5pm

Compliments of the season to everyone!

Today's result: Dunfermline 0, Motherwell 2.

This win moves us up to the dizzy heights of 8th in the table, but more importantly it increases the gap between us and the Pars to a whopping 10 points.  It actually sounds like the home side were the better team for much of the game, but after taking the lead against the run of play we defended in numbers before Skippy clinched the win with a brilliant curling effort late on.  As if things couldn't get any better, Jim Hamilton was sent off shortly after our second goal for violent conduct!

Team (4-4-2): Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Craigan, Quinn, Reynolds, Fitzpatrick, Kerr, Elliot, Darren Lee Smith, McDonald, Foran.
Subs: Meldrum, McGarry, Kinniburgh, McBride, Donnelly, Connolly, Coakley.

Scorers: Fitzpatrick (26), McDonald 79.

Booked: Foran.

Attendance: 4,200.

Maurice Malpas' post-match comments were as follows:
"I'm delighted. That's two difficult games we have won when we knew we had to pick points up.  I didn't think we were as fluent as we have been in the past but there was definitely a bit of resilience there - a bit of stubbornness.  Once we got in front, it was a case of 'We are going to keep that at all costs'.  We defended well and they never really had any great chances apart from Mark Burchill getting through.  The bottom line is we got three points and that's what matters.  To go to to Rugby Park and win - a lot of people expected us to lose that one - and to come here, a crunch game, and win gives us a bit of breathing space."

Saturday's result: Kilmarnock 1, Motherwell 2.

Great result, marred somewhat by the second half dismissals of Jim Paterson and David Clarkson.  Ricky's report of the game is available here.

Maurice Malpas has confirmed that we are still awaiting international clearance for new signings Paul Keegan and Trevor Molloy:
"All of our paper work is done and we are waiting on the International clearance before we can play them against Rangers on 2nd January.  The problem we have is that the FAI are in their close season and they are also on holiday! We are pushing for their clearance, and the SFA are batting for us but they say that nothing is happening.  It’s the same for Danny Murphy even though we signed him two weeks ago, and it could be that we don’t get the clearance until the FAI open again on 2nd January."

Malpas added that ideally he would like to make one further addition to his squad before the transfer window opens:
"We are looking for a defensive type midfielder, and I am being a wee bit greedy here and looking for an experience player. We have some young guys who have done well but I think we need a bit of experience in beside them."

Richie Foran is mulling over the offer of an extended contract at Fir Park.  Motherwell's leading scorer, recently linked with a move to Southend,  told the Daily Record:
"I was delighted and surprised when the manager pulled me to ask if I'd be interested in signing a new deal.  I said I'd let the manager know either way by Friday.   He deserves a quick answer but I just want to chat things through with my dad and my agent before coming to any conclusions on my future.  

"The gaffer wanted to know if I wanted to commit myself longer to the club or if I felt I was ready to move elsewhere. I'll make up my mind quickly." 

MM is quoted as saying:
"I have had a basic discussion with Richie and we’ll need to see what he has to say. It is now the prerogative of the player what the next step is, I only wish they were all like Stephen Craigan who was desperate to sign and we were desperate to sign him.  We are talking to some of the guys now as we don’t want to end up in the same situation as we did with Steven Hammell last season, where it dragged on six weeks after the end of the season. I can guarantee we will not be going down this route again."