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Phil McGhee at Fir Park

Ten-man Motherwell picked up a hard-fought point against league leaders Celtic in the Ladbrokes Premiership. 

Despite Cédric Kipré being sent off before half time, the Fir Parkers held on for nearly an hour on a bitterly cold afternoon at Fir Park.

Stephen Robinson made two changes to his side following last weekends defeat against Hamilton, with Ryan Bowman and Elliott Frear coming in to the team in place of the injured duo of Craig Tanner and Andy Rose.

And his side started the match firmly on the front foot, with a long range effort from Chris Cadden testing Scott Bain in the Celtic goal after just 12 minutes.

Within a minute later, Frear’s pinpoint cross found the head of Main six yards from goal, whose powered header was matched by a terrific stop from the keeper.

Then, before the 20th minute, Main turned provider when he chested down for Bowman to send a volley on target, which was a little too central and was gathered by Bain.

Celtic created a couple of opportunities, with Tom Rogic proving difficult to handle in the final third. The Aussie went close from the edge of the area when he curled an effort narrowly past the post.

Stephen Robinson’s side continued to create the better chances in the first half though, and Main nearly thundered a wonderful free kick home from over 25-yards, but Bain got down well to turn it wide of the mark.

But things changed drastically for on-top ‘Well when Craig Thomson flashed his fifth red card of the season, all of which have been shown for a player in claret and amber.

Sliding in on Kipré, Celtic skipper Scott Brown had a small altercation off the ball which was deemed a red card offence.

As expected, that decision drastically swayed the momentum of the match for the second half as Brendan Rodgers side went on to control the remainder of the game.

But that only brought out a battling, determined performance from the home side.

Trevor Carson produced a couple of wonderful stops, and Richard Tait’s stunning last ditch tackle denied substitute Scott Sinclair a certain goal as he raced through one-on-one with ‘Well’s Northern Irish stopper.

In the dying seconds, a downward header from Moussa Dembele forced a stunning save from Carson, who tipped the effort over the bar as a spirited ‘Well held on for a more than deserved point.

As the ball looped high off the head of Christophe Berra, it looked set for Harry Cochrane to hook the ball clear from danger, almost certainly resulting in a Scottish Cup quarter final replay between Hearts and Motherwell.

But Carl McHugh burst forward to control the ball on his chest ahead of the young Jambo’s midfielder, before unleashing one of the most memorable strikes seen at Fir Park in a decade.

On his apparently weaker right foot, Motherwell’s captain thundered an unstoppable volley in to the top corner from 25-yards to send the Steelmen back to Hampden.

It is somewhat fitting that the midfielder scored the goal responsible for securing another semi final, given that he will be suspended for that very fixture on April 14.

For Carl, as always, it isn’t about him.

“It was a special goal, one that will live with me forever, but all that matters is the team,” he said.

[pullquote]Sure it’s frustrating that I won’t be able to play in the semi’s, but the lads will go out there and give it their all like they do every week.[/pullquote]

He added: “But to be honest, I’m not thinking that far ahead, because we have some huge games coming up, starting today.

“While we’ve spoke about the Hearts game and the goal in this interview, that’s long gone in our minds now. We just have to be focused on the league and on picking up as many points as possible because we still have a lot to play for.”

With Celtic set for Fir Park this afternoon, Motherwell’s number eight has his sight’s set on three important points.

“Celtic have proved for a number of years now that they’re the best team in the country,” the midfielder said. “We’ll need to be at our very best if we hope to get a result.

“But we’re here at home, where we’ve played well this season. It’s been something we’ve aimed to do; make Fir Park a hard place to come. I think that’s been the cornerstone of what success we’ve had this year.

[pullquote]We’ve had a lot of good results here and we’re going to have to continue to do that if we want to finish the season strongly.[/pullquote]

He added: “We put in a really good performance the last time Celtic came here, and we were unlucky not to get more than just a point from the game.

“But we know how hard a game it will be this afternoon so we need to be sure we’re at our best from the first whistle.”

In his second season with the club, and his first with the armband, Carl allows himself to reflect fondly on what has been a season of highs for the club so far.

“I don’t think for a second that anyone in the dressing room would have been surprised if you told them we’d make it to a final, be challenging for the top six and be in the last four of the Scottish Cup,” the Irishman admitted.

“Sure, it may have surprised the media, but for us as a group, we have high standards and huge determination.”

That determination is something that has been ever-present in the dressing room this term.

And following a disappointing defeat in last weekend’s Lanarkshire derby, the skipper knows him and his teammates will need to show that in abundance this afternoon.

He said: “The defeat to Hamilton was a sore one to take, it’s never nice losing a derby match but I just felt we let ourselves down in our overall performance.

[pullquote]We didn’t do enough on the day and ultimately paid for our mistakes, so we’ll need to be sure to be at it today so that we can bounce back.[/pullquote]

“We’re big enough to admit that and take it on the chin. To be honest, it’s not just about today, if we can use that to bounce back for the next four hugely important games then it’ll help push us on for a strong end to the season.”

And ahead of today’s clash with Brendan Rodgers side, the Steelmen have been focused in their preparations in training.

“We were gutted after the game last weekend,” Carl admitted. “But the boys always bounce back, we don’t expect anything different.

“We’ve done that when we’ve needed to most this season, we don’t sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. If you do that, you won’t get very far in football!

“But training’s been very good this week, we’ve been working hard to ensure we go in with a game plan to get a result today.”

Those preparations play a big role for the team, Carl reveals.

“We work really, really hard on the training pitch and we have a real togetherness. I think when you go in to games with that sort of preparation and attitude you go in with a bit more confidence.

“We all know our jobs, we all know exactly what we’re doing on the pitch and I think when you can safely feel like the man next to you is just as prepared as you are, it ultimately makes you a better team.”

Referee for Sunday’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash against Celtic is Craig Thomson.

The 45-year old takes charge of his fourth Motherwell fixture of the season, after overseeing two wins and two defeats.

Two of those were Lanarkshire derbies, in which the Steelmen won both, and another was a loss against St Johnstone.

Most relevantly was his officiating of the Bettered Cup final, when ‘Well took on Celtic at Hampden, which ended in a 2-0 loss for Stephen Robinson’s side.

One of the top Scottish referees in the game, Thomson has been in charge of fixtures at all levels, including the UEFA Champions League and World Cup Qualifiers.

His record in charge of the Steelmen is a bit of a mixed bag with 18 wins from 53 matches. There have been 25 defeats and ten draws too.

A total of 179 players have gone into the book, 93 were wearing claret and amber. Eleven players have been sent off whilst the official has been in charge, four of which have come this season, including the dismissals of Trevor Carson, Carl McHugh and Charles Dunne back in August in Perthshire, and Cédric Kipré in the cup final in November.

Craig will be ably assisted by Ralph Gordon and Graeme Leslie, with Stephen Finnie on fourth official duties.

Celtic stand in the way on Sunday as Motherwell look to bounce back from derby day disappointment. 

The table toppers will be tough opposition for Stephen Robinson’s side, who are on the hunt for a spot in the top six.

And with some crucial games on the horizon, Sunday’s showdown with the Hoops is a hurdle the Fir Park side are relishing.

Stephen Robinson is aiming for some big performances and a few surprises from his Motherwell squad as they go into a tough run of fixtures.

After the challenge of Celtic on Sunday, Rangers and Aberdeen come to Lanarkshire in quick succession.

But the Northern Irishman is looking forward with a positive mind set.

“The attitude we have is we’ll try and take maximum points from them all,” Robinson said.

“Is that realistic? It’s definitely what we set out to do. Whether we achieve that remains to be seen.

“We will go positive. We will go against people and make sure that we are competitive.

“We do need to take points, of course. We’ve got the three games coming up at home and we’ve got a very good home record.

[pullquote]We will make sure they are tough, tough games and we will go into them confident. Why not?[/pullquote]

Motherwell will come off the run with an away trip to face St Johnstone, before heading to Hampden Park for the fourth time this season in their William Hill Scottish Cup semi final against Aberdeen.

Expectations have long been surpassed in the cup competitions but Robinson says his targets remain the same as always.

“My objective from the board is to stay in this division,” he said. “My aims are much higher than that. We’ve been able to achieve that this season with a final and a semi final. We’re sitting seventh in the league.

“But first and foremost, let’s get the points that make sure we are in the division. Everything else is a bonus.”

Centre back Tom Aldred is relishing the challenge of Celtic on Sunday.

The centre back looked ahead to the first fixture of a tricky spell in which Rangers and Aberdeen will also visit Fir Park.

The 27-year-old believes a positive performance could hold the club in good stead going in to those important games.

“When you have a result like last weekend you need a reaction,” Aldred said. “We disappointed not just with the result but with the performance.

“But to be honest, I don’t think you need much more incentive than we have when you go up against Celtic, so we’ll be ready.

“We’ll be ready for the run of games coming up. As a player they’re the games that you don’t just look forward to but you pride yourself on going out and getting a result in, so we’ll be right up for it.”

Tickets are available at the Fir Park ticket office or by calling 01698 333333.

Celtic supporters should contact their club for ticket information.

Kick off at Fir Park on Sunday is at 2.15pm.

Admission prices are as follows:

Concessions are applicable to 60 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card. Juveniles are applicable to aged 15 and under. The cheaper price is for the John Hunter stand.

Motherwell fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Brian Davidson on 07428 225254 or tickets@mfcdsa.com. Fans must contact Brian by Wednesday night before the match.

If you can’t make it along, you can follow the match on Twitter @MotherwellFC. Live audio commentary will be available on mixlr.com/motherwellfc

You can see the match highlights on MFC TV’s YouTube channel, as well as full reaction and a match report right here on the official website.

Tom Aldred is relishing the challenge of Celtic on Sunday as the Steelmen look to bounce back from a disappointing defeat against Hamilton Academical. 

The centre back, who says he and his teammates will be ready for the challenge, looked ahead to the fixture as he spoke to the broadcast press.

The 27-year-old said a positive performance could also hold the club in good stead going in to some important games.

“When you have a result like last weekend you need a reaction,” Aldred said. “We disappointed not just with the result but with the performance.

“But to be honest, I don’t think you need much more incentive than we have when you go up against Celtic, so we’ll be ready.

“We’ll be ready for the run of games coming up. As a player they’re the games that you don’t just look forward to but you pride yourself on going out and getting a result in, so we’ll be right up for it.”

Stephen Robinson is targeting yet more surprises from his Motherwell squad as they go into a tough run of Ladbrokes Premiership fixtures.

Celtic are the visitors to Fir Park on Sunday, before the return from the international break sees Rangers and Aberdeen come to Lanarkshire in quick succession.

The Steelmen are chasing a top six finish as the split looms on the horizon and the manager says his team will maintain a positive outlook as they look to be in the top half.

“The attitude we have is we’ll try and take maximum points from them all,” Robinson said.

“Is that realistic? It’s definitely what we set out to do. Whether we achieve that remains to be seen.

“We will go positive. We will go against people and make sure that we are competitive.

“We do need to take points, of course. We’ve got the three games coming up at home and we’ve got a very good home record.

“We will make sure they are tough, tough games and we will go into them confident. Why not?”

Motherwell will come off the run with an away trip to face St Johnstone, before heading to Hampden Park for the fourth time this season in their William Hill Scottish Cup semi final against Aberdeen.

Expectations have long been surpassed in the cup competitions but Robinson says his targets remain the same as always.

“My objective from the board is to stay in this division,” he said. “My aims are much higher than that. We’ve been able to achieve that this season with a final and a semi final. We’re sitting seventh in the league.

“But first and foremost, let’s get the points that make sure we are in the division. Everything else is a bonus.”

Craig Tanner faces between four and six months out after picking up a knee injury in training.

The forward, who has nine goals and eight assists to his name this term, will have an operation after an injury to his patella tendon at Dalziel Park yesterday.

“Craig suffered an unfortunate injury through the week,” the manager said.

“It was a freak incident that happened with nobody near him as he tried a cross field pass.

“Sadly for Craig, and for us, we’ll be without him for a few months.

”He’s been an important part of our setup and we’ll give him all the support he needs as he works his way back.”

Everyone at Motherwell FC wishes Craig a speedy recovery.

Motherwell host league leaders Celtic on Sunday looking to keep themselves in the race for a top six finish in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

The reigning champions were so nearly toppled on their last visit to Fir Park, with the Steelmen coming within two minutes of a famous win before being denied by a last-gasp penalty.

Stephen Robinson’s men are still in the chase to cement a top half place ahead of the league split and your support could be the key to spurring the team on to a huge win.

Tickets are available at the Fir Park ticket office or by calling 01698 333333.

Celtic supporters should contact their club for ticket information.

Kick off at Fir Park on Sunday is at 2.15pm.

Admission prices are as follows:

Concessions are applicable to 60 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card. Juveniles are applicable to aged 15 and under. The cheaper price is for the John Hunter stand.

Motherwell fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Brian Davidson on 07428 225254 or tickets@mfcdsa.com. Fans must contact Brian by Wednesday night before the match.

Motherwell will face Aberdeen in the semi final of the 2017/18 William Hill Scottish Cup.

The Dons progressed to the last four after defeating Kilmarnock on penalties in their quarter final replay on Tuesday night.

The match at Hampden Park will be played on Saturday, April 14. Kick off is at 12.15pm.

Information on when tickets will go on sale will be available shortly.

Ticket information for the match is as follows:

North and William Hill South Stand

£30 Adult / £15 Concessions

East & West Stands

£20 Adult / £10 Concessions

Concessions are regarded as those aged under 16 and those aged 65 and over.

Getting to Hampden

The club are operating a bus from the Cooper Bar on the day of the game. The bar will be open before departure for food and drink.

The bus, which will take supporters to and from Hampden Park, will cost £8. Supporters can buy by calling 01698 333333 or visiting the ticket office at Fir Park.

Semi final hospitality

Come and enjoy the day in style with our pre and post-match hospitality here at Fir Park.

For just £80, you can get:

• Your match ticket
• Hot breakfast roll
• Match programme
• Official bus to and from Hampden Park
• Pay bar facility at Fir Park
• Hot buffet served at Fir Park on your return

You can buy online or call to book on 01698 333333.

Chris Cadden and Allan Campbell have been called up by Scotland Under 21s.

The Motherwell pair return to Scot Gemmill’s squad as they prepare to face Andorra in qualifiers for the 2019 UEFA European Under 21 Championship.

Cadden has seven caps for his country at Under 21 level, having scored his first goal for the dark blues against England in October last year.

Campbell made his international debut in that fixture against the Auld Enemy and has since gone on to make four appearances.