A shocking Motherwell performance saw us go down 3-1 at Livingston this afternoon.  The game was over at half-time with the home side 3-0 ahead, thanks to some truly woeful Motherwell defending that would look more at home in a school playground than an SPL match.  In fact, if it hadn't been for several excellent saves from Mark Brown then the scoreline would have been more embarrassing.

Eric Black made only once change to the team that beat Aberdeen last week, with David Kelly returning to the side and Greg Strong dropping to the bench.  We started the game in virtually a 4-3-3 formation, with Derek Adams playing just behind the striking partnership of Kelly and Stuart Elliott.

There were very few incidents of note during the first 20 mins or so, but then the home side took the lead with a simple goal when Xausa outjumped everyone at the far post to head the ball past Mark Brown.  Livvy doubled their lead just a couple of minutes later with a comic-cut goal.  Wilson had a clear run in on goal, but was forced wide by Mark Brown and the danger appeared to be over.  However, he managed to keep the ball in play and crossed it into the box where there wasn't a Livvy attacker in site, only for Stevie Hammell to chest the ball into the empty net.  Then just when the travelling fans thought things couldn't get any worse, Livvy launched a long punt upfield and Corrigan and Ready decided to leave the ball to each other, and the grateful Xausa nipped in to claim possibly the easiest goal he'll ever score.  In between the second and third goals, Mark Brown pulled off several superb saves to keep us in the match, but the third goal killed the game completely and we might as well have gone home at half-time.

Not surprisingly, the home side took their foot off the pedal in the second half and Motherwell began to enjoy a bit more posession, but the game was long since over and we rarely threatened the Livvy goal.  Then in 77 mins I believe we grabbed a consolation goal when James McFadden headed home from a Twaddle cross, although I was heading for the car park at this point.

Apart from Mark Brown and possibly Keith Lasley (who for some reason was subbed in the second-half), there were no 'Well players on the pitch today who I'd give pass marks too.  The defence in particular had a nightmare, and Livvy looked like scoring from every cross ball that was put into the box.  If you didn't make it to Almodvale today, be sure to watch the highlights on the telly to see just how amateurish our defending was at the second and third goals.  I know it's frowned upon when certain players are picked out for criticism, but I'm going to to it anyway.  Corrigan and Ready were both pathetic today and their performances were summed up by Livvy's comic-cut third goal, while I wouldn't give Derek Adams at game at our 7-asides on a Tuesday night.  The guy is simply not of SPL standard and the sooner our manager realises this the better.

And to make matters worse, it took us 30 mins to get out of the McArthur Glen car park after the game.  Crap day all round really.

Eric Black criticized his team's defending after the match:
"I'm not happy with the cheap goals we gave away because we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.  We played alright for the first 20 minutes and then, all of a sudden, we had lost two bad goals and the game was virtually over.  Communication was definitely a problem at the goals we lost and we must avoid losing cheap goals because you just can't do that.  We got a reaction after the break but, when you're 3-0 down, you need one hell of a reaction to get anything out of the game.  Last week, we took a lot of positives from the win over Aberdeen but, after today, we must go away and work to improve.  Every club likes to strengthen its team and we will look to do that if the right players are available.  Livingston are a very good side and it cannot possibly be luck with the results they have had because you can see they have good organisation, team-work and quality players who play for each other."

Black refused to blame Stevie Hammell for Livingston's second goal, saying:
"Steven was unlucky because it was his momentum which carried the ball into the goal and at that point I actually thought the danger had passed."

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