Motherwell 1, Aberdeen 1

Match Date: Saturday, August 27 2000
Competition: Premier League
Attendance: 5,541

Motherwell Team:

Goram, Corrigan, Oueifio, Strong, McMillan, Goodman, Brannan, Leitch (Harvey), Adams, Spencer (Elliott), McCulloch (Wood)
Subs not used: Woods, Hammell.

Motherwell scorer: McCulloch (22)

DRAW DRAGS WELL OFF BOTTOM

Motherwell  1     Aberdeen  1

MOTHERWELL FOUGHT BACK TO take a share of the points at Fir Park but were some way short of registering their first win of the season. Despite the return of some key players from injury the flowing football of last season seems a long way away.

Aberdeen were on the attack right away and went close within the first minute. Bernard and Winters combined to set curiously numbered 0, Zerouali, clear on Goram but the big keeper got down well to parry the shot away. John Spencer then gave Stuart Elliott the chance to run clear though a poor decision by the linesman denied the winger, flagging offside when the player had run from well behind the away defence. Whyte, perhaps the visitors best player on the day, nipped in to deny Adams after he had looked certain to connect with Goodman's knock-down. Motherwell should have taken the lead on six minutes when Goodman sent a ball to the by-line. Lee McCulloch whipped the ball back a cross and Spencer inexplicably delayed long enough then had to slip the ball for Adams, the resultant shot skewed wide. Don Goodman forced a corner off Young though this was cleared by McAllister. Motherwell forced another corner off Bernard but it was the visitors who broke forward to take the lead. Rowson got the break of the ball out wide off Guntveit and his cross was met by Winters, and from just six yards out he gave Goram no chance with the header. Motherwell hit back but Bernard was brave to deflect McCulloch's netbound drive over the bar. Visiting midfielder Darren Young should have seen yellow for a late hack at Goodman but Referee Rowbotham, blinded by the sheen on his head, missed this one. A good ball by Spencer was cleverly played in for Leitch and as he looked set to pounce Rowson came in to clear. However, a minute later Motherwell did draw level. Goodman knocked across a perfect long ball by Leitch, and there was McCulloch to nick the ball against McGuire and into the net from a close angle. Seconds later Leitch again played a brilliant through ball for McCulloch, though despite running from well onside the flag-happy linesman raised his hand much to the disgust of the home support. Ged Brannan then saw yellow for a tackle from behind on Zerouali, the Moroccan being stretchered off with a dislocated ankle and replaced by Mackie. Causing problems for Aberdeen was Leitch, and he was at it again giving Adams an opportunity and it took good defending by Rowson to prevent another goal. The visitors went forward with Winters who sent Young racing to the by-line. His deep cross was inviting but there were no takers. Mackie returned the ball for Winters who, in space, headed over. It then took great defending by Rowson to stop Spencer from scoring after Goodman had headed down on the 18-yard line. Some slack play by McMillan gave Guntveit a great chance but he drove wide of the mark. It was end-to-end with McCulloch, bouyed by two goals in two games, showing great skill to make it to the box though a good block by White cleared. The ball broke to Goodman but again White made the important block. More flag-waving by the linesman would no doubt have pleased visiting Manager Skovdhal as the flag went up after Brannan had chipped forward for Spencer, the striker most definitely on-side as the ball was played. Winters then drove well wide, with teammate McGuire lucky to escape a yellow for a body-check on McCulloch. Also carrying his luck was Young who brought down Brannan but failed to see yellow. The free kick came in but Strong's header was saved.

Half-time     Motherwell  1     Aberdeen  1

Aberdeen began the second half hungrier and weren't far away when Mackie's cross fell for Young but his mis-hit went out wide. The visitors were next to rage at the linesman when he flagged Mackie offside running onto a through ball when again clearly he was not. Makie was in action seconds later when he fired in a 25 yard shot which Goram did well to parry away. Motherwell managed to put together their first attack of the half soon after when Spencer played McMillan out wide. Adams was blocked and as the ball fell to McCulloch he saw his effort hit White and Esson gathered. Derek Young then shot from 25 yards though this time Goram saved comfortably. Motherwell then hauled off the injured Leitch and replaced him with Paul Harvey. It took a great block by Strong to stop Young testing Goram, but the ball went wide to Guntveit and his ball to Mackie saw a shot come in which Goram got down to hold. Motherwell were struggling at this point and almost went behind again when Guntveit outpaced Strong and chipped a shot inches past. McGuire then got in to stop McCulloch getting in a drive, but Motherwell putting little of not together. John Spencer then made way for Stuart Elliott in an attempt to get width. A poorly taken free kick by Brannan gave Aberdeen the chance to break and then went close when Winters saw a looping header held by Goram. The play continued towards the Motherwell goal with McMillan blocking Guntveit's cross for a corner. At last Motherwell began to play more upfield and it was Goodman who forced the corner. As it was swung in Elliott saw a glancing header go narrowly past. McCulloch then went close with a header and soon after McCulloch was rather unfairly booked when he and White collided, the big striker falling to the ground with Referee Rowbotham clearly lacking in sight as well as hair as he booked McCulloch for an alleged dive. A Goodman long ball across the box then just evaded Adams. McCulloch then left to be replaced by the eager Martin Wood. A slip by Ged Brannan gave Derek Young a chance and he clipped a shot past. A free kick conceded by Greg Strong on the right gave Aberdeen a chance to whip in the ball, and as it came in Elliott was forced to knock the ball behind for a corner. The visitors forced another but strong Motherwell defending snuffed both out. Aberdeen replaced Winters with Dow near the end. The last chance fell to Motherwell when Goodman saw a header deflected over by McGuire, but the match ended in a stalemate which as much reflected Motherwell's standard of play.

Full-Time     Motherwell  1     Aberdeen  1

Match Report by Ricky Mullen (rmullen@motherwell.co.uk)