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5.20pm

This afternoon's game against Rangers at Fir Park ended in a 1-1 draw.  In an exciting game, both sides had chances to win the match, although perhaps Motherwell will feel aggrieved to come away with only 1 point following an outstanding performance.  Now how often can you say THAT after a game involving one of the Old Firm?

Despite all the pre-match injury worries, both Steven Craig and Stephen Pearson were named in a starting line-up unchanged from the one which won at Tannadice a fortnight ago.

It was Rangers who made the better start to the match, and we found ourselves on the back foot for the first 15 mins or so of the game.  It was no real surprise when the visitors took the lead, when Corrigan failed to clear his lines and the resultant ball over the top found Arveladze with enough time and space to lob the ball over the advancing Marshall.  However, going a goal down seem to rally us, and following a good spell of pressure we deservedly equalised when Pearson shot into the roof of the net from an acute angle after good build-up play from Lasley.  Craigan headed into the side netting from a corner kick, but we began to fall out of the game again slightly as half time approached, and had to rely on Marshall to produce an excellent save from an Arteta free-kick.

It was Motherwell who had the better of the second 45 mins, and we passed up several good opportunities to take the lead.  We had a decent penalty shout when Fernando Ricksen bodychecked Clarkson off the ball inside the area, only for the referee to wave away the appeals.  Craigan cleared a Mols effort off the line in what was the visitors best chance of the second half against the run of play.  By this point Pearson was running Ricksen ragged, and the Rangers defender, already on a booking, should have been shown a red card for a late challange on Pearo.  However, the referee bottled out of making the decision, and Ricksen was subsequently subbed by his manager before get could get himself sent off.  Lasley somehow managed to put the ball wide from around 5 yards out following an excellent cross from Steven Craig, and then late on Klos produced two superb near-post saves to deny both Lasley and Clarkson.  It was without a doubt the Rangers players who were the more relieved to hear the final whistle as the game ended 1-1.

This was an excellent all-round performance from the team, and Rangers could have had no complaints had we grabbed a winner in the second half.  Although the defence looked a bit suspect early on, they soon tightened up and it is to Martyn Corrigan's credit that Peter Lovenkrands, the player he was in direct opposition to, was subbed in the second half.  The midfield battled well, with Leitch and Pearson particularly outstanding, and while our front pairing of Craig and Clarkson gave their all, it could easily be suggested that had an out and out goalscorer been playing for us this afternoon we would almost certainly have taken all 3 points.  Still, we would definitely have taken a point beforehand, and although we are only in mid October we are already a whopping TEN points clear of Partick Thistle at the foot of the league.  

Come on ye 'Well! 

Team (4-4-2): Marshall, Corrigan, Craigan, Partridge, Hammell, Lasley, Adams, Leitch, Pearson, Craig (Dair 79), Clarkson.
Subs not used: Corr, Quinn, Fagan, Wright.

Yellow Cards: none.

Attendance: 10,824

New Zealand international defender Gerard Davis is currently on trial at Fir Park.  The left-back played for his country against Scotland in May and has a total of 28 international caps.  Terry Butcher hopes to gain clearance to play him in the Under 21 game against Rangers at Broadwood tomorrow night.  Davis is currently without a club after spells with Football Kingz, Eastern Suburbs, University AFC, Howick AFC, Fencibles Utd and Stanford University.

Terry Butcher believes Scotland manager Berti Vogts has made a big mistake by leaving Stephen Hammell out of his Scotland Future squad for the forthcoming with Germany.  While Stephen Pearson has been selected for the match at Pittodrie on Tuesday night, his club-mate and Scotland Under-21 colleague has been overlooked.  TB said:
"I am disappointed that Hammell wasn't selected because he deserved to be in it.  He's played nearly 150 games for the club and is still young, so from that point of view it's great they are getting international recognition, but they still have to get the consistency at club level first and foremost.  But it's great that they are pushing for the future squads and other squads, which is good for the club as well."

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