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Dundee 1, Motherwell 2
Match Date: Saturday, October 21 2000
Competition: Premier League
Attendance: 7,344
Motherwell Team:
Woods, Corrigan, Ouiefio, Strong, Hammell, Adams (Townsley), Brannan,
McMillan, Elliott, Spencer (Nicholas), McCulloch (Goodman).
Subs not used: Connolly, Davies.
Motherwell scorers: Elliott (1, 5)
EXQUISITE ELLIOTT CLAUDS CANIGGIA DEBUT
Dundee 1 Motherwell 2
TWO SUPERB, QUICK-FIRE HEADERS BY Stuart Elliott, both inside the first five minutes, set Motherwell up for a memorable victory at nemesis side Dundee. The Northern Irish International was a constant threat to the home side all match, and his goals ensured that the after-match talk was not about former Argentinean Cap Caniggia.
It took Motherwell just 25 seconds to score one of the quickest top-flight goals this season. Lee McCulloch chased Wilkie towards the by-line and using his shoulder eased the defender off the ball. There was no question of a foul, McCulloch laid off a pass to Adams, and his accurate cross was expertly placed beyond Langfield by on-fire Elliott. Seconds later it could have been two, Langfield racing from his goal to pluck Corrigan's cross ahead of Elliott. The home side showed their true colours early when Caniggia went flying to the ground under minimal McMillan pressure. Billio sent the ball through but it was too strong for Caniggia to gather. Two minutes later and it was two-nil to the visitors. John Spencer sent a good ball out wide for Adams on the edge of the box. Another accurate cross followed and it was met by Elliott who rifled in a brilliant header. Spencer was lucky to escape a booking for a kick at Bonetti though the free-kick was easily dealt with by Corrigan. Motherwell should have won a corner when Wilkie knocked out ahead of Elliott but to his anger the linesman disagreed. McCulloch then went close with a header from Hammel's ball in, Langfield making a good save. Motherwell almost tripled their lead on ten minutes when De Marchi's poor clearance fell to Spencer and he turned to fire a 20-yard drive not far past. De Marchi and Wilkie then got into confusion giving McCulloch an opening though Langfield again denied. Bonetti made ground out on the left to give Caniggia some space, the resultant low cross finding Sara but he was crowded out by Ouefio and Strong. Bonetti played the ball back in but Oueifio again cleared. The Italian Manager clearly took offence to this and a minute later his late, late challenge on Oueifio was bad enough to merit a booking, though Referee Fleming thought otherwise. Bonetti was getting quite involved at this point and he went flailing to the ground after losing possession to Adams, convincing the Ref to award a free-kick. Billio sent in a deep ball which was headed well over by Wilkie. The tall centre-half also escaped a booking when he hit Elliott hard enough for the winger to require treatment off the park. Adams looked to have won the ball fairly after a clash with Bonetti but as McCulloch raced clear the pleadings of Bonetti stopped play and Dundee were given the free-kick. A key member of Dundee's synchronised diving team made a splash when diving Elliott challenged, conning Referee Fleming into booking the Motherwell man. Derek Adams then hit the deck after Bonetti had quite blatantly elbowed the midfielder in the back and whilst a free-kick was given no card was issued. Spencer sent the ball wide for Corrigan to cross and whilst Elliott connected the attentions of Smith meant there was no clean contact and Langfield saved easily. From the kick-out the home side pulled a goal back and it was a quality finish from the much-hyped Caniggia. The Argentinian side-stepped Oueifio's poor challenge and raced forward to the edge of the box and, seeing Woods off his line, delicately chipped over the keeper and into the net. Less than a minute after that poor defending almost gifted the home side a second. Langfield's route-one ball was missed by Strong who hesitated allowing Sara in but his lob went over the bar. Stuart Elliott then had to leave the field for more treatment as a clumsy Wilkie header left the winger requiring the Physio's attentions again. A trip by Billio gave Motherwell a chance near the box though Adam's ball in was headed wide by Strong. Motherwell were creating chances for Dundee and they should have drawn level on the half-hour. Langfield again sent a long ball through the middle which should have been dealt with by Oueifio. His hesitation allowed Sara in but again he lobbed wide. Smith then escaped severe punishment when he hit Elliott off the ball as a Motherwell attack broke down, Elliott for the third time requiring off-the-field treatment. There was a fair shout for a penalty as De Marchi used Spencer to head clear but play was waved on . A superb piece of persistence almost gave Stevie McMillan a brilliant goal as he carried possession all the way from his own half, beating man after man, only for his legs to give out just as he made the six-yard box, though he did win Motherwell a corner. Elliott flicked a header to the back post but McCulloch sent his effort wide. Good skill by John Spencer, chesting down and shooting on the turn, looked to have given Motherwell the two-goal advantage again only for the ball to run narrowly wide. A poor kick-out by Langfield saw Adams fouled by Marrocco though he still managed to win a corner. Just on the half-time whistle Caniggia sent a ball out wide to Bonetti and he showed good skill to spectacularly kick over-head from the by-line though Hammel cleared well.
Half-time Dundee 1 Motherwell 2
Motherwell almost began the second half the way they had the first with McCulloch finding Spencer but his shot went wide. Ange Ouefio was rather unfortunate to concede a free-kick just 7 yards from the by-line when Marrocco looked to have fallen over his own feet. Bonetti crossed and far too much room was given to Caniggia whose header, which went over, could have done damage. Good work by Spencer saw him block the attempted ball downfield by Marrocco. The striker chased the ball to the by-line cutting it back for Elliott whose angled drive went inches past the far post. Action swung to the other end where Spencer's mis-hit went behind for a corner. Billio got in a header though Elliott cleared to Corrigan. His long ball was met by McCulloch but the ball through to Spencer was cut-out in the nick of time by De Marchi. Soon after the same combination almost worked as McCulloch's intelligent pass gave Spencer room to drive on the angle, Langfield making a good block to turn round the post. Seven minutes in though should have seen the home side level. Stevie Woods dropped a cross under pressure from Sara who, upon receipt of a return ball by Caniggia, swiped over the bar from 8 yards out. Bonetti then burst forward but his dive in the box fooled no-one and play was waved on. Smith then looked way off-side but with play continuing he almost picked out Artero, the ball met instead by Strong who conceded a corner. Derek Adams then made way for Derek Townsley. The ugly side of Caniggia's game was exposed when he blatantly took a dive as Strong challenged. A free-kick it may have been but the theatrics for afters were clearly unnecessary. Caniggia made a dramatic recovery which Casualty would have been proud of to race on to the ball by Bonetti though the ball was too strong and ran behind. Motherwell then took off McCulloch, tiring after recent injury, and replaced him with Goodman. The home side also made a switch, taking off Billio for Nemsadze. Some hesitation in the Motherwell defence then allowed Caniggia to race along the 18-yard line to fire in a raging shot which Stevie Woods did brilliantly to tip over the bar. Sub Nemsadze then conceded a corner under pressure from Goodman, the cult Fir Parker heading the ball over as it came in. Goodman then appeared somewhat unfortunate when he challenged Langfield to a cross ball. As the two jumped Goodman made connection with the ball but despite scoring Referee Fleming cancelled the effort. The volatile Bonetti then got his just deserts when, seconds after hauling McMillan to the ground and amazingly being given the free-kick, he just could not keep his mouth shut and was booked for a severe dose of verbal diarrhoea. A terrific piece of back-tracking by Elliott stopped a dangerous cross by Romano from making the centre of the goal. The ball came out to Artero but ended up troubling only the seagulls on top of the stand. Artero was then replaced by Carranza. There was another shout for a penalty as Spencer had his shirt tugged by De Marchi who in turn went down dramatically holding his face. The ball broke for Goodman but Langfield managed to nick the ball away as far as Wilkie. His poor clearance was toe-poked goal-wards by Elliott hitting Smith on the way and running behind for a corner. Goodman met the corner and his ball down for Eliott was directed just past. A break by John Spencer then gave him an opportunity to finish the match but his poor shot was easily saved. Stuart Elliott sent another header in from Brannan's free-kick but this went wide. There was more diving by the Italian contingent when Carranza fell with little encouragement. Caniggia did likewise seconds later convincing the Ref to book McMillan. Whilst it was definitely a free-kick the booking was all the Argentinean's own work. John Spencer made way soon after to be replaced by Stevie Nicholas. The third booking for Motherwell then followed and it took the same pattern as the previous two. An unnecessary, spectacular dive clutching a part of the body, again by Carranza, and a yellow for Brannan. The Scouser then went down injured in the box as he blocked a cross, the ball striking his throat with the home support accusing him of feigning injury. The corner broke out to Carranza whose shot was brilliantly tipped over by Woods. The corner was knocked behind by Brannan, though the next saw Sara get in a free, downward header which Woods saved. Carranza broke the trend by becoming the second home booking for a late challenge on Nicholas. Motherwell then ran down the clock to gain a valuable three points.
Full-Time Dundee 1 Motherwell 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen (rmullen@motherwell.co.uk)