Motherwell 0, Rangers 1

Match Date: Saturday, September 23 2000
Competition: Premier League
Attendance: 11,275

Motherwell Team:

Goram, Kemble (Goodman), Strong, McMillan, Hammell, Ouiefio, Brannan, Leitch, Adams (Elliot 45), Twaddle (Spencer), McCulloch.
Subs not used: Woods, Wood.

SHOT-SHY WELL FALL TO LUCKY MOLS GOAL

Motherwell  0     Rangers  1

A RATHER FORTUITOUS GOAL By Mols was enough to ensure all three points went back to Glasgow and continue the dreadful start to the season for Motherwell. Despite being well in contention for the entire match the Fir Parkers did little to pressure a shaky visiting defence.

It was Rangers who were first on the attack, Konterman sending Reyna wide and his low cross in for Ferguson saw the midfielder clash with Adams. Ferguson went down all too easily inside the box but instead of the hoped-for penalty by the away fans a corner was correctly given. However, a worrying aspect of the match for the home fans was first seen seconds later when Amoruso was allowed the first of several free headers which he sent well over when a goal seemed certain. This stung Motherwell into immediate action and Brannan, a surprise inclusion after recent injury, sprayed a delightful ball wide for Twaddle, though the cross was cut out by Numan. Adams then supplied Twaddle in good position but the tall winger lost his footing and sent a cross well behind the line. It took a great block from Greg Strong to stop Mols going clear onto Fergusons' pass and in the next visiting attack after a sweeping move upfield. Strong then brought down Mols some 30 yards out and the free-kick was fired in by Amoruso, Goram diving low to parry the ball away to safety. The visitors were lucky not to be reduced to 10 men when a loose ball by Numan was headed forward for Twaddle to chase. He was always favourite against Tugay with the Turk late to challenge. Despite bringing down Twaddle and being last man Referee Dougal waved play on when Tugay should have been leaving the field. Motherwell kept up the pressure and Adams terrific ball wide allowed Twaddle to race down the wing. Taunting Tugay he beat the Turk twice before firing in a shot which Klos did very well to parry away. However, it was the visitors who took the lead with a lucky goal in the 14th minute. The move leading to the goal was entirely of Dutch origin, with Mols, Numan and Van bronckhorst all involved, but when the ball came back to Mols on the edge of the box he shot from16 yards. The ball appeared to be curling wide until it struck the ankle of strong and looped over Goram. Motherwell went on the attack and Amoruso conceded a free-kick when he pulled McCulloch down 30 yards out. Brannan drifted the ball in for Strong but the header was easily saved. McCulloch and Amoruso then clashed with the Italian falling as the Motherwell striker raced away. Referee Dougal, however, decided to spare the defenders blushes and gave him a soft free-kick. Rangers broke forward with Mols who, despite pulling McMillan back, was given the corner as the ball rolled out. The Goalie was able to stop another free Amoruso header soon after following a corner on the left, diving low to his left to parry. Motherwell cleared the second corner and McCulloch sent Adams wide, his ball finding Twaddle but a poor cross was easily swept away by Tugay. Oueifio then blocked a Numan cross for another , which Amoruso had his customary free header over when in space. Klos at the other end had to look sharp to deny a dangerous low cross from Twaddle, diving low to knock the ball round the post. Twaddle swung the ball in but Strong sent a shot well over the bar. Goram had to dive full length at the other end to turn Reyna's low shot round the post for a corner. Infuriatingly for the home support Amoruso again had another free attempt at a header which he again headed well over from almost point-blank range. A clearance by Amoruso then fell to Adams but his shot deflected off Reyna for a corner. Tugay, in a moment of madness, then booted the ball out of the park and was promptly shown a yellow card, though given his earlier indiscretions probably was thankful that was all he had seen. Seconds later Scott Leitch followed him into the book for a tackle on Reyna. Although not obvious at the time, Motherwell were to lose Twaddle for some time when he challenged Konterman for the ball twice in quick succession. The winger firstly received a whack when the Dutchman tried a desperate clearance then when dallying again managed to knock the ball to the side, Twaddle falling awkwardly and breaking his wrist for the third time in some 8 months. To compound Twaddle's misery he was rather unfairly booked for a seemingly innocuous tackle on Reyna. Right on half-time Strong sent a header over from Hammel's inswinging free-kick.

Half-time     Motherwell  0     Rangers  1

Both sides made changes at the break, the visitors replacing Mols with Lovenkrands and Motherwell taking Adams off with Stuart Elliott his replacement. Rangers were given an early corner when Johnston, despite fouling Hammel, saw his cross blocked behind, though the Motherwell defence on this occasion deciding to prevent another free Amoruso effort. A late tackle by Lovenkrands should have earned the Dane a yellow card but he escaped, with the free-kick wasted by Motherwell 30 yards out. A wild kick by Ferguson on Leitch then went without punishment despite Referee Dougal seeing the incident right in front of his own eyes, the ball running on for Brannan who shot wide. Soon after Ferguson sent a header way over the bar at the other end. There were claims for a penalty for the visitors when Lovenkrands forced his way into the box only to run into Leitch, but these came from the overly-optimistic away support and not from the player himself. Motherwell then took Benny Kemble off to bring on Don Goodman. A Lovenkrands lay-off for Reyna ended with an 18-yard shot which, although going wide, Goram did very well to tip round the post for a corner. This went deep and it was good work by Ouiefio to rob Dodds and break down the move. Goodman then sent a great long ball for Twaddle who tormented Tugay and although it looked like he had kept the ball in a throw was given the other way. Tugay was having a torrid time dealing with Twaddle and should was lucky for a third time in the match when he pulled Twaddle back after the winger had beaten him with ease. There was no booking and by now Tugay must have realised he could almost do what he liked. The ball broke out for Hammel from Elliott and the young defender smashed in a 30 yard shot which Klos did well to hold, with a late, late challenge by Ferguson completely ignored. Stevie McMillan then had to knock a Numan cross behind for a corner which Amoruso, in his now customary role, headed over when unchallenged. The visitors took off Johnston for Miller soon after. A break upfield by Van bronkhorst gave Lovenkrands a great chance but Goram made a good save to deny. Motherwell passed up a great chance to level with 20 minutes to go when Konterman fouled Twaddle 35 yards out on the left. Goodman saw a header saved but as the ball came out Hammel sent Oueifio wide. His inviting low ball along the six-yard line found only one taker, Keeper Klos. Team-mate Reyna then went off to be replaced by Vidmar as Rangers went defensive to hold on, with Twaddle being replaced by John Spencer. A long ball by Strong saw Tugay at his best, pushing McCulloch over and conceding a freekick 18 yards out which was again wasted. A Spencer chip almost found McCulloch who had peeled away from the Rangers defence, Klos racing from his goal to gather. However, the best chance to level came with six minutes left. Greg Strong played a long ball towards the box which Goodman headed on, and Lee McCulloch, all on his own some 6 yards out, could only head into the hands of Klos when he really should have scored. The home fans were up in arms when Vidmar brought down Elliot at the far side only for the free-kick to go the other way. Rangers were becoming increasingly desperate clearing way downfield without chasing after the ball. In stoppage time Greg Strong swung a deep cross in which, as Amoruso and McCulloch challenged fell to Goodman. He shot goalwards were Numan made a great clearance over for what looked like a corner, however, a free-kick was given though it was difficult to see exactly what for. Although TV evidence showed the hand of Lee McCulloch go up if he had made contact he should have been booked, and wasn't. Amoruso, however, talked his way into the book of the Referee. Just before time up Numan ran the ball out for a corner which wasn't given, and, taunting Spencer, he induced the midfielder into a rash booking when kicking the ball back at the Dutchman. Rangers held on and Motherwell remained with just one win so far.

Full-time Motherwell  0     Rangers  1

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