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Motherwell got off to the perfect start in the Betfred Cup group stage, with a 3-0 win at Queen of the South.

Liam Donnelly, Sherwin Seedorf and Jermaine Hylton all netted to ensure all three points returned back up the M74.

But with just 18 seconds gone, it was back to the drawing board as Christopher Long took a severe blow to the face, forcing the change with James Scott.

The youngster had Motherwell’s best chance of the first half, being sprung in behind the Queen’s defence. But goalkeeper McCrorie was alert and quick to get out and block the shot at source.

The hosts also carved out chances. A goalbound strike from Murray was blocked at close quarters by Liam Donnelly. Shouts went up for handball, but referee Don Robertson was unmoved.

Stephen Dobbie also saw a shot from close range as the half wore on, finding Mark Gillespie alert to save.

It took 10 minutes in the second half for Motherwell’s best chance to that point. Semple’s corner from the left was flat and guided, and met by Charles Dunne.

His header crashed off the crossbar and, with it still shaking, Donnelly’s headed rebound was nodded off the line.

Jermaine Hylton and Sherwin Seedorf were introduced early and the former had a big penalty shout with 22 minutes remaining. The referee ruled he had been hacked down outside the box, however, and the subsequent free kick went to waste.

The deadlock was then broken. Hylton was felled in the box, and Liam Donnelly stepped up to fire home the first goal of the season.

The dam then burst, with the new boys at the heart of it with five minutes to go.

Seedorf burst in from the left, before smashing the ball into the net for his first professional goal.

Then, in stoppage time, Hylton made room and fired an unstoppable effort into the top corner from 25 yards.

Motherwell: Gillespie, Tait, Gallagher, Dunne, Carroll, Donnelly, Campbell, Semple, Cole (Seedorf), Ilic (Hylton), Long (Scott).

Croatian winger Christian Ilić is Stephen Robinson’s ninth recruit of the summer.

The versatile 22-year-old is comfortable on either flank and appeared as a substitute for ‘Well in a pre-season game at Darlington last weekend.

He has signed a one-year contract with the club and has been given the number 16 shirt.

“Christian brings us another pacy option to play anywhere across the forward three,” manager Stephen Robinson said.

“He’s already got top flight experience in a strong league and has impressed us with his ability on the ball, the intelligent runs he makes and his desire to be here and develop.”

Ilić was born and brought up in Friesach in Austria, near the Slovakian border, to Croatian parents.

He played youth football for a number of local sides before signing for Sportclub Weiz in 2012.

He earned a move to TSV Hartberg two years later, making his debut in the second tier at the age of 18 and helped them to the Austrian Bundesliga.

Last season he made 17 appearances in the top tier, scoring twice.

Supporters can listen to live commentary from our opening Betfred Cup game at Queen of the South.

Our live service is up and running again for the 2019/20 campaign, with all live game coverage available on subscription.

All subscribers will also get access to extended match highlights and the chance to watch full matches back.

Priced at £5.99 a month for fans in the UK/Ireland and £12 a month for international supporters, the following games are coming up at tv.motherwellfc.co.uk:

To subscribe, just head to tv.motherwellfc.co.uk and choose your subscription option.

The Motherwell boss discusses his summer transfer business, a short pre-season and trying to navigate a tricky Betfred Cup group.

The Steelmen face Queen of the South on Saturday in the opening match in the four-game group stage.

On the short pre-season break

“We’re back very quickly. You don’t get much of a break now in modern football.

“It’s only been four weeks our boys altogether had off. So we are back at it.

“We’ve enjoyed being back. A lot of new faces. A lot of energy about the place and looking forward to the season.”

On transfer business

“The players might have had four weeks off but myself and Martin Foyle certainly didn’t.

“And that’s the job. You have to get in before people. I believe we’ve done well. we’ve signed a lot of exciting players.

“We’re trying to continue on what we did  on the last six months of the season. We’ve signed wide players with pace and energy. I am looking forward to the season.

“I think I am done. I’m knackered. I can’t sign anymore. No, we are very close to being done.

“We still have a little bit left if something came up that suited us, perhaps in the forward area.

“It’s massive. That’s the hard bit. You do lose players. We lost all our wide players So that was the biggest recruitment for us – wide areas. We’ve done that. I believe we’ve done that well.

“Hopefully we will hit the ground running. We did that two years ago when we brought in a lot of bodies.

“They’ve integrated well, all the new boys. What we have is a good base of boys that have been here quite a while. worked under myself and Keith for a long time.

“They keep that atmosphere going, they keep that drive going. They are integrated very, very quickly.

“One of the new boys said he feels like he’s been here a year. That’s a good positive from my mindset.”

On facing Queen of the South

“Cup competitions come so early in pre-season. We are still in the middle of pre-season.

“We’ve been very successful in the last few years. We’ve got to the final and quarter final in this competition.

“It has set us up for relative success. But it is a tough time of year. People are still finding their form and fitness. New players are still coming in and getting integrated.

“But everyone is in the same boat. Queen of the South will be the same as us.

“The astroturf pitch down there, we just have to deal with. We have to go and be positive. Make sure we take the game to them. Press high up the pitch and take the game to them to try get a result.”

Motherwell supporters are required to buy a ticket at Queen of the South before entering the ground on Saturday.

Tickets are available from the Arena at Palmerston Park from 12.30pm, with cash and card payments available. Tickets cost £12 for adults and £6 for concessions.

Alternatively, tickets can be bought from the ticket office in the BDS Digital Stand, where we will be situated. This is open from 1.30pm and is cash only.

BDS Digital (East) Stand sections six to eight have been set aside for Motherwell fans. Turnstiles three and four will be in use, and open from 2.15 pm. Separate catering outlets and toilets will be available for use.

Other important information

Car parking is available in the Arena car park. Alternatively there are plenty of other on and off street parking bays available around the stadium.

All bags will be searched and spectators presenting themselves for entry may also be subject to search. Spectators who refuse to be searched by stewards will be denied entry to the ground.

Wheelchair access for away supporters is on the south side of BDS Digital stand. There is a lay-by on King Street for vehicles to drop their passengers for flat access to the ground. Disabled parking is available on the north side of the BDS Digital Stand or at the Arena car park. The cost of entry of one personal assistant is included in the price of the concession ticket.

Motherwell’s eighth signing of the summer is Dutch winger Sherwin Seedorf.

The 21-year-old arrives from English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a two-year deal. He will wear the number 11 shirt this term.

Seedorf, who has a distant family tie to Netherlands icon Clarence, played youth football for Excelsior, NAC Breda and Feyenoord before moving to Molineux in 2017.

After a year with Wolves’ Under 23s team, he spent time on loan in 2018/19 at both Bradford City in the EFL League One and, latterly, with Wolves’ affiliate club FC Jumilla in the Spanish Segunda División.

“Sherwin has a lot of raw attributes that make for an exciting prospect,” ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson said of the latest acquisition.

“He’s very quick, he’s direct and likes to take players on in the final third.

“He has also shown a willingness and a maturity to get out on loan, play games and develop himself.

“He is at a good place to learn more, develop and make an impact on the first team.”

Motherwell make the trip to Dumfries on Saturday to open the 2019/20 Betfred Cup group stage campaign.

Queen of the South play host in the first of four matches in July, with Greenock Morton, Dumbarton and Annan Athletic also lying in wait.

Ticket prices for all matches are set at £12 for adults and £6 for concessions. Supporters can pay at the gate at Palmerston Park. Kick off is at 3pm.

Tale of the tape

The Steelmen have played four pre-season games in preparation for the cup competition, taking on Crusaders, Linfield, Gretna and Darlington.

After a narrow loss in the first game, Stephen Robinson’s side have racked up 13 goals without conceding in the following three matches.

Queen of the South defeated East Fife 2-1 in a friendly last week, with the Championship side netting through Stephen Dobbie and Scott Mercer. They then won a closed doors friendly with Clyde at the weekend 3-1.

The two sides met at the same stage of the Betfred Cup last season, with Conor Sammon netting twice in a 2-0 win for the ‘Well at Fir Park.

Team news

Liam Polworth will be suspended for the match, owing to a red card for Inverness CT towards the end of the 2018/19 season.

David Turnbull and Craig Tanner are out due to injury.

Important travel information

If you’re planning on getting the train to the game, please note that a replacement bus service is running between Kilmarnock and Dumfries. This may add significant time to your journey.

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.