the September international break last year, Motherwell were undefeated on the road under Stuart Kettlewell, and they had extended their top-flight undefeated streak to 10 games, their longest run since 2010.

A run of winless games followed next. The team picked up six draws in 15 games, but a win over Livingston in December 2023 brought the Steelmen back to life.

Five wins and six draws from 15 games in all competitions prior to the split, which included our first win at Ibrox since 1997, saw Stuart Kettlewell’s side narrowly miss out on top-six on match day 32.

Two wins and a draw from the final matches saw Motherwell finish well above any of the relegation spots to secure our 40th consecutive season in the top flight.

Now, into his second full season at the club, Kettlewell has steered the team to the quarter-final of the Premier Sports Cup and to our first win of the league season against Hearts.

Luca Ross has joined League One side Annan Athletic on loan until January. 

The 18-year-old has made five first-team appearances for Motherwell, scoring a last minute equaliser against Ross County last season at Fir Park.

Annan have picked up two wins out of their first four matches, defeating Inverness CT and Cove Rangers.

“It’s no secret that we have been looking to get some of the young boys some regular minutes,” manager Stuart Kettlewell explained.

“Luca is part of our ‘development group’, and these loan moves can really aid their development.

“We’ve seen in the past that a loan move away from the club is not a punishment. It’s an opportunity. We’ll be tracking Luca’s progress closely and I hope he makes a big impact from the off as he’s a player I think really highly of.”

Motherwell’s 17th signing of the summer window is Jair Tavares, who joins on loan from Hibernian until the end of the season. 

The 23-year-old joined Hibernian in June 2022, having came through the youth system at Benfica.

“Signing Jair is an excellent piece of business,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

“We’ve got a player who has experience in this league, came through at a top academy at Benfica and will now get the opportunity of regular minutes here at Motherwell.

“He’s a winger who is direct, exciting and will add a lot to our team.”

A regular for the B side in Portugal, the pacy winger made the switch to Scotland for an undisclosed fee and has made 41 appearances for the Edinburgh side.

He has also continued to progress through his nation’s youth ranks being capped at U17, U18, and U19 level.

Tavares has featured three times for the Hibees this season, with all appearances coming in the group-stages of the Premier Sports Cup.