| 3 | Rangers | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 23 |
| 4 | Dundee United | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 20 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 6 | St Mirren | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | -4 | 18 |
| 7 | Dundee | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 15 |
Marvin Kaleta reviews the transition from an Under 21 environment, to first-team football. The Wolves loanee made quite the impact in his last match against Dundee United, where he was delighted to give something back to the fans.
The right-back has taken plenty advice from senior pros so far, including Steve Seddon and Stephen O’Donnell.
Manager Stuart Kettlewell was ecstatic at the turnout on Friday night, and has hopes that non-regular supporters will attend the match this weekend against St Mirren.
Kettlewell provides a thorough update on our injured players, as well as discussing the recent departure of Steven Naismith.
Manager Stuart Kettlewell has provided another fitness update ahead of Saturday’s match against St Mirren.
Stephen O’Donnell came off holding his shoulder early in the second-half against Dundee United, with Kettlewell confirming the injury is not as bad as first feared.
“Stephen hasn’t trained this week,” he said.
“We’re hopefully it isn’t too bad. It needs to be accessed over the next two day, but it’s not as bad as we first feared.”
With John Koutroumbis and Shane Blaney edging closer to their return, the manager also provided some detail on the duo, as well as some of our other injured players.
“Koutroumbis is back into full contact training,” the manager confirmed.
“Shane Blaney comes into full contact training today [Thursday], all the long-term injured players are making good progress.
“Sam Nicholson is making good progress. Callum Slattery is in a good place and is hitting all his milestones. Ross Callachan has the leg brace off after the operation he had.
“Harry Paton is a couple weeks out from getting into full contact training.”
We are now in a position where can provide an update on the pricing of semi-final tickets.
The club have been given an initial allocation of 7,500 tickets, with the potential of up to 14,000 depending on sales. Motherwell fans will be in sections of the South and East stands at Hampden Park.
The price of tickets can be viewed below:
We are expecting the delivery of physical tickets next week, and will look to go on sale thereafter. It will be physical tickets only for this match, however a link will be made available to buy online prior to the game. Collection and postage will be available.
The club will be running hospitality packages at Fir Park, bus to and from Hampden and returning to Fir Park.
We will also be running a number of coaches from the Cooper stand.
At our last semi-final match back in 2018, we sold 7,500 tickets. We would love to see if we can at least match that number this time round.
Further timelines, bus details and our sales plan will all be announced in due course.
St Mirren are the visitors to Fir Park on Saturday 28 September in the William Hill Premiership.
Kick off is 3pm.
12 noon – Cooper Bar will open for food and drinks before the match and one-hour post-match
12.30 – Beer Garden will open – drink only and open to home fans.
Hospitality
Availability in all areas.
Season ticket holders can upgrade to hospitality from as little as £49pp in the Centenary Suite or £79pp with an inclusive bar option in the 91 Lounge. To book, please call 01698 338003 or email hospitality@motherwellfc.co.uk
We will be wearing our home kit for this match.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos made his return from injury on Friday night against Dundee United. Tony Watt is available for selection, after being ineligible for the Dundee United cup tie.
Jack Vale will be missing for at least 10 weeks with a calf injury. Stephen O’Donnell was substituted at the start of the second-half against Dundee United and will be a doubt for this match.
Shane Blaney and Johnny Koutroumbis edge closer to full fitness and are doubts for this game.
Callum Slattery, Harry Paton, Ross Callachan and Sam Nicholson remain out for this game.
It was a night to remember for Motherwell last week as they returned to winning ways against Dundee United, to reach the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup.
Zach Robinson got off the mark with a sensational first-half strike, before Lennon Miller slotted home a stoppage-time penalty.
A narrow defeat against undefeated Aberdeen in the league two weeks ago ended Motherwell’s three game winning run.
St Mirren have also made a fast start to the league campaign. Joint second highest scorers in the league, with only Celtic ahead of them, they are fifth in the table on eight points, just one point ahead of the Steelmen.
They defeated Hearts 2-1 in their last match in Paisley. That was their first win in seven games in all competitions.
Toyosi Olusanya has hit the ground running this season. The forward has four goals in the league, scoring in each of the last three games. Netting twice in Europe, Olusanya is only one goal away from levelling his 2023/24 season tally.
Jack Vale has picked up a calf injury and will be missing for 10 to 12 weeks.
The forward has now returned to his parent club Blackburn Rovers to begin his rehabilitation.
Speedy recovery, Jack.
We will face Rangers in the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday 3 November.
Kick off will be 3pm at Hampden Park.
Ticket information will be communicated in due course.
We will face Rangers in the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup.
The tie will take place at Hampden, on either Saturday 2 November or Sunday 3 November.
Aberdeen face Celtic in the other semi-final.
With a bumper crowd packed into Fir Park, hoping for a spirited Motherwell performance, the Steelmen started their quarter-final match against Dundee United with hope and energy.
A spot at Hampden was at stake, and it took until the 45th minute for the game to see it’s first goal. Zach Robinson rifled a shot into the top corner, that set the Motherwell support wild.
As the second half progressed, nerves creeped into the game. With the target getting closer and closer, former Motherwell hero Louis Moult had a say. He smashed past Aston Oxborough with just over 10 minutes remaining in the match. It was anyone’s game at this stage.
But there was to be the fairytale ending for the Steelmen. Academy graduate and Motherwell fan Lennon Miller sent the keeper the wrong way in stoppage time from the spot after Moses Ebiye was fouled, which secured a return to Hampden in the cup for the first time in six years.
Motherwell sealed their place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final with a narrow last-minute win over Dundee United in an exciting, tight contest.
Zach Robinson’s picked the perfect time to grab the first goal for the club in first half injury time set up the home side, and they might have added a killer second before former Fir Park hero Louis Moult grabbed a stunning equaliser seven minutes from time.
The game looked to be heading for extra-time until, in added time, Moses Ebiye earned a penalty, allowing Lennon Miller to cap an outstanding performance by cooly converting his spot kick to send the team and fans to Hampden in November.
The club’s novel attempts to engage with the community and boost the home support paid off in the stands and ultimately on the pitch as the fans responded to United’s late equaliser by urging the players on to find a winner.
Stuart Kettlewell stood by the same eleven which started at Pittodrie last week. With Tony Watt ineligible to play against his host club, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos was fit enough to take his place on the subs bench.
In front of a raucous crowd, ‘Well kicked off and immediately took the play towards Jack Walton’s goal, and the 2,500 United fans in the Tommy McLean stand behind him.
After that though, the play was evenly balanced, with both sides steady in their buildup play.
Aston Oxborough was the first ‘keeper called into action after 15 minutes when he got down low in front of his right-hand post to smother Kristijan Trapanovski’s angled snapshot.
As United began to gain the upper hand, the Steelmen persevered with the high ball to Robinson, who got little joy against former ‘Well defender Declan Gallagher.
On the half hour mark, the Taysider’s earned the first corner, but amid a packed six-yard box, Oxborough comfortably claimed the ball.
Five minutes later, Davor Zdravkovski’s low drive at goal was deflected behind by Ross Graham’s outstretched leg.
As the Fir Park men reapplied the pressure on the United goal, Lennon Miller swept in a tempting free kick from the right only to see Dan Casey power his header wide of goal.
Just when it looked like the first half would end goalless, Motherwell found the all-important opening goal.
Miller’s thumping drive from 12 yards produced a great save from Walton, but when United failed to clear their box, the ball found its way to Robinson on the right of the goal, and he lashed his shot high past the ‘keeper for his first goal in claret and amber.
Before ‘Well could build on that lead, Kettlewell was forced into a change five minutes into the second half when Stephen O’Donnell was replaced by Marvin Kaleta.
That change failed to upset the home side, and good build-up play around the United box finished with Ewan Wilson’s cross being nodded wide by Robinson.
In an effort to get back into the game, Jim Goodwin made a double substitution after 58 minutes, bringing on ‘Well goal-scoring hero Louis Moult, who eventually turned the game United’s way.
Before he got a touch, though, United were lucky not to fall two goals behind.
Kaleta’s low ball into the six-yard area was destined for Miller until Graham stepped in front to concede a corner. When Halliday lofted the flag kick into a packed box, Casey nodded the ball down for Miller, whose side-footed effort through a ruck of players was cleared off the line.
As the United defence started to wilt, a long ball deep into the visitor’s half sent Robinson towards goal, but his finishing drive was deflected behind for yet another corner.
A quick break from the Tannadice men in the 67th minute sent Moult through the middle until Paul McGinn halted his progress to concede a free kick and collect a yellow card.
The Fir Park side needed a second goal to kill off any chance of a Moult-inspired fightback.
And twice the former Steelman came close to silencing the home fans.
Moult’s header from 12 yards brought a routine save from Oxborough. But when the United striker sent Sam Dalby through the centre, it took an amazing save from the ‘Well ‘keeper, as his leg diverted the ball narrowly over his crossbar, to preserve the home lead.
That scare prompted a double substitution from Kettlewell, sending on Tom Sparrow and Moses Ebiye.
Moult was not to be denied, though, and seven minutes from time he fired a half volley high past Oxborough to silence his former fans and set up a nail-biting finish.
Tom Sparrow almost headed home the winner, but Walton got across his goal to push the ball to safety.
Then, as the game moved into the first minute of additional time, ‘Well had the home fans on their feet.
Firstly, Miller’s slide rule pass found Ebiye racing into the box. After jinking past one challenge, Luca Stephenson rashly slid into the striker, and even in the absence of VAR, referee John Beaton had no doubt that it was a penalty.
18-year-old Miller looked the coolest person inside the stadium as he calmly sent Walton the wrong way, tucking the ball into the left-hand corner, and sent Motherwell into the semi-finals.
