Motherwell produced a wonderful attacking performance to edge out Dundee United in a seven-goal thriller and leapfrog the Tannadice side to claim fourth spot in the William Hill Premiership table.
Goals from Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Sam Dalby inside the first five minutes set the scene for an action-packed afternoon. Two quickfire goals from Halliday and Stamatelopoulos set up the Fir Park men for a thoroughly merited 3-1 lead at the interval.
A slice of fortune then allowed Dalby to narrow the gap before Tom Sparrow came off the bench to make it 4-2. The points looked safe until Louis Moult pulled one back for United, leaving eight minutes of pulsating action before ‘Well could deservedly claim all three points.
With last week’s match winner, Tony Watt, unable to face his parent club; Tawanda Maswanhise came in to partner Apostolos Stamatelopoulos in the ‘Well attack.
The United front line was led by the former Fir Park goal hero, Louis Moult, who scored against the Steelmen on his last visit in September.
But the home side made the perfect start, finding the net after only 47 seconds.
Marvin Kaleta worked a quick exchange on the right-hand side of the box before sweeping the ball into the six-yard box, where Stamatelopoulos nipped in front of Declan Gallagher and prodded the ball past Jack Walton.
Before the Steelmen could build on that lead, though, United were level thanks to VAR’s intervention.
Referee Nick Walsh saw nothing wrong with Liam Gordon’s challenge as the defender cleared the ball before colliding into Moult. But after the referee reviewed the incident on the trackside monitor, he pointed to the penalty spot. Dalby converted with a side-footed effort into the net, sending Aston Oxborough the wrong way to make it 1-1.
‘Well had an early chance to restore their lead when Andy Halliday fed the ball through to Harry Paton. With the goal begging 12 yards away, Emmanuel Adegboyega’s sliding challenge robbed the Canadian midfielder of a strike.
United’s reply was a close-range effort from Dalby, which Oxborough reacted superbly to push the ball round the post.
That was the only relief on the visitors goal as ‘Well pressed United into their own half.
Lennon Miller’s pass allowed Maswanhise to turn at the edge of the box before driving the ball across Walton and beyond his far post.
A couple of minutes later, the home side came close again. Halliday swept the ball from the right into Stamatelopoulos’ path, who drilled his shot narrowly past the other post.
Finally, after 33 minutes, the Steelmen found the target again. Maswanhise wriggled clear on the right before crossing the ball beyond the far post. Steve Seddon took a touch and then fired the ball low back across the box for Halliday to force it into the net.
Jim Goodwin’s men had no time to reply before falling two behind.
Miller slipped the ball to Halliday, and his lofted pass towards Walton’s goal found Stamatelopoulos rising unchallenged, and the Australian guided his header high past the ‘keeper to make it 3-1.
And it might have been a fourth in additional time when Luca Stephenson’s high boot caught Paton inside the box, but on this occasion the referee and VAR decided it was not a penalty.
The second half started with Motherwell showing the same intent.
A neat move after 51 minutes found Kaleta on the right, and his ball across the box gave Stamatelopoulos a chance to test Walton with a low shot.
Two minutes later, though, United were back in the game. Glenn Middleton’s high cross into the six-yard area enticed Oxborough from his line. But when the ‘Well ‘keeper failed to connect, the ball bounced off Dalby and into an empty net.
As the visitors chased an equaliser, the play became rather frantic, and Stuart Kettlewell freshened things up, bringing on Tom Sparrow and Ewan Wilson.
However, it took two miraculous saves from Oxborough to atone for his error and preserve his side’s lead.
Moult was the provider in the 64th minute when his cross was met by Dalby, whose downward header was brilliantly palmed away from his goal line by the ‘keeper’s left hand.
Two minutes later, Moult almost added to his haul of goals at Fir Park, but his thumping drive was superbly touched on to the face of his crossbar by Oxborough.
That proved a crucial save as a minute later, ‘Well regained their two-goal advantage.
Stamatelopoulos gathered the ball at the edge of the box and rolled it in front of Sparrow, who deftly drilled it low past Walton to make it 4-2.
Two more changes from the home bench saw Stephen O’Donnell return from injury and Moses Ebiye join the attack.
And with his first touch, the Nigerian striker’s low drive forced a diving save from Walton.
With Sam Nicholson making another late appearance on his comeback from serious injury, the points looked safe and secure until United pulled another goal back four minutes from time.
Middleton’s corner was firmly met by Holt, who powered home his header and set up a nail-biting finish.
Given the explosive opening to the game, four minutes of additional time provided action for more goals.
Well had the chance to make it five, and round off a wonderful game when O’Donnell broke from his own half. But with four in claret in amber racing towards the United goal Walton raced from his line to end the threat but unable to deny the Steelmen a terrific win.
Motherwell team: Oxborough, Kaleta, Casey, Gordon, Blaney, Seddon, Halliday, Paton, Miller (C), Maswanhise, Stamatelopoulos.
Motherwell subs: Hegyi, O’Donnell, Balmer, Zdravkovski, Sparrow, Nicholson, Wilson, Ebiye, Tavares.
