A second half brace from Lee Erwin helped Motherwell U19s to a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock at a blustery Kilwinning this morning.
‘Well took the lead midway through the first-half when Keiran McGachie raced clear of the Killie defence before coolly rounding Russell Cadwell and slotting home from an acute angle; the big striker’s second goal of the campaign.
The home side hit back before the break as Greg Thorburn met a neat near-post cross from the right to slot past Willie Muir from close range.
However, with the wind in their favour, Gordon Young’s men dominated the second period. Erwin restored the Steelmen’s advantage thirteen minutes after the restart when he latched on to a McGachie cross-cum-shot to tap home.
And the Fir Parkers put the icing on the cake two minutes from time when Keiran MacDonald won the ball deep in his own half and immediately sent Erwin on the attack. The former Scotland U17 star turned inside his marker before exquisitely dinking Cadwell to complete the scoring.
Young opted for the same starting eleven that lined up against Hearts seven days previous. However, with a strong wind blowing down the pitch, they found it difficult during the opening exchanges.
Killie set the early pace and Ross Davidson tested Muir in the visiting goal with a curling free-kick after just six minutes, but he found the ‘Well stopper in no mood to concede, superbly clutching the ball despite heavy pressure from the strikers.
It took ‘Well seventeen minutes to register an attempt and, although McGachie’s long range drive flew the wrong side of the post, it served as a reminder to the hosts that the Steelmen carried a significant threat up front.
Killie were having the bulk of the ball, which was to be expected given Motherwell’s battle against the elements, but shots were restricted to efforts from distance and nothing that unduly troubled Muir in goals.
Indeed, for all the Ayrshire side’s possession inside their own half, it was Motherwell who would take the lead. A lovely curling pass over the top of the home defence from Erwin allowed McGachie to race clear. His first touch took him round Cadwell and his second tucked the ball into the empty net from a difficult angle.
It was a hammer blow to the home side but, to their credit, they roared back into the game and came within inches of equalising just four minutes later, but they were denied by the crossbar. A well-worked corner from the right found Davidson at the edge of the area and his pile-driver cannoned back off the bar with Muir able to clutch the headed rebound from Rory McKenzie.
Kilmarnock wouldn’t be denied for long, as Greg Thorburn tucked home from a few yards out moments later. The left-back had made a terrific run across the box to meet the teasing near post cross from the Trialist right-back. His finish left the ‘keeper with no chance and Gordon Young with a very different half-time team talk to provide.
With the wind at their backs, Motherwell dominated the second half and were almost back in front just six minutes into the second half. McGachie met a Steve Hetherington cross from the left, but the big striker could only head over when a goal seemed certain.
‘Well continued to knock at the door and were eventually rewarded with a second goal just before the hour-mark, and it was Lee Erwin who grabbed it. A ball down the right channel had both McGachie and Josh Watt competing for the ball. The striker won the battle, and his low drive into the box was tapped home by Erwin from almost on the goal line. Kilmarnock defenders were screaming for offside but the officials waved away their protests and the goal stood.
Killie tried to hit back through McKenzie but his low shot, after a marauding run, was comfortably clutched by Muir.
Despite McKenzie’s effort ‘Well were the only team who looked likely to score again. Euan Murray almost obliged, heading a MacDonald corner inches wide of the post. But it was only a temporary reprieve, as Erwin soon did make it 3-1 with a piece of true individual brilliance.
MacDonald won the ball just outside his own area and was quick to send Erwin racing clear, the big striker lurking unmarked on the halfway line with Killie committing bodies forward. Bearing down on goal, he cut inside a despairing challenge from Lee Ashcroft before chipping the ball over a helpless Cadwell and into the net. Game, set and match.
There was still time though for Erwin to threaten again, but the striker was denied a hat-trick by another excellent block by Cadwell from point blank range. It summed up the dominance of the Steelmen in a good win for the visitors – who now face St Johnstone next Friday at Bathgate (1pm KO).
Kilmarnock: Cadwell, Trialist (Thomson – 77mins), Thorburn, Rankin (Brown – 71mins), Ashcroft, Fisher, Kennedy, Davidson, McKenzie, Lindsay (McKitrick – 83mins), Johnston
Subs Not Used: Trialist (GK)
Goals: Thorburn (44)
Motherwell: Muir, Francis-Angol, Murray, Brownlie, Devlin, MacDonald, Ashgar, Hetherington, Watt (Moore – 65mins), McGachie (Leitch – 72mins), Erwin
Subs Not Used: Stewart (GK), Green, Lynch
Goals: McGachie (35), Erwin (58, 89)
Referee: John Gilmour
