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Motherwell wrapped up their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 victory at Darlington.

First half goals from Christopher Long and Liam Donnelly, followed by Jamie Semple’s free kick late on, sealed the win at Blackwell Meadows.

With Queen of the South in the Betfred Cup looming next Saturday, a strong Steelmen side started in the north east of England.

Their hosts were fairly settled early on, keeping a pacy visiting front three at bay and looking to build through midfield.

Darlo’s resistance was broken with five minutes left in the half. Declan Gallagher saw his netbound header from a corner cleared off the line, and Long was on hand instinctively to fire home.

Just before the break, it was two. From Campbell’s cutback, Donnelly fired into the net from 25 yards, taking a nick on the way through to the top corner.

A raft of second half changes saw the game struggle to find much rhythm but Motherwell were largely untroubled, before Semple stepped up at the death to drill home a free kick from 20 yards.

Motherwell: Gillespie, Tait (Grimshaw), Gallagher (Devine), Hartley (Dunne), Carroll (Livingstone), Donnelly (Maguire), Campbell (Sloth), Polworth (Semple), Hylton (Trialist), Long (Johnson), Cole (Scott).

Our Ladbrokes Premiership match with Celtic on Saturday, 10 August will now kick off at 12pm.

The match, originally due to be played at 3pm at Fir Park, will be shown live on Sky Sports.

The final pre-season match of the 2019/20 comes at Darlington on Saturday.

Stephen Robinson’s men return to Blackwell Meadows for the second successive year, as the clock ticks down to the season opener in the Betfred Cup at Queen of the South the following week.

Kick off is at 2pm. Fans can pay at the gate. Cash and contactless payment is available at the turnstiles.

Motherwell racked up seven goals in a friendly win at Gretna on Tuesday night.

Danny Johnson grabbed a hat-trick for the visitors, with further goals coming from Jermaine Hylton, Richard Tait, Barry Maguire and a trialist.

Despite the size of the scoreline, the Lowland League side made life difficult in the first half, frustrating Stephen Robinson’s side and keeping them a distance from their goal.

That resistance broke just before the interval, however. Hylton was first to net, latching onto a through ball down the left, before rounding the goalkeeper and steering home from close range.

Within a minute, it was 2-0. Johnson, on as a first-half substitute, capitalised on a goalkeeper error to lob the ball into an empty net from the edge of the box.

After a raft of changes at the break, Motherwell stepped things up.

Tait played a one-two down the left with Allan Campbell, before surging into the box and firing home with his left foot.

Straight away after, Johnson had his second, battling to get the ball away from the ‘keeper after he failed to clear, then stroking the ball into the net.

With 65 minutes gone, it was five. Hylton’s cut inside from the left led to a shot crashing against the crossbar, and Maguire reacted quickest to prod it home.

The biggest cheer of the night fell to the goal from the Motherwell trialist. From Tait’s cross from the right with 10 to go, he timed his run to perfection to score an overhead kick at pace from 15 yards.

Johnson then nabbed his hat-trick as the game wore to a close, brilliantly steering home on his left foot after the trialist’s bursting run down the left.

Motherwell first half: Carson, Grimshaw, Gallagher, Hartley, Carroll, Donnelly, Sloth, Polworth, Hylton, Long (Johnson), Scott.

Motherwell second half: Carson, Tait, Devine, Dunne, Livingston, Maguire, Campbell, McAlear, Hylton (Cole), Trialist, Johnson.

Wigan Athletic forward Devante Cole is Motherwell’s seventh addition of the summer.

The 24-year-old has penned an an initial six-month loan from the Latics and joined up with his new teammates for training on Tuesday morning.

A product of Manchester City’s academy and son of former Manchester United and England striker Andrew Cole, Devante has hit an impressive 40 goals in 103 career starts for the likes of Barnsley, MK Dons, Burton and most potently with Fleetwood Town.

“I’m looking forward to getting started at Motherwell,” said Cole, who will wear the number 44 shirt.

“The manager has told me that he’s looking for pace, creativity and goals in the forward areas, and I’m hoping to bring that to the team.”

Cole can play as the main striker or either side of a front three, and ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson is looking forward to working with his latest recruit.

“Devante is one we’ve been tracking for quite some time, so we’re really pleased to have got it over the line,” he said.

“He’s quick and his stats prove he is a natural finisher. Crucially, he’s also adept and playing wider and some of his best and most productive football has came from the flanks.

“He also scores all types of goals and we hope he adds real firepower to the top end of the pitch.”

Gretna will provide the third test of pre-season for Motherwell on Tuesday night.

The Lowland League side, managed by former ‘Well hero Chris Humphrey in his first game in charge, will welcome the Steelmen to Raydale Park. Kick off is at 7.15pm.

Crusaders and Linfield have provided the opposition so far for Stephen Robinson’s team, with a 3-0 win on Saturday against Linfield ending a week’s training camp in Northern Ireland.

Entry is £5 for adults, with free entry for children when accompanied by a paying adult.

Christopher Long, Peter Hartley and Jake Carroll all scored as Motherwell ended their 2019 trip to Northern Ireland with a 3-0 victory over Linfield.

Stephen Robinson again made full use of his travelling party, giving minutes to the majority of the squad across the match at Windsor Park.

Both teams felt their way into the match before the visitors took control, with their deserved opener coming on the half hour mark.

Good pressing led to a Linfield defender misjudging the weight of his back pass, allowing Long to run in on goal.

Taking time to round the goalkeeper and pick his spot, the forward stroked the ball home to open the scoring.

A raft of half-time changes then led to two substitutes getting on the scoresheet.

Hartley was the first, heading home at the near post with two minutes on the second half clock. Liam Polworth’s free kick from the byline was powered home by the captain.

Then, with 65 minutes gone, Carroll got in on the act with a brilliant free kick which he curled over the wall from 20 yards and into the top corner.

Next up for Motherwell is a trip to Gretna on Tuesday night.

We’re launching the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

Our first four inductees will be announced at a dinner at the Bothwell Bridge Hotel on Saturday, 23 November.

Hosted by Tam Cowan, tickets for the event are now on sale online. Adult tickets are £45, with kids tickets £22.

You’ll soon be able to vote for the first players you want to see inducted into the Hall of Fame. Voting details will be announced shortly.

Motherwell end their pre-season trip to Northern Ireland with a friendly against Linfield on Saturday.

Kick off at Windsor Park is at 1.30pm. Tickets are on sale from the office at the stadium from 12pm on the day and cost £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.

The game presents a second opportunity for the travelling squad to get game time under their belts, having fielded two different outfield teams in either half of a 1-0 loss at Crusaders on Wednesday night.

Twenty-one players got playing time as Motherwell lost 1-0 to Crusaders in their opening pre-season friendly.

Rory Hale’s first half effort from close range was the difference between the two teams, as manager Stephen Robinson changed his outfield players entirely for both halves.

Motherwell’s first game of the 2019/20 campaign saw plenty of composed play, but scoring chances were at a premium.

Against an opposition preparing for a tilt at UEFA Europa League qualification, the mixed ‘Well teams continued preparation which had included two double training sessions in the two days previous, with more to come before Saturday’s tour closer at Linfield.

Motherwell first half: Carson, Grimshaw, Hartley, Gallagher, Livingstone, Maguire, Campbell, Sloth, Long, Johnson, Semple.

Motherwell second half: Carson, Tait, Devine, Dunne, Carroll, Donnelly, Cornlius, McAlear, Polworth, Hylton, Scott.