Kilmarnock 3, Motherwell 2

Match Date: Saturday, August 19 2000
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 6,533

Motherwell Team:

Goram, Oueifio, Kemble (Ramsay 45), Strong, Hammell, Corrigan, Townsley, McMillan, Elliott (Nicholas 67),  Spencer, Goodman.
Subs not used: Woods, Lasley, Wood.

Motherwell scorer: Elliott (7, 65)

BUNGLING CLYDE ENSURES WELL PAY THE PENALTY

Kilmarnock  3     Motherwell  2

A SOFT PENALTY AWARD BY Bungling Ref George Clyde turned this game on it's head and helped to ensure Motherwell suffered their fourth defeat in only five SPL matches this season. The defeat would also have heaped more pain on Billy Davies who missed the match due to illness. 

After a slow start to the match the ever-impressive Stevie Hammel made a well-timed tackle to prevent Dargo on the run from Holt's wide pass. A good move by Spencer and Kemble sent Elliot out on the wing but MacPherson was there to concede the throw. Hammel crossed for Townsley but the ball was deflected for a corner. Taken by Spencer, he whipped the ball in, and there was Stuart Elliott to head Motherwell into the lead. With the previous four meetings at Rugby Park ending with clean-sheets for Motherwell things were looking good. It was almost two soon after, Kemble taking a free kick on the halfway line and picking out Goodman on the edge of the box. His header was collected by Spencer and he beat Dindeleux to fire inches past. Referee Clyde made his first blunder when he penalised Kemble after the defender had quite fairly won the ball from Dargo. Dindeleux curled the ball in but it was an easy take for Goram. Dargo then whipped in a cross which, as Baker and Strong challenged, appeared to run off the Kilmarnock player and behind, but instead a corner was given. However justice was done when Oueifio sliced the ball behind for what should have been a corner and instead counted as a goal kick. Motherwell should then have went two ahead but a hesitation by John Spencer then a goal-line clearance by Hessey denied the counter. Marshall then made a good save from Elliot after the winger had cut inside the box to drill low towards goal. The game's first yellow came when Dargo received a caution for a very late tackle on Corrigan. A loose pass by Hammel put the Motherwell rearguard under threat. Holt broke forward and passed inside to McLaren in space but as he shot Strong came in to block and clear. A chip into the box by Mahood gave McCoist the chance to shoot, with former teammate Goram equal to the task. Motherwell went on the attack again with Goodman. His deep cross was met by Elliott, impressive in the air throughout, but this time Marshall saved. Moments later it was Goodman's turn to head in Elliott's cross but it went wide. However, on 26 minutes the home side drew level somewhat unexpectedly. A criminally large expanse of space on the right was exploited by McLaren, and he sent McCoist scuttling down the wing. The experienced forward crossed low for Dargo who beat Corrigan to knock the ball behind Goram. Motherwell attempted to hit back with McMillan sending a great ball down the wing, the greasy pitch defeating Elliott with the ball running out. Corrigan was then punished for a challenge on McLaren some 30 yards out, though the take by McLaren was an easy save for Goram. The home side had clearly received a boost with the goal and Holt almost gave Canero the chance to score, Townsley making a great block though conceding a corner in the process. Kemble then had to slide in to stop Holt as he wound up a shot. The visiting fans were up in arms when Elliott was brought down by a late MacPherson challenge on the edge of the box, play being mysteriously waved on. A long ball by Goram was then chased by Spencer and MacPherson. It appeared a 50/50 ball although once Spencer won the race a free kick was awarded the other way. The Rugby Park side raced forward, McLaren whipped in a cross for Mahood but he was denied by a brave Corrigan header out. Some good skill by firstly Corrigan and then Oueifio gave both the chance to cross but the crosses failed to match up. Stuart Elliott made a terrific run from behind the Kilmarnock defence to go clear on Spencer's pass but again the flag-happy official on the stand-side thought otherwise. Right on the break Hammel and McCoist collided near the box and whilst it was a free kick the yellow card issued to the Motherwell defender was harsh to say the least. Mahood picked up on Townsley's loose clearance but drove well over the bar. 

Half-time     Kilmarnock  1     Motherwell  1

Benito Kemble's recent injury problems had caught up with him at half time and he was replaced by Dougie Ramsay. McCoist set up Dargo for the half's first attempt but the shot was well over the bar. McMillan collected a ball in midfield and as he looked to go forward was caught late by a MacPherson foot, but much to the disgust of all things Motherwell there was no break in play. The ball did break back for Motherwell and running on to a pass from Spencer winger Elliott fired a shot on the angle just past the far post. The action swung to the other end with McLaren taking advantage of a slip by McMillan to cross deep. McCoist found space to head in but was wide. Elliott was in the thick of every Motherwell attack and he connected with Goodman's header back across the box though as he fell backwards the header went wide. Motherwell centre-half Greg Strong had to be alert to cutout McCoist's cross with Oueifio mopping up, sending the Fir Parkers back on the attack. Townsley found Elliott but on this occasion the cross failed to trouble the home defence. A brilliant ball from Spencer then gave Goodman a golden chance to regain the lead for Motherwell, Goalie Gordon Marshall racing from this goal to make an important deflection round the post. Corrigan then threaded a ball through which Spencer was beaten to by Marshall. The Motherwell defender then had to return to his more regular role by cutting out a chip by MacPherson for McLaren. The corner came in and Goodman headed well out of defence and away. Spencer then was loose with a pass allowing McLaren to race away. His cross should have been headed in by McCoist but the veteran striker was just underneath the ball. Another soft free-kick went Kilmarnock's way when Hammel and McLaren tussled 14 yards out on the right. Good play by Oueifio ensured the danger was soon cleared. A quite blatant dive by Dargo then was ignored by the Referee, clearly aware of the ramifications a second yellow would have had. Oueifio then was again alert as Holt was set to connect with McCoist's header back across the box. However, with 24 minutes to go Motherwell did regain the lead. John Spencer ran onto a quickly taken free kick to cross low and as Marshall could only parry Elliott met the ball from a couple of yards out to tap in. It was Elliott's last contribution as he was almost instantly replaced by Nicholas. Seconds later Dargo again made a spectacular dive and again Referee Clyde ignored the obvious. A stray header by Greg Strong was well taken by Goram, the ball flying wildly towards goal. Dindeleux should have seen yellow when he pulled back Goodman on the run. Dindeluex then deliberately handled the ball and once more there was no card to be seen, when in reality he could quite conceivably have been sent off. Hammel made an important block from Dargo's cross though there was no such marking for the corner which Holt headed over. Kilmarnock made a double-substitution, replacing McCoist and Dargo with Wright and Vareille. Wright had an instant contribution, convincing the Referee with a dramatic fall under the slightest of contact with Corrigan inside the box. Wright made no mistake from the spot and controversially Kilmarnock were back in the game. Hessey escaped a booking for a bad tackle on Goodman, the striker fouled whilst in full flow. There was more controversy when the home side took the lead with 9 minutes to go. Derek Townsley, whilst attempting to make a defensive clearance, was pushed in the back by Holt, conceding a corner. The foul was not given, the corner came in, and Dindeleux headed home off Ouiefio's desperate attempt to head away. Motherwell tried to draw level but Goodman's header went over when perhaps he could have done better. McLaren then raced towards the box but his cross was held by Goram. The same player then made a dive in the box and whilst the Referee agreed there was no contact he also failed to book the player. Wright gave Vareille the chance to finish the game but Goram saved well. A deliberate hand-ball by Baker stopped a promising Motherwell break but there was no card for the Kilmarnock man. To use up time the home side replaced McLaren with Fowler, and the home side held on to gain their first win of the season.

Full-Time     Kilmarnock  3     Motherwell  2

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