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The sunshine shone on Leith, as Motherwell emerged from an action-packed afternoon of football with a comfortable 2-1 victory over 10-man Hibernian to extend their foothold on fourth-place in the Premiership table.

Apostolous Stamatelopoulous drilled home his maiden Motherwell goal to force the steelmen into the ascendency before a quickfire equaliser brought the hosts level. Hibs were soon reduced to 10-men, as Nectarios Triantis received a second yellow card following a rash challenge, and Motherwell immediately took advantage. Andy Halliday proved to be the hero in the latter stages of the game, forcing home Kofi Balmer’s sensational long-throw from close-range to seal the three points in the Scottish capital.

Stuart Kettlewell made two changes from last weekend’s victory over St. Mirren at Fir Park, with Stamatelopoulous making his first-start since returning from injury, as Balmer also came into the starting XI following Dan Casey’s red card last week. Australian International defender, Johnny Koutroumbis also made his first appearance in the matchday squad following a substantial period of time on the sidelines with a pre-season injury.

The hosts looked likelier to break the deadlock following the early exchanges in the first-half. Aston Oxborough again came to the Steelmen’s rescue, brilliantly parrying a series of goal bound efforts from Ukrainian striker Mykola Kukharevych, with Lennon Miller also showing his defensive capabilities, heading clear Kukharevych’s chance on the goalline.

Heading into the break on level-terms, Motherwell opened the second-half with their most productive spell of the 90-minutes. Miller’s quick free-kick caught the static Hibs backline off-guard, and Stamatelopoulous rifled a magnificent finish high into the roof of the net, sending the travelling support into raptures.

The visitors lead only lasted for around three-minutes, as Junior Hoilett capitalised on a defensive mix-up, curling a precise finish into the bottom-right corner; beyond the reach of Oxborough.

Second-half substitute Moses Ebiye thought he had restored Motherwell’s advantage after converting from close-range, but following a VAR check, the goal was ruled out after the striker had strayed offside.

Hibs were reduced to 10-men in the latter stages of the game after Triantis caught Miller with a rash challenge, leaving referee Matthew MacDermid no alternative but to brandish a second yellow-card.

The steelmen took full advantage, and with less than 10-minutes left to play, former Hearts midfielder Halliday responded to his familiar Easter Road reception, latching onto Balmer’s long-throw in before placing a composed finish into the bottom-left corner in-front of a jubilant away support.

Motherwell held on in the final few minutes to earn their third successive victory and their second victory on the road in the Premiership this season. Stuart Kettlewell’s side now sit one-point clear of Dundee United in fourth-place, level on points with Rangers in third.

Stuart Kettlewell gives his reaction to his side defeating Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road.

Goals from Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Andy Halliday sends the Steelmen into the international break having won six of their last seven games.

The women of steel refocus their attention to league action this weekend motivated by their penalty shootout victory over local rivals Hamilton in the first Lanarkshire derby of the 2024/25 campaign which saw Motherwell progress to the Quarter-Finals of the Sky Sports Cup.

The women of steel conceded moments before half-time, and looked set to exit the Sky Sports League Cup to their closest Lanarkshire rivals, but within the final few seconds of additional time, Rangers-loanee Laura Berry rifled home a magnificent volley from Louisa Boyes’ skilfully chipped through ball to send the tie into extra-time.

Neither side could be separated over the additional half-hour, with the derby to be settled over a penalty shootout. Goalscorer Berry sent her opening effort over the crossbar, giving the Accies the early advantage, but two exceptional reaction saves from Motherwell stopper Rebecca Cameron sealed the women of steel’s place in the next round.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

Motherwell’s late cup heroics tees up a meeting with Sunday’s opponents in the Quarter-Final’s next month, providing both sides  with the opportunity to face a cup preview when they face in the SWPL this Sunday at Broadwood. The women of steel head into Sunday’s encounter with back-to-back victories following a comfortable six-goal victory over Queens Park at Ochilview.

Motherwell will face a variety of squad selection limitations this weekend, as Amy Sharkey, Sienna McGoldrick and latest addition Sophie Black all continue to represent Scotland U17s, whilst Laura Berry and Mason Blyth-Clark are ineligible against their parent club.

Limitations on squad selection may provide the opportunity for several academy graduates, who featured in the squad against Hamilton last weekend. Striker Kyla Thomson came off the bench and impressed in a late second-half cameo, whilst Hannah Cairns and Mia Gillespie were also named amongst the substitutes.

Rangers

Rangers are unbeaten in their opening nine SWPL fixtures so far this season, picking up eight straight victories before a 2-2 stalemate with bitter rivals Celtic in the first derby of the 2024/25 campaign. Rangers’ only defeats so far came in the Champions League against Arsenal and Atletico De Madrid.

Ticket information 

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £7.
• Concession – £4.
• Juvenile – £4.

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 Broadwood at 2PM.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos is in the Australia squad for their October fixtures. 

Having missed out in September due to injury, the striker returns to the Socceroos squad having earned his first cap in the summer.

It was Graham Arnold who gave him his first cap, however Arnold left the post in September and has since been replaced with Tony Popovic.

Australia will continue their World Cup qualifying campaign. In the opening two games, they drew with Indonesia and suffered defeat against Bahrain.

They will look to bounce back in Popovic’s first game at the helm against China on 10 October, before travelling to Japan on Tuesday 15 October.

• Australia v China 
• Thursday 10 October 
• 10.10am Kick Off 
• Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

• Japan v Australia 
• Tuesday 15 October 
• 11.35am Kick Off 
• Saitama Stadium, Japan

Kofi Balmer discusses how he has remained professional and patient as he waited for his first appearance in the league. Balmer also speaks about what he might have to do to keep his place in the side. 

The former Crystal Palace man talks about who has helped him to where he has got to today.

Motherwell Football Club Community Trust officially opened Fir Park Training Centre on Monday.

The official unveiling of the rejuvenated facility, located directly behind the John Hunter Stand at Fir Park, welcomed leading community officials including North Lanarkshire Council Provost Kenneth Duffy.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have the official opening of our training centre,” Motherwell FC Community Trust CEO Dawn Middleton emphasised.

“This was quite a long-term project and we’re incredibly grateful to the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund which we secured through North Lanarkshire Council, and the Scottish Football Association’s DCMS levelling up Facilities Fund which enabled us to fully fund the project.

“We only have this one chance to get everything in place, and it means that this is now a top-class training facility which gives so much more to our community teams, the projects we deliver and the local community in Motherwell.

“It’s an area where people can come without feeling the imposing buildings of a stadium, but this new facility, still within the footprint of Fir Park offers them that opportunity to come into a safe space where they’ll be welcomed and there are staff and projects to support them.”

The development of Fir Park Training Centre was funded by the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Funding to the tune of £215,000 with match funding, including £190,000 from the Scottish FA’s DCMS Facilities Fund, bringing the total project to just over £500,000.

The existing synthetic surface was upgraded with a new shock pad and top-quality playing surface, including new 5-, 7-, 9- and 11-a-side goals.

“Motherwell Football Club Community Trust play an absolute incredible role within the local area,” North Lanarkshire Council Provost Kenneth Duffy added.

“They do projects tackling loneliness, poverty, and inequalities in their community and these new facilities go a long way in helping improve those outcomes.

“Motherwell Football Club sit in a league of their own when it comes to community empowerment. The team here do an incredible job day in day out and we’re very lucky to have them.”

Around the pitch ball stop nets were installed along with spectator fencing to reduce incursion to the new surface.

Two brand-new storage containers were also placed at one side of the Fir Park Training Centre enabling the Community Trust to deliver a series of programmes within the ‘Well Hub’ and “Coaching Hub” facilities.

“We were absolutely delighted to have the Provost Kenneth Duffy along,” Dawn Middleton noted.

“He has been a long-term supporter of our work and has been a fantastic asset to the local authority, so to have his recognition of what we’ve built and what we’re developing for our people, that’s huge for us and it means so much that he took time out of a very busy schedule to come along and see what we do.”

The new Hubs will provide accessible facilities, with the main Trust offices being located on the top floor of the Cooper Stand. The new facility is a welcome addition and provides a fantastic facility for community teams and programmes.

“We’re absolutely delighted,” Kris Wales, Scottish FA Club Services Project Co-ordinator explained.

“It’s a brilliant facility, one we’re delighted to be able to support through funding and investment with the Scottish FA and it encapsulates exactly what the grassroots pitch and facilities fund is all about.

“The facilities funding has provided areas like Motherwell with an opportunity to provide football activity that can become the heart of a community. To be able to have that opportunity to invest in facilities is something that is incredibly important to us at the Scottish FA.

“Investment for us is about enhancing that power of football and to be able to invest into those community football spaces to provide areas for people of all ages to be part of something throughout the community. This is absolutely key to everything we’re trying to achieve within the Association.”

“Every time I come out here, there are changes and development,” Alan Morgan, Scottish FA Central Region Manager supported.

“It’s great to see how the investment we’re putting in turns into more participation of people using the facility. We’ve been on a journey within the Scottish FA for many years now to try to support and develop our clubs to be the heartbeat of the community and have that identity.

“Without a good facility that is not possible, so as we try to support the clubs on that journey, the facility development becomes really important as well.”

Manager Stuart Kettlewell remains firmly focused on the week-on-week challenges his team face. Despite the strong start to the league and cup campaigns, Kettlewell ensured nobody is getting ahead of themselves and the team will continue to keep their feet on the ground. 

Kettlewell also discusses the impressive Lennon Miller, as well as his analysis of David Gray’s Hibernian side.

Goalkeeper Krisztián Hegyi will head off with the Hungarian Under 21 side ahead of their October fixtures. 

Hungary will play the next two matches in their Euro Under 21 qualifying campaign.

With two games left to play, the Hungarians are six points off a qualification spot.

They play in at home in their first match against Malta on 10 October, before travelling to Belgium on 15 October.

• Hungary U21 v Malta U21
• Thursday 10 October
• 7pm Kick Off
• Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium, Budapest

• Belgium U21 v Hungary U21
• Tuesday 15 October 
• 5pm Kick Off 
• King Power at Den Dreef Stadion, Leuven

Deadline day moves always bring a bit of added excitement. The rush to get things over the line in time. The last-minute dash to complete a medical. The announcement.

It’s all part of the fun. For young Lucy Barclay, her move came at the last knockings of the summer window. Arriving from SWPL champions Celtic, 17-year-old Barclay made the switch as she begins to build-up her experience in the Scottish top-flight.

“Motherwell was the perfect destination for me,” Barclay said.

“I was so chuffed to get the move complete, and it’s now just a case of me getting my head down and trying to get minutes on the pitch.

“It made sense to come here. Motherwell have a track record of playing young players and building them up. The team has ambitions to compete against the best clubs in Scotland, and I want to be a part of that.

“They are a competitive club within the SWPL, and having watched them many times, I was impressed by their attractive style of football, which I’m looking to positively contribute to.”

Barclay made a name for herself very early on in her career. Making her debut for the Hoops at just 16, she is looking for that continued progression though the ranks.

But playing for the champions is no easy feat, and Barclay felt that she needed a move to continue her development.

“I was looking to move throughout the summer,” she added.

“There was an injury I had been carrying from last season, so I wasn’t able to fully train. There were a number of clubs interested, but Motherwell, with Paul and Leanne’s experience, was the one that was interesting.

“I’ve been training with the team for a few weeks, so I’m just glad to get the move confirmed.”

A right-back by trade, now 17-year-old Barclay was named on the bench for the first time against Glasgow City two weeks ago. Keeping her head down and professionalism up, the young. Defender is determined to make an impact in her time in ML1.

“Paul’s expectations from me are to work hard and show determination to help the team,” she explained.

“He wants me to make a contribution to training and games. My own ambition is to gain first-team SWPL experience. The team is looking to be competitive and aiming for a top-six finish in the league, with progression in the cup competitions.”

The women of steel have made a positive start to league proceedings. Currently in 7^th place, with nine points from eight outings, Paul Brownlie’s side have impressed. Narrowly losing out to Glasgow City was a bitter pill to swallow, given the chances squandered against a top side, but in their last match, Motherwell dispatched six goals past Queens Park.

Laura Berry returned to Motherwell on deadline day and scored four in just her second match since returning. With the team in a good place, Barclay has her eyes set on improvement. But as she takes a moment to reflect, she is reminded of what she had already achieved within the game.

“I have two highlights, one for club and the other for country,” Barclay said.

“Firstly, making my SWPL debut against Hibernian for Celtic. I was only 16, and I was proud to have reached that milestone so early in my career.

“My other was captaining Scotland at Under-16 level. It will always be an honour to represent my country; it’s something anyone should be proud of. But to be trusted with the responsibility of the armband, that’s a different level.

“It shows trust, and if I’m honest, I do like to be a leader on the park. Whether that is from central midfield positions or on the right/left wing. I will always try my best.

“I enjoy not only creating and scoring goals but also the tactical defence side of the game. Rose Reilly is an inspiration, and I enjoy watching Caroline Weir play.

“You learn so much by watching and analysing. Anything that can help me improve as a player, I’ll do it.”

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

Lennon Miller, Aston Oxborough, Ewan Wilson and Liam Gordon are all up for nomination.

To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.

Games in September

• Aberdeen 2-1 Motherwell
• Motherwell 2-1 Dundee United
• Motherwell 2-1 St Mirren