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The highlights as Motherwell come from 4-1 down against St Mirren, but go out of the William Hill Scottish Cup on penalties.

“We never said die. We showed great character to come back. But you don’t win many games if you go 4-1 down at home.”

Stephen Robinson reacts to Motherwell’s Scottish Cup exit.

Motherwell’s Scottish Cup run came to a disappointing end as St Mirren eventually progressed to the quarter-finals on penalties.

It was a dramatic and exciting cup tie as ‘Well came storming back from 4-1 down at the interval to dominate the second half and extra-time, before frustratingly failing three times from the spot in the penalty shootout.

In truth, though, the Fir Park men were second best all over the pitch as Saints clinically punished them with four first half goals.

Liam Polworth’s equaliser midway through the first half brought some false hope as the visitors looked to have booked their spot in the last eight.

However, when Tony Watt grabbed a second 11 minutes into the second half, ‘Well’s faint hopes were raised.

Nobody, though, could have envisaged the fightback which followed, as goals from Rolando Aarons and Allan Campbell drew the sides level, with Motherwell pushing for a winner before the game moved into extra time and penalties.

Motherwell might have argued that on their second half onslaught they deserved a winner in regulation time. But ultimately three tame penalty attempts cost them a place in the last eight.

The Fir Park pitch had recovered well from Storm Dennis but neither Gallagher or Christopher Long were fit enough to participate in this fifth round replay.

That meant Bevis Mugabi partnering Peter Hartley in the centre of defence and Tony Watt making his home debut up front.

Ross MacIver was also given a start alongside the former Celtic striker, as Stephen Robinson searched for an attacking combination that would turn chances into much needed goals. Mark O’Hara, the goal hero in Paisley, had to make way for a fully fit Allan Campbell.

After Saturday’s postponement both teams were eager to kill off this tie as quickly as possible.

To that end, Saints with a crucial relegation encounter on Friday, started the game more positively pushing towards Mark Gillespie’s goal from the start.

However, the first goal threat came at the visitor’s end. Liam Polworth’s inswinging corner was nodded on by MacIver forcing Vaclav Hladky to palm the ball over his bar. The Saints’ ‘keeper was then tested with a couple of crosses but Hladky, on a wet surface firmly held the ball.

Motherwell appeared to be about to take the initiative when, after 14 minutes, Saints fired home the opening goal.

The ball was worked to Ilkay Durmas wide on the left and when he whipped a cross towards the six yard box, Jon Obika reacted quickest to steer the ball inside Gillespie’s right hand post and put the visitors in front.

That unsettled the Fir Park players and the home fans shared their frustrations in the 23rd minute when Jamie McGrath raced through unchallenged but his tame finish was easy for Gillespie to beat away.

However, three minutes later the home fans were celebrating as ‘Well equalised. Polworth again whipped a corner into the six yard box and when Conor McCarthy returned the ball to him the former Inverness man stepped inside the advancing defender before drilling his shot through a packed defence and into the net.

It was shaping up to be a keenly contested cup tie before Saints hit the home side with a quick double.

And in both cases the ‘Well defending could have been better.

After 31  minutes, Cammy MacPherson’s long free kick drifted over the static home defenders, Obika was left to stroke the ball low past Gillespie and in off the ‘keeper’s left-hand post to regain the lead.

Within 90 seconds Saints had stretched their lead to 3-1. Again the Fir Park defenders were slow to challenge Sam Foley as he strode through the centre of the box. Gillespie did well to block his shot from 12 yards but unlucky to see the ball cannon off Hartley and roll into an empty net.

It might have been a fourth for the Buddies five minutes later but for a brilliant one-handed save from Gillespie to deny Jamie McGrath as Saints threatened to run riot against a beleaguered looking ‘Well.

Two minutes from the break Foley did make it four when he collected Hartley’s poor clearance before drilling a low shot beyond a helpless Gillespie.

With the Saints fans in dreamland some of the Fir Park faithful, fearing a nightmare, headed for the exit before the first half was even over.

To round off a miserable first half, Mugabi then limped off to be replaced by Mark O’Hara.

In an attempt to produce the greatest comeback since the memorable one against Hibs in 2010, Hartley stayed indoors at the interval with Richard Tait coming on to form a back three along with Liam Donnelly and Jake Carroll.

Within seven minutes of his arrival Tait popped the ball into the box for MacIver to hook his shot just wide of the post.

Five minutes later, though ‘Well reduced the leeway. Watt wriggled his way through a packed box before firing his shot low past Hladky to make it 4-2.

Gillespie palmed away MacPherson’s 25 yard drive before ‘Well made their last substitution, Jermaine Hylton replacing Liam Grimshaw. Effectively that was Gillespie’s last involvement as ‘Well dominated the remainder of the half.

Hylton’s trickery on the left was immediate and his cross to the back post after 68 minutes found Campbell. As he forced the ball back across the goal the ball rebounded from the foot of the post before Hladky prevented a follow up drifting under his bar.

With 20 minutes remaining there was a renewed sense of optimism among the ‘Well support as the Steelmen laid siege on the home goal.

And two minutes later that was increased further as Rolando Aarons’ long and low cross from the right  eluded everyone including Hladky to sneak inside the ‘keeper’s post to make it 4-3.

Unbelievably, in a flash it was 4-4. Campbell raced into the box and from an angle his driven shot took a deflection to carry the ball over the ‘keeper and under his bar to make it all level with 16 minutes left for either team to win the tie.

The impetus had now shifted ‘Well’s waym with the 918 Buddies’ fans totally shellshocked.

It was all ‘Well until the end of the 90 and Campbell thought he had come up with the winner when he latched on to MacIver’s cut-back but his low driven shot was blocked in a packed six-yard area.

And so, after a two minute breather, this amazing cup tie headed for 30 minutes of extra time.

Nine minutes into the extra period Hylton worked his way along the line before shooting with the outside of his boot and leaving Hladky relieved to scoop the ball behind.

With the luxury of a fourth substitute in extra time, ‘Well re-energised their firepower with Christy Manzinga coming on for MacIver.

Facing their favoured Davie Cooper stand for the final 15 minutes there was still a sense that Motherwell would snatch the winning goal to complete another memorable fightback before the penalty shoot-out.

However, down to 10 men for the last few minutes when Carroll limped off, Donnelly had to head the ball off the goal-line to leave the sides level at 4-4 after an exhilarating 120 minutes.

As both sets of leg weary players raised themselves for a dramatic penalty shoot-out in front of the Cooper Stand there were as many missed as converted. Ultimately, Aarons and Polworth netted but Donnelly, Watt and Hylton all failed from the spot, as ‘Well’s comeback and cup run came to a disappointing end.

Motherwell will face St Mirren on Tuesday, 25 February in a rearranged Ladbrokes Premiership match.

The original game was cancelled on Saturday, 15 February due to adverse weather conditions.

The William Hill Scottish Cup tie with St Mirren on Tuesday, 18 February is going ahead as planned.

All tickets purchased for the original match will be valid for use at the rearranged match. Season cards will also work as normal.

Tickets can be bought online, or you can pay at the gate.

The cheaper price is for our John Hunter Stand for home supporters. Away fans can pay at the gate at the South Stand.

Fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Andy Sim on 07428 225254 or email tickets@mfcdsa.com.

“We have an opportunity to be in the quarter-finals of the cup. It’s up to us to step up.”

Stephen Robinson looks ahead to Tuesday’s William Hill Scottish Cup replay with St Mirren.

There’s live audio available from Motherwell v St Mirren on Tuesday night.

A live stream is not available due to Scottish FA rules. Kick off is at 7.45pm GMT.

To subscribe and get all Motherwell home matches – and the majority of away games – head to tv.motherwellfc.co.uk now and sign up.

2019/20 Motherwell streaming service matches

Motherwell and St Mirren play again on Tuesday for a place in the William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

After a 1-1 draw in the initial fifth round tie, the teams face off for the chance of a home tie with either Aberdeen or Kilmarnock.

Tale of the tape

The two sides were due to face each other in the Ladbrokes Premiership on Saturday, only for the game to fall foul to the weather.

In their last outings last midweek, Motherwell lost in stoppage time at St Johnstone in a 2-1 defeat, while St Mirren went down 2-1 away at Livingston to end a run of four games unbeaten, all of which had been draws.

Head to head

The 1-1 cup draw followed a run which had seen Motherwell win both league outings between the two clubs this season. A 2-0 win earlier in the campaign at home had been followed by a 3-0 victory in Paisley in December.

Buy in advance or pay at the gate

Tickets are available online now or from the Fir Park ticket office. Cash gates are also available on the day.

Fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Andy Sim on 07428 225254 or email tickets@mfcdsa.com.

Hospitality options

Come and enjoy a two-course meal with half-time refreshments in our Centenary Suite for the match.

Priced at an additional £15 per person, or an additional £10 for children, you can buy online now, email hospitality@motherwellfc.co.uk or call 01698 333333.

Can’t make it? Listen live

There’s live audio available from Motherwell v St Mirren on Tuesday night.

A live stream is not available due to Scottish FA rules. Kick off is at 7.45pm GMT.

To subscribe and get all Motherwell home matches – and the majority of away games – head to tv.motherwellfc.co.uk now and sign up.

Motherwell’s home Ladbrokes Premiership match with St Mirren has been called off.

Sustained heavy rainfall at Fir Park has led to the game being postponed. A new date will be announced in due course.

While the pitch was playable at the point of inspection at 12.30pm, it was decided to call the game off on the basis of forecast worsening weather.

“We tried everything possible to get the game on,” Motherwell chief executive Alan Burrows said.

“Unfortunately we have suffered from exceptional rainfall throughout the week, and in particular overnight into Saturday which has continued right through into the day. That rainfall is also forecast to continue throughout the time the match was due to be paid.

“This is the first postponement we have suffered due to the pitch in over five years. Our groundsman and his staff do an incredible job and have done everything within their power to try and mitigate the need for this match to be called off.”

Motherwell v St Mirren will be subject to a pitch inspection at 12.30pm.

After sustained heavy rainfall at Fir Park, it is necessary for a match official to assess whether the surface will be playable.

We will update supporters as soon as a decision is made.

“We know we are a good side. We want to get a win quickly to get back on track again.”

Stephen Robinson previews Saturday’s visit of St Mirren.