Motherwell topped their Betfred Cup group with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Morton at Fir Park.
James Scott grabbed a double, before Jermaine Hylton and Liam Donnelly added further strikes to put further gloss on the win.
With five summer signings making their home debut, it was an early opportunity for them to impress the Fir Park fans and the BT Sport viewers at home.
And almost immediately Sherwin Seedorf, with some deft touches and a fierce turn of pace, caught the eye.
After Morton had a couple of attempts wide of Mark Gillespie’s goal, Seedorf cleverly played in Scott. From a tight angle he forced the first save from Sam Ramsbottom.
‘Well’s teenage striker came closer a minute later when he redirected Jake Carroll’s powerful drive, with the ball clipping the top of the crossbar.
In the 17th minute, Seedorf decided to go it alone and when his first angled drive was parried by Ramsbottom, the Dutchman fired in the rebound, producing a terrific save from the Morton ‘keeper.
There was no surprise when the Steelmen opened the scoring five minutes later – with Seedorf the provider.
Liam Polworth, who showed some wonderful vision and passing, released the flying Dutchman, who sped into the box. He squared the ball across goal, leaving Scott with a simple tap in to open his account for the season.
Scott should have made it a double on the half hour mark, when a perfectly weighted pass from Polworth sent the striker through on goal. But once inside the box, he dithered allowing Jim McAllister to clear the danger.
At the other end of the pitch Gillespie was totally idle until a minute from the break. Former ‘Well striker John Sutton slipped the ball in front of Aidan Nesbitt and from the angle of the six yard box, his snap shot forced the ‘Well ‘keeper to stab out a foot to divert the ball away from goal.
Fifteen minutes into the second half and seeking a second goal to kill the tie, Scott tried his luck with a dipping drive from 35 yards which forced Ramsbottom to push the ball over his bar. From the resultant well-worked corner, Polworth played the ball in front of Seedorf, who fired it narrowly over.
That was the last action for the impressive winger who was replaced by Christian Ilic.
As the Fir Park side continued to press the game towards the visitor’s goal, Hylton cut inside to fire a low drive from the corner of the box which the ‘keeper was glad to beat away.
The Morton goal was finally breached for a second time after 66 minutes. Scott worked a neat one-two with Polworth at the edge of the box and, after taking a touch, the striker slammed the ball down the middle of the goal for his second of the night.
A thundering drive from Allan Campbell forced another fine save from Ramsbottom but the Morton ‘keeper was helpless when ‘Well made it 3-0 after 76 minutes.
Hylton showed quick feet to create space at the edge of the box, before curling a low shot beyond the ‘keeper and inside his right post to make it two goals in two games.
Another quality goal arrived nine minutes from time. Ilic showed great skills on the left before floating over a teasing cross. Ramsbottom could only palm the ball out to Scott and although his effort was blocked, Liam Donnelly rammed the rebound home to make it four.
Croatian midfielder Ilic came close to making it five when he collected a pass from Scott, stepped inside his marker only to see his low drive cleared off the line.
Perhaps promisingly, ‘Well had to settle for a 4-0 win over Morton, a repeat of the scoreline at the same stage two years ago, when the Fir Park men progressed all the way to the Betfred Cup Final.
