7.20pm

Today's result: Motherwell 5, Kilmarnock 0.

No, you read that previous line correctly.  We actually DID beat Kilmarnock 5-0 this afternoon to record our first home win of the season.  This might sound ridiculous, but I actually think we've played better than this in previous home games this term (the Hearts match in particular springs to mind), with the only difference today being that we finally took our chances.  I suppose its fair to say that we also got a few breaks, but who's to say they weren't long overdue?

Maurice Malpas reverted to a more familiar 4-4-2 formation today, with Craigan and Reynolds in the centre and Quinn and Paterson as full-backs.  Richie Foran returned to his usual left midfield position, with Calum Elliott partnering Scott McDonald in attack.

When Killie hit the bar from a free header in the opening minutes, the home fans feared the worse.  Instead, Motherwell banged in three goals without reply before the visitors knew what had hit them, effectively killing the match as a contest by the 23rd minute.  The first came from Foran after 15 mins, when he followed up on a fumble from the Killie goalkeeper to sweep the ball home. Minutes later it was 2-0, although I'm not entirely sure what happened exactly.  A Paterson corner was headed on by Reynolds, and after at least one deflection off a Killie defender the ball ended up in the back of the net.  Brian Kerr was next to get in on the act, when his shot from the edge of the box evaded the Killie goalkeeper to make it 3-0.

The second half was a bit of an anti climax initially, with Motherwell seemingly content to sit back and allow Killie to come at them.  The visitors enjoyed the majority of possession, and had two penalty claims for handball turned down by the referee, but despite all their pressing they seldom looked like scoring, with Meldrum never really called into action.  The visitors were always going to leave gaps at the back, and McDonald should have capitalised midway through the half by squaring the ball to the unmarked Elliott rather than taking the shot on himself, which was comfortably parried away by Smith.  Elliott then passed up two chances of his own, and McDonald missed a sitter before finally getting on the scoresheet when he was presented with a free header from a corner kick.  The rout was completed when McDonald grabbed his second and Motherwell's fifth by outpacing the defence and slotted beyond the goalkeeper after 86 mins.

I guess this just shows what the players we have are capable of, and given some of the unfortunate defeats we've suffered this season perhaps we were due to give someone a pasting sooner rather than later.  I'm usually quick to criticise our midfield following a defeat, but I thought all four of them were outstanding today.  And Jim Paterson has been a revelation this season no matter what position he's been asked to play in.

We're now just one point off the bottom of the league, and a win over Dunfermline in a fortnight will move us above them.

Team (4-4-2): Meldrum, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson, McGarry, Kerr, Lasley, Foran (Fitzpatrick 85), Elliott (Clarkson 83), McDonald (McCormack 88).
Subs Not Used: Smith, Kinniburgh, McBride, Connolly.

Scorers: Foran 15, Reynolds 20, Kerr 23, McDonald 82, 86.

Booked: Lasley.

Attendance: 4,765.

Maurice Malpas' post-match comments were as follows:
"I said a while ago, the harder you work, the luckier you get and the work rate we put in so far this season, we deserved what we got today.  We got a break for the second goal which helps us and after that I thought the team did well.  The bottom line is we got the three points and that's what we asked the players to get.  I think we got a break at the right time. it's a different game at 2-0, they have to chase it and it settles us."

The 'Well manager was also full of praise for his teenage defender mark Reynolds:
"I don't want to go over the top with Mark but I should because he has been different class.  He was thrown in at the deep end and he's handled it and he's grown.  Him and Jim Paterson have been our best defenders. That's a midfield player playing at the back and a young lad coming in and being asked to do a man's job.  I know it won't go to his head because he's not that type of lad and he's a Motherwell fan."

Brian McLean's medial ligament injury is not as bad as was first feared, and he could be back in February rather than missing the rest of the season as was first thought.

The club are launching a new magazine entitled 91, which goes on sale early next week and costs £3.  Details available from the Official Motherwell FC Site.

It seems our trialist from Togo has been allowed to leave as MM feels he isn't any better than what we have already.  And it seems that MM has also given up on signing Marvin Andrews as he has been unable to contact the ex-Rangers defender.

DEFINITELY time for a new opinion poll

How much longer should we give Maurice Malpas?