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Ross MacIver has moved on loan to Partick Thistle for the rest of the season.

The forward spent the first half of the season in the Championship with Morton, making nine appearances and netting in the Renfrewshire derby with St Mirren.

A scorer on his debut for Motherwell in a 2-1 win at Ross County in December 2019, MacIver has made nine appearances in claret and amber to date.

Yusuf Hussain has been loaned to Brechin City for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.

The defender joins the League Two side as they prepare for the resumption of their campaign.

Hussain, 19, will now have the opportunity to gain first-team minutes, having featured largely for Motherwell’s second string and appearing on the substitutes’ bench for Graham Alexander’s men.

Liam Kelly is your February player of the month.

The goalkeeper won the public vote in the award, sponsored by our main partners Paycare.

Kelly was an influential figure in the month for Motherwell, keeping three clean sheets and pulling off pivotal saves, particularly against Dundee United, Hibernian and Livingston.

“It’s a great win. We’ve set the bar. We can’t come off it.”

Graham Alexander on the 3-1 win over Livingston.

Another solid team performance and emphatic win earned Motherwell a huge three points to further ease relegation worries.

A Devante Cole double had ‘Well in control before Jack Fitzwater’s goal raised Livi’s hopes.

Man of the match Cole, though, set up Christopher Long for a decisive third to make certain of the points lifting ‘Well’s total to 35 points and 10 ahead of Kilmarnock, whom they meet in two week’s time.

Graham Alexander not surprisingly stood by the side which performed superbly at Easter Road last week. Declan Gallagher, who returned from injury to enjoy the final 20 minutes last Saturday, had to be content with a place on the bench.

David Martindale’s men, aiming to put their Betfred Cup final defeat behind them, still needed points to secure their top-six place.

However, with five ex-Livi players in their squad, the Fir Park men had the measure of their opponents and controlled large spells of the game. In a dominant opening half-hour, they should have put the game beyond the Lions.

Straight from the kick-off, the Steelmen had the Lions pinned in their own half and within 90 seconds Robbie McCrorie had produced a couple of fine saves.

Firstly, the Livi ‘keeper raced from his line to block Jordan Roberts’ drive. Then as his defenders failed to clear the danger, Stephen O’Donnell latched on to the loose ball and rifled in a low shot which McCrorie at full stretch pushed round his post.

A minute later the visitors survived strong appeals for a penalty. Tony Watt got his foot to the ball before Aaron Taylor-Sinclair clattered through the back off him sending him to the ground. But despite loud appeals referee Colin Steven waved play on.

Watt was back on his feet to force a glancing header across the face of the goal before Cole rammed the ball into the side netting as ‘Well completely dominated the play.

The home side was forced into an early substitution, as Watt failed to shake off the impact of that earlier challenge and limped off after 23 minutes with Long taking his place in the front three.

Eight minutes later ‘Well finally made the breakthrough. Robbie Crawford’s pathway across the box was crudely blocked by Matej Poplatnik and at the second time of asking the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Cole confidently grabbed his sixth goal since January, slamming the ball down the centre of the goal as the ‘keeper dived to his left.

At this stage, Livingston had scarcely been in the ‘Well half and Liam Kelly’s goal was under no threat until the minutes leading up to the interval.

A long throw from ex-Well defender Nicky Devlin found its way to Poplatnik and his powerful downward header forced a terrific save from Kelly low down to his right.

The ‘keeper was a spectator on the stroke of half-time, though, when Josh Mullin curled his free-kick from 25 yards over the defensive wall and off the top of the crossbar.

Livingston started the second half more determined to push towards the home goal and after 10 minutes made a double substitution to increase their goal threat.

It was the Fir Park men, though, who found the net again after 59 minutes.

Jake Carroll’s hammered his free-kick from 30 yards into the wall. As the ball bounced amongst the Livi defenders at the edge of the box, the ball fell for Cole who slid a low shot beyond the diving McCrorie for his second of the afternoon.

Before the home side could think about holding onto their two-goal lead, Livingston had reduced their advantage.

Devlin lofted a long free-kick into a packed box and when the ball reached Fitzwater at the corner of the six-yard box he stooped to head the ball across Kelly and just inside the ‘keeper’s left-hand post.

After 69 minutes Cole turned provider chesting down a poor clearance before playing the ball across field for Long.

The ‘Well sub sped towards the Livi goal before clipping the ball past the advancing ‘keeper for a fine finish and restore his side’s two-goal advantage.

Two minutes later only a brilliant intervention from Carroll prevented Livingston once again reducing ‘Well’s lead.

Alan Forrest worked the ball onto his left foot and his angled drive from 12 yards flew past Kelly and was destined for the back of the net. However, Carroll popped up on the goal line to scoop the ball high into the air allowing Kelly to grab it under his crossbar for a remarkable recovery.

Gallagher was given the final five minutes to help him regain match fitness but by the time a thoroughly deserved and crucial three points were in the bag.

Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Magloire, Lamie, Carroll, Maguire, Campbell, Crawford, Roberts (McGinley 90), Watt (Long 33, Gallagher 84), Cole.

Subs not used: Morrison, Devine, Polworth, Cornelius, Lawless, Hastie.

“Our first objective is to stay up. That’s still the case.

“We have to keep working really hard.”

Graham Alexander looks ahead to the weekend visit of Livingston.

Motherwell host Livingston in the final home game at Fir Park before the Scottish Premiership split.

Here are the key topics going into the fixture.

Performances to build on

Motherwell were left despondent after two home losses to Hamilton Academical and St Johnstone in early February.

With difficult trips to St Mirren and Hibernian following, it was going to require a shift in performances to get back on track.

But Graham Alexander’s men did just that. A 0-0 draw in Paisley was accompanied by a dogged team showing. Then, a 2-0 victory at third-placed Hibernian paired performance with points.

The manager, though, is keen to stress nothing has been accomplished yet, with the team still needing to put on similar showings and get the necessary points to be lifted up the table.

Lions licking wounds

Livingston went into the weekend on the verge of a second major honour, facing St Johnstone in the Betfred Cup final.

A 1-0 loss at Hampden meant there would be no repeat of their heroics in 2004, with Shaun Rooney’s first-half goal settling the tie.

No wins in five – added to by a midweek home loss to Rangers before coming to Fir Park – has Livi still needing a final push over the line to secure a top-six spot, but with one point from their last two games likely to be sufficient.

Opening up gaps

At the other end of the table, Motherwell are still looking over their shoulder knowing points are needed to keep a safe distance above the bottom pack.

Sitting seven points above the play-off spot and eight off the bottom, Motherwell’s fate is in their hands, but more points are definitely needed to be able to breathe easier.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ian St John.

Aged 82, the legendary Ancell Babe was a local boy who made waves at Fir Park and went on to great things after starting his career with the club.

Born in Motherwell, St John was at Hampden as a 13-year-old to witness the Steelmen lift the Scottish Cup for the very first time in 1952.

Five years later he would sign for his boyhood heroes. Over the course of the next four years, he would torment defences across the country, netting 80 goals in 113 league games.

His hat-trick in a League Cup tie against Hibernian in 1959, which was despatched in little more than two-and-a-half minutes, gained St John massive exposure.

But his consistent rate of finishing had already alerted the attention of the international selectors and a host of interested managers, and it was in that same year he was awarded the first of his caps for Scotland.

Making his international bow at the age of just 20, Ian would go on to net nine times in 21 appearances for his country.

In 1961, St John signed for Liverpool for £37,500, then the Anfield side’s record transfer fee paid. That sale would help finance the reconstruction of the main stand at Fir Park.

He would go on to enjoy a glorious decade with Bill Shankly’s side as they were transformed from the Second Division also-rans that Shankly inherited.

A Scottish Football Hall of Fame member, Ian was tempted back to Lanarkshire in 1973 as manager, putting together one of Motherwell’s most famous front-line partnerships in his former team-mate Bobby Graham and Willie Pettigrew.

Sadly St John’s time in the dugout at Fir Park would last little more than a year when he was lured to Portsmouth by promises of finance and support that well outstripped what Motherwell could offer.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

Paying tribute

“Like so many of us I was introduced to Motherwell and Fir Park by my dad,” Motherwell chairman Jim McMahon said of St John’s passing.

“The Saturday regime of catching the Law and Carluke supporters bus at the cross, then the journey down and the walk into the ground, is one I can still recall vividly. It is a memory I treasure.

“That was the era of the Ancell babes – a fabulous collection of players. But my hero, and in my view the greatest player I have seen in our colours, was Ian St John.

“I was lucky enough to see almost all his games and his technical skill, pace, vision and ambition cemented him as the player I wanted to be

“I was even luckier to get to know Ian in later life and to play golf with him as a special present for my 50th birthday. It’s often said that’s it dangerous to meet one’s heroes, but in my case, he was everything I expected – funny, charming, courteous and true to his roots and upbringing. He was a gentleman.

“I will miss him – he was a big part of my childhood.

“I am really sorry that we can’t have a crowd at our next home game to honour him but we will do that as soon as we get back to normality.

“Lots of words are in danger of being devalued – Ian St John is a legend.”

In a statement, his family said: “It is with a heavy heart that we have to inform you that after a long illness we have lost a husband, father and grandfather.

“He passed away peacefully with his family at his bedside. We would like to thank all the staff at Arrowe Park Hospital for their hard work and dedication during these very difficult times.

“The family would be grateful for privacy at this extremely sad time.”

Motherwell v Livingston is available to watch worldwide on Saturday.

If you’re in the UK or Republic of Ireland, a live stream of the game is available to buy on a pay-per-view basis for £12.

Season ticket holders can watch the game for free, as usual, at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

International-based supporters can watch via their usual subscription at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

Kick-off at Fir Park in the Scottish Premiership match is at 3pm.

Livingston are the visitors to Fir Park on Saturday in the Scottish Premiership.

Kick-off at Fir Park is at 3pm.

Watch live

If you’re in the UK or Republic of Ireland, a live stream of the game is available to buy on a pay-per-view basis for £12.

Season ticket holders can watch the game for free, as usual, at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

International-based supporters can watch via their usual subscription at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

Tale of the tape

Motherwell have the upper hand in the fixture so far in the 2020/21 season.

The Steelmen were pegged back twice in a 2-2 draw at Fir Park back at the start of the campaign, with David Turnbull and Allan Campbell netting for the hosts.

Then in West Lothian in late October, Callum Lang and Tony Watt netted in an impressive 2-0 victory.

Form guide

Two impressive performances away from home against St Mirren and Hibernian yielded a 0-0 draw and a 2-0 victory respectively for Motherwell.

After the disappointment of crushing, back-to-back home defeats to Hamilton and St Johnstone, Graham Alexander’s men have responded.

Livi lost the Betfred Cup final to St Johnstone on Sunday, killing hopes of their first major silverware since winning the same competition in 2004.

David Martindale’s men are without a win in five, going on to lose 1-0 at home to Rangers on Wednesday night.