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  • First team

    Jack Vale previews Morton cup tie

  • First team

    Stuart Kettlewell ahead of Morton Scottish Cup match

  • First team

    Oli Shaw returns following successful rehabilitation

  • Archive

    Finally putting the cherry on the cake // Motherwell 5-0 Ross County

  • First team

    Friday night in the cup

  • First team

    Stuart Kettlewell following Ross County win

  • First team

    Motherwell 5-0 Ross County

  • First team

    Harry Paton ahead of Ross County

  • Archive

    Stuart Kettlewell looks ahead to Ross County

  • First team

    Giving it everything // Motherwell 1-1 Kilmarnock

  • First team

    Jack Vale previews Morton cup tie

    Jack Vale introduced himself in stylish fashion to the Motherwell support on Tuesday night, when he scored on his debut having come off the bench against Ross County.

    Now, he is looking to continue that positive start into the next games as he looks for another special cup run in his career.

  • First team

    Stuart Kettlewell ahead of Morton Scottish Cup match

    Stuart Kettlewell says that Friday night’s match against Morton has all the makings of a proper cup tie. He believes Morton are a better side than people say and that his side will need to be a full tilt to get through to the next round.

    The manager was pleased with Tuesday’s performance against Ross County but knows it’s only one game and that he wants his team to replicate that level to the 1800 travelling ‘Well fans in Greenock.

  • First team

    Oli Shaw returns following successful rehabilitation

    Oli Shaw has returned to the club following a successful rehabilitation period with his parent club Barnsley. 

    He returns on loan until the end of the season.

    The striker went back down South to undergo treatment on a hamstring injury but Barnsley have now informed us he should be eligible for selection in the coming weeks.

    Shaw has made 16 appearances in his time at Motherwell thus far, recording two assists.

    “There was always the possibility of Oli coming back here,” manager Stuart Kettlewell said.

    “He returned to Barnsley as both clubs agreed there would be a chance he could reduce his recovery time down there.

    “Oli will now enter the final stages of his recovery at Motherwell and will join up with the group when ready.”

  • Archive

    Finally putting the cherry on the cake // Motherwell 5-0 Ross County

    With Motherwell coming into the game five games unbeaten, the performances had been encouraging but the result had been missing. 

    Prior to the Tuesday night match against Ross County, the Highlanders were 11th with the Steelmen directly above them in 10th. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

    If there were any pre match nerves in the stands, that wasn’t reflected on the pitch.

    Andy Halliday, Blair Spittal and Theo Bair had Motherwell leading 3-0 by the break, despite missing a number of chances. They continued to blow County away in the second half, with Spittal and debutant Jack Vale adding to the tally.

    A 5-0 win ahead of a Friday night trip to Greenock in the Scottish Cup fills everyone associated with the club with optimism and encouragement.

  • First team

    Friday night in the cup

    Friday night in the cup

    Motherwell take on Greenock Morton in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup at Cappielow Park on Friday 9 February. 

    Kick off is 7.30pm.

    How to follow the game

    You can buy tickets online.

    Adults £18
    Concessions (over 65/16-21) £10
    Under 16s £5

    We have an allocation of approximately 3,000 and will be accommodated in the ‘Wee Dublin’ end and sections F and G of the main stand, on a first come basis.

    The Wee Dublin end is uncovered.

    The Cooper Bar will open from 3pm for drinks only. Buses have now sold out. Online tickets will be available until kick-off on Friday.

    Kit Watch

    We will be wearing our home kit for this match.

    Injury Update

    Barry Maguire and Jon Obika remain doubts for this match.

    Callum Slattery has underwent surgery for his knee injury but will remain missing for the rest of the season.

    Stephen O’Donnell is preparing for the birth of his child so his situation will be monitored day-by-day.

    Motherwell’s Fortunes

    It would seem Motherwell have turned a corner in the run of form.

    Their last defeat came on Christmas Eve against Rangers. Since then, they have went six games unbeaten with a resounding 5-0 win over Ross County in their last match on Tuesday night. The result moved the Steelmen up to eighth in the table and only a point off Dundee.

    Theo Bair has scored in his last five league games, firing home on six occasions.

    A 3-1 win over Alloa Athletic seen Motherwell progress to this stage of the Scottish Cup. Blair Spittal scored a double with Georgie Gent also opening his account for the club.

    Opposition Report

    Morton have won two matches in the Scottish Cup to get to the fifth round. A comfortable 4-0 win in third round over Bo’ness United was followed by a 2-0 win over Montrose in the previous round.

    Morton had also been on a poor run of form but have since hit a hot streak, starting back in November. Six wins in their last nine league matches has catapulted Morton up the cinch Championship table. They are now in the promotion playoffs as Dougie Imrie’s side continue to look up the table.

    Robbie Muirhead has been leading the line for January manager of the month Imrie and has already recored 14 goals this season. He has four goals and one assist in January.

    George Oakley remains a goal threat also, he has 10 goals for the campaign. Oakley has just won the cinch Championship player of the month for January having netted four goals, including a hat trick, during the month.

    There are a couple of familiar faces within the Morton ranks, with former Motherwell men Robbie Crawford and Darragh O’Connor applying their trade in Greenock.

  • First team

    Stuart Kettlewell following Ross County win

    Stuart Kettlewell’s reaction to the 5-0 win over Ross County.
    • Not getting carried away
    • Being ruthless
    • One game at a time
  • First team

    Motherwell 5-0 Ross County

    Motherwell 5-0 Ross County

    Motherwell’s confidence and momentum in-front of goal was evident throughout an exceptional five-star victory over relegation rivals Ross County.

    Desperate to atone for the dismal defeat in Dingwall last December, the Steelmen made a whirlwind start to the game. Two quickfire goals from Andy Halliday and Blair Spittal had Motherwell in dreamland, with Theo Bair also denied twice by the County ‘keeper inside the first 22 minutes.

    By the time Bair scored from the penalty spot, for the fifth consecutive league game, the match and the three points were in the bag. It took until the final five minutes of the second half for Kettlewell’s men to add two more, with an incredible second for Spittal and a first for debutant Jack Vale.

    That meant the Fir Park faithful could not only enjoy the team’s most emphatic win of the season, but see the Steelmen move six points clear of County and rise to 8th place in the league table.

    Stuart Kettlewell kept to the same starting eleven that produced a fine performance on Saturday against Kilmarnock and should have ultimately had three points to show for their efforts.

    Former ‘Well player Derek Adams returned to Fir Park with County three points and one place behind the Steelmen.

    Even at this stage of the season, this was regarded as the proverbial ‘six-pointer’ for two teams desperate to climb away from the relegation play-off spot. And with both teams finding wins hard to come by, an open competitive game was anticipated.

    That was made clear within the first minute when there was action in both boxes.

    Motherwell though, quickly established the general pattern of play within the first half as they surged relentlessly towards the County goal.

    It took the Steelmen only eight minutes to make the breakthrough. Spittal and Bair combined on the left before picking out Halliday in the box, who lashed home his first goal for the club and set the home side on the road to a terrific win.

    Five minutes later, it was almost a rerun of Saturday’s goal. Spittal split the visitors defence allowing Bair to angle his run towards goal, but George Wickens stood firm to beat away the striker’s effort.

    Simon Murray had a chance to fire home an equaliser for the visitors, but Liam Kelly got his body firmly behind the low shot.

    After 20 minutes, Bair was again thundering through the centre of the County backline, but as he tried to round Wickens, the keeper bravely dived at his feet to push the ball away.

    Two minutes later and the ‘Well doubled their lead. Good interchange of play on the left between Halliday and Georgie Gent allowed Spittal to drag the ball into the corner of the box before firing a powerful drive across the keeper and in off his far post.

    Bair and the Fir Park faithful thought he had grabbed number three when he collected a wonderful long ball from Stephen O’Donnell before blasting it high past Wickens, only to be ruled out for offside.

    Yet another chance came Well’s way in the 33rd minute, but after doing well to reach the visitor’s byline, Harry Paton made the wrong choice trying to pick out Spittal when Bair was free at the opposite end of the six yard box.

    The Canadian striker was not to be denied a goal for his first half efforts, and when his fellow country man Paton was tripped within the 18-yard-box, Bair collected the ball to hammer home the resultant penalty and find the net for his sixth goal in five league games.

    Motherwell started the second half in the same fashion but had to replace Halliday with Lennon Miller after only four minutes.

    It made little difference to the hosts intention to add a fourth goal, which almost arrived after 53 minutes.

    A swift break down the right ended with O’Donnell laying the ball inside to Bair, but after taking a touch at the edge of the box, the striker blasted the ball high over the bar.

    Bair had another chance to add to his tally after 73 minutes. Once again Spittal was the provider and as Bair faced the advancing ‘keeper he looked to have netted, but his cute dink over Wickens bounced just past the post.

    With 15 minutes remaining, Kettlewell made a triple substitution bringing on debutant Adam Devine, Shane Blaney and Sam Nicholson.

    The former Hearts man made an immediate impact, with Bair testing the ‘keeper inside the six-yard box before heading the ball across goal, allowing Nicholson to join a melee with two County defenders in-front of goal.

    Nicholson then turned provider, working his way towards the penalty area before laying the ball across to Gent, whose thumping left foot drive forced a fine diving save from the County stopper.

    Ten minutes from time, Bair left the field to a standing ovation as Jack Vale came on aiming to mark his debut with a goal.

    However, it was Spittal who claimed his second with a stunning strike, curling the ball high past Wickens from 25 yards.

    Vale was not to be outdone, and in the final minute, the Blackburn Rovers loanee latched onto Spittal’s pass, nudging the ball past the advancing ‘keeper for a comprehensive and highly impressive win.

  • First team

    Harry Paton ahead of Ross County

    Harry Paton tells us how he is looking forward to all the games that February has to offer. He believes the team are playing well and the rewards will come if they continue like they have been.

    He is enthusiastic about the news faces at the club and has enjoyed seeing his fellow Canadian teammate Theo Bair flourish in recent weeks.

  • Archive

    Stuart Kettlewell looks ahead to Ross County

    With the February fixtures coming thick and fast, it’s a quick turnaround for Stuart Kettlewell as his side prepare to take on Ross County on Tuesday night in the cinch Premiership. 

    The boss talks us through the recent run of form from Theo Bair and goes into detail about discussions that are ongoing with trying to keep players at the club for next season.

  • First team

    Giving it everything // Motherwell 1-1 Kilmarnock

    Motherwell were looking for the same kind of performance but an improved result from their last match seven days ago.

    With former Motherwell man Kevin van Veen coming back to Fir Park, there was an added to bite to this match against Kilmarnock. Despite going behind, the Steelmen dominated the game and got the fans off their seats.

    Theo Bair got his fifth goal in four league games before the interval.

    The second-half would see Motherwell well on top but it would be a similar outcome as they couldn’t get the win.