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Motherwell concluded their final domestic fixture of 2024, holding high-flying Hearts to a goalless stalemate at K-Park on Sunday.

It proved not to be a contest for the footballing purist, as both sides evenly matched each other in a defensively resolute performance that conceded very few opportunistic chances on goal.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie named two changes from the side that were defeated in the Scottish capital by Hibernian last weekend. Defender Rachel Todd and and midfielder Lucy Ronald both returned to the starting XI, with Ronald making her first competitive start since an injury setback against Spartans last season ruled the 22-year-old out of action for over a year. Chelsie Watson and Sienna McGoldrick both settled for a place amongst the substitutes.

Few chances of note troubled both Emily Mutch and Rachael Johnstone across either half, with Bailley Collins coming closest after curling a hopeful left-footed effort across the face of goal, but the versatile defenders attempt fell narrowly beyond the far post.

Collins again came close to breaking the deadlock in the second-half after looking to capitalise on Johnstone’s high starting position, clipping an audacious finish from distance, but the shot strayed wide of the target. Katie Rice’s bending free-kick from the edge of the Hearts’ penalty area had Johnstone scrambling in the Hearts goal, but the experienced defender couldn’t find the top-left corner.

Motherwell head into the winter break two-points clear of closest-rivals Partick Thistle in the SWPL table, with the women of steel set to return to action in January.

Ten-man Motherwell had to settle for a point as Kilmarnock came back from a goal behind at Fir Park on Friday night. 

In a dull first half, Liam Gordon’s headed goal had the Steelmen ahead until Liam Polworth levelled the scores just before Dan Casey was bizarrely red carded after facing up to Danny Armstrong.

Although the Ayrshire men tried to push home their numerical advantage, the game was evenly balanced as both teams chased a late winner.

Following Saturday’s exciting win over Dundee United, Stuart Kettlewell made one change for Kilmarnock’s Friday night visit to Fir Park.

For a fixture that is usually a tight encounter, the Well boss brought back the experienced Tony Watt at the expense of Tawanda Maswanhise.

The Steelmen were hoping to replicate the flying start they made against United and within 30 seconds had tested the Killie keeper.

Lennon Miller’s free kick found Gordon, and his header found Kieran O’Hara leaping to his right to beat the ball away before play was stopped for offside.

After 18 minutes, the Fir Park men grabbed the lead.

Marvin Kaleta’s high ball to the back of the six-yard area was headed back across goal by Casey. The keeper pushed the ball off his line but only as far as Gordon, who slammed it through a ruck of players to make it 1-0.

Sadly, that was about it for first-half goalmouth action as the ball spent an inordinate amount of time in the air as neither team took a commanding hold of the game, with both sides untidy in possession.

Kilmarnock did create one chance, on the half hour mark, when Aston Oxborough made a smart save low to his left to deny Kyle Vassell an equaliser.

In the first decent build-up of the second-half, Motherwell created an opening.

Kaleta carried the ball down the right before passing inside to Watt. His ball into the box found his striking partner Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, who found enough space for a shot that sailed over the bar.

Six minutes later, Oxborough produced another diving save to block Vassell’s firm drive.

With 68 minutes played, Kettlewell made a double substitution, bringing on Tom Sparrow and Davor Zdravkovski.

However, it was Killie’s double substitution that had an immediate impact on the game when Danny Armstrong’s cross fell for Vassell. But once again, Oxborough denied the striker, forcing his shot around the post.

From the resultant corner, the ball found its way to Polworth, and although Oxborough got his hands to the ex-Well man’s powerful drive, he couldn’t prevent it sneaking inside his right-hand post.

Things got worse for the Steelmen a couple of minutes later when they were reduced to 10 men. Following a VAR check, Casey was shown a red card, incredibly, for violent conduct.

The Well boss then bravely went for three points, bringing on the attack-minded Maswanhise and Moses Ebiye.

Immediately Ebiye was heading towards the box only to be tripped by Joe Wright.

The resultant free kick from Miller had some fans on their feet as his curled effort rippled the side netting with O’Hara scurrying across his goal line.

As the fourth official indicated eight minutes of additional time, the game became an end-to-end affair as both teams pressed for a win.

However, although Motherwell looked the more likely to score until the final whistle, they had to settle for a point to reinforce their hold on fourth place in the league table.

Stuart Kettlewell gives his thoughts on a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock which was marred by a controversial red card for Dan Casey.

Our match against Celtic will now take place on Sunday 2 February 2025. 

Kick off is 3pm at Fir Park.

The match will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Flair, versatility and a keen eye on goal are simply few of the traits within the repertoire of talents that the K-park faithful have become accustomed to whilst watching Laura Berry leading the line. 

The striker burst into the Scottish Women’s Premier League, netting 8-goals in 12-appearances after joining the club on an initial season-long loan deal from Glasgow-outfit Rangers. A Champions League debut for the Gers followed, facing European titans Atletico de Madrid and Arsenal, but the youngster sought to continue her development elsewhere – returning to the club for her second consecutive loan deal.

Berry has quickly rediscovered her form this campaign, scoring seven-goals in eight-appearances, including four against newly-promoted SWPL2 champions Queens Park in only her second game. The international ranks haven’t fazed the forward, with Berry completing a first-half hat-trick against the Netherlands before scoring a double against Hungary the following week.

“I’ve loved my time at the club,” Berry noted.

“I really wanted to continue the progression of my own game, and my first stint at the club last season allowed me to make significant strides on the pitch. The coaching staff at the club work tirelessly to ensure progression on the pitch collectively as a squad, but they also are focused on developing yourself individually as a player.

“The squad are incredibly supportive, and have created a really positive environment fir young players to thrive. We have a really perfect balance of experienced and young players in the squad that has been fundamental to our performances on the pitch this season. I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned at the club to the Scotland youth squads and develop my standards on the international stage.”

Her impression on the Scottish footballing scene hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the 17-year-old forward receiving the Scottish Women’s Football Young Player of the Year award. The striker was nominated alongside Rossvale’s Sophie Ambrosini, Hearts’ Jessica Husband and Ross County’s Keira Syrjanen, but after initially being shortlisted by a supporters vote, Berry was awarded the ‘Young player of the year’ by a selected judging panel.

“It has been a dream come true,” Berry emphasised.

“It was an absolute honour and a privilege to be nominated in my first season of professional football, especially alongside so many talented players. Being recognised as the Young Player of the Year is a really proud milestone for myself and something that I haven’t taken for granted.

“It has been a whirlwind experience. I still feel relatively new to the league and fairly inexperienced at this level, but having my first full season under my belt and trying to replicate those performances this season as an established first-team player has been important to my development.

“Ultimately, my main focus is to support the team to success on the pitch, but individually as a player, I’m always looking to improve and add to my game, so to receive the recognition from the SWF is a real motivator for me to continue with the hard work both on and off the pitch.”

The women of steel remain firmly in the ascendency, as they chase their long-awaited and evaded ambition of a top-six finish in the Scottish Women’s Premier League table. Motherwell have maintained an advantage over their closest rivals Partick Thistle for much of the 2024/25 SWPL campaign, after a 1-1 stalemate in the last meeting between the sides.

Paul Brownlie’s side confidently secured their place in Round Four of the Scottish Cup, defeating SWPL2 side Rossvale with an assured seven-goal victory before closely-battling league leaders Rangers at a sub-zero K-Park. Despite not finding the target, Berry showcased her creativity, teeing up her teammates on three-occasions.

“The SWPL is a difficult league,” Berry explained.

“Part-time squads are facing opposition who are well-rested, training full-time, and solely focused on football. The challenges can be unpredictable, but as a squad, we’ve approached each game in a professional manner – training regularly with great attention to detail and always with an ambition to compete at the top-end of the table. We’ve proven how efficient and competitive we can be – losing by one-goal margins against both Rangers and Glasgow City demonstrated our standards, as we were capable and deserving of taking points in both of these matches.

“We’ve made it no secret that a top-six finish is our ambition this season, but we don’t focus too much on the league table. It can often sound like a cliche in football, but we are simply taking each game at a time, and the league table will take care of itself.”

Some of the Motherwell squad, including manager Stuart Kettlewell and Assistant Manager Stephen Frail, carried out their annual visit to Children’s Ward at Wishaw General Hospital this week.

Trying to spread some festive cheer to those who are going through a difficult time, the players handed out Motherwell FC Teddy Bears donated by the Motherwell FC Community Trust, as well as free tablets from TCL for the children to play with.

The women of steel will cross the Edinburgh divide this weekend, with Motherwell set to take on Hearts after facing fierce rivals Hibernian the previous week, as Motherwell prepare to close-out their final fixture of 2024 at K-Park on Sunday. 

Motherwell will look to rectify their performance after a frustrating display in the Scottish capital last weekend, as the women of steel were dealt a bitter blow in the second-half, with Hibs coasting to an unmatched four-goal advantage despite a competitive first-half performance at Meadowbank.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

Paul Brownlie’s side will conclude their final SWPL fixture of the calendar year, as they return to South Lanarkshire to face Hearts this weekend. The women of steel’s last victory over the Jambos came in 2022, with Motherwell looking to get back to winning ways against the visitors on Sunday, with Paul Brownlie’s side defeated in their last three meetings between the sides.

The women of steel can secure their place in the top-six until the new year with a victory this weekend, as their women of steel attempt to maintain their current one-point advantage over closest-rivals Partick Thistle in the SWPL table.

Motherwell have sought to strengthen their home advantage, with the K-Park side picking up three-wins from three in East Kilbride – defeated only by title-chasers Rangers and Celtic.

Hearts

The Gorgie-side are unbeaten in their last three, defeating Aberdeen and Spartans, whilst being held to a goalless stalemate against league leaders Glasgow City. Eva Olid’s side have impressed on the road, recording six-consecutive victories – scoring on 22-occasions whilst defensively maintaining an impeccable clean sheet.n

Ticket information

Supporters can purchase tickets on matchday, with the clubs turnstile in operation.

• Adult – £8.
• Concession – £3.
• Under 11s – Free to enter.

How to follow the action 

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

Vice Captain Stephen O’Donnell made his return from injury last weekend against Dundee United. The full-back has been impressed with how the team have been playing but insists there is still room for improvement. 

He says that hitting a points total that will keep Motherwell safe in the division is the first priority and anything beyond that will be assessed if it’s achieved.

O’Donnell is looking forward to playing on the Friday night, although he insists that competition for places is high in the squad and he’ll need to work hard to get back in the team.

Manager Stuart Kettlewell reveals he has spoken with head of referees Willie Collum following the match against Dundee United. Kettlewell discusses his thoughts on the use of VAR in Scotland, as well as how difficult a job the officials have. 

The Motherwell boss was in the stand for that win over United and is looking forward to being back in the dugout. He says the team are in a great spot but nobody is too high in these good moments, just like they’re not too low in the bad moments.

Saturday marked Stuart Kettlewell’s 80th match in charge as Motherwell manager. 

Arriving in February 2023 with Motherwell in the midst of a relegation scrap, the mood was gloomy in camp, with Raith Rovers knocking the Steelmen out of the Scottish Cup on the Saturday. St Mirren were the visitors to Fir Park on the Wednesday, with Stuart Kettlewell in charge on an interim basis.

A 2-1 win would follow, thanks to first-half goals from Kevin van Veen and Max Johnston, which would see the start of a glowing relationship between club and manager.

From that game until the end of the season, Motherwell were rejuvenated under the new boss. They gathered 30 points from a possible 42 and only missed out on a top-six spot on match day 33.

That successful run continued into the new 2023/24 season, where Motherwell went ten league games without defeat, their longest run without defeat since 2010.

Having been in charge for 82 matches, Stuart Kettlewell has guided Motherwell to fourth in the William Hill Premiership.

In that time, the Motherwell boss has accomplished plenty at the helm. In 82 matches, he has led the team to victory on 37 occasions, drawing 17. Kettlewell’s win percentage sits at an impressive 45.1% in all competitions. Going back 23 years, with statistics becoming slightly less reliable beyond that time, only Craig Brown’s win percentage sits higher.

And those numbers have proven to bring success across the board for Motherwell. They have beaten ten out of the 12 opponents they have faced in the top flight, with Aberdeen and Celtic being the two. It’s worth noting that Motherwell have drawn twice at Celtic Park in their last two visits.

The Steelmen have picked up a 1.44 points per match (ppm) average in the league. In comparison to previous managers, Graham Alexander had a ppm of 1.32 in the league, with Stephen Robinson sitting at 1.28ppm.

Consistency

As with any club, consistency is always high on the agenda. Being able to perform and produce results on a regular basis is the key to a successful league and campaign.

Kettlewell has been in charge for 68 league matches at Motherwell. In that time, they have picked up 98 points thanks to 27 wins and 17 draws.

That 98-point tally is only bettered by Aberdeen, Rangers, and Celtic in the time that Kettlewell has been in charge.

The late, late show

One characteristic Stuart Kettlewell has often mentioned that he wants his players to show is that never-say-die attitude.

In the dying embers of matches, the Well boss always wants his team to keep fighting and running. Fans hold the expectation that their team will fight to the death.

It’s fair to say that those non-negotiables have been taken on board by the players who have played under him.

Since his arrival in February 2023, Motherwell have scored 20 goals in 90+ minutes. Of those goals, 21 points have been gained, as well as progression to the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup.

The Perfect Blend

Previously holding the position of development coach, a big part of Kettlewell’s coaching philosophy is bringing through youth players from within, but also aiding the development of any player who crosses the white line at Fir Park.

He has given debuts to six players who were under the age of 20:

• Mark Ferrie
• Dylan Wells
• Brodie Spencer
• Ewan Wilson
• Georgie Gent
• Marvin Kaleta

A huge believer in trying to improve every player, trust is an integral part of the mechanism. Trusting young players to take centre stage and carry out their task on the pitch is key.

The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. This season, Motherwell have the second lowest average squad age in the Premiership at 25. St Johnstone have the youngest at 24.9.

With shining lights being put on Lennon Miller, who has picked up the captaincy in the process, Ewan Wilson has gone from playing in the junior divisions to top-flight football, as well as earning his first Under 21 Scotland cap.

Young Dylan Wells was given his first-team debut against Alloa in January 2023, with Mark Ferrie also picking up a handful of appearances.

And those on the cusp of action from the academy have been closer than ever. Since his arrival, Kettlewell has named 15 different academy graduates on the bench for a first-team game, excluding those who had already played first-team football by that point.

Never a Dull Moment

It’s a typical saying of a Motherwell supporter to talk about the rollercoaster you have to endure as a ‘Well fan.

In the last 68 league games, there has been action throughout. During Kettlewell’s tenure, Motherwell have scored in 53 out of the 68 league matches, with 105 goals scored in total.

And the action has been near and far.

Playing 35 games on home soil and 33 away from home, Motherwell have picked up 52 points at home, 53% of their total points tally under Kettlewell.

46 points have been gained on the road, including 12 wins and ten draws.

Back-to-back draws at Celtic Park have been followed up with a 2-1 win at Ibrox, the first Motherwell win in Govan since 1997.

Half Season Tickets

Our fan-owned community club is thriving on and off the pitch at present, with the club and Well Society working as one, however what matters most to us is your support.

Get ready for the second half of our William Hill Premiership campaign with a half season ticket.

You can get yours online now.

Valid from our home match against Rangers on Sunday 29 December, your half season ticket will get you entry to at least nine games at Fir Park.

Secure your own personally selected seat to view all the action at Fir Park, from where you want.

Not only do you get to see the action for a cheaper price, but you also get a range of benefits from local businesses.

Games eligible (all fixtures are subject to change):

• Motherwell v Rangers Sunday 29 December – 3pm Kick Off 
• Motherwell v Aberdeen Sunday 5 January – 2:30pm Kick Off 
• Motherwell v Celtic Saturday 1 February – 3pm Kick Off 
• Motherwell v Ross County Saturday 15 February – 3pm Kick Off
• Motherwell v Dundee Wednesday 26 February – 7:45pm Kick Off 
• Motherwell v St Mirren Saturday 15 March – 3pm Kick Off 
• Motherwell v Hearts Saturday 12 April – 3pm Kick Off 
• Guaranteed at least two further home fixtures post-split