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Dunfermline 1, Motherwell 2
Match Date: Saturday, November 11 2000
Competition: Premier League
Attendance: 4,488
Motherwell Team:
Woods, Corrigan, Strong, McMillan, Hammell, Adams, Brannan, Leitch (Townsley),
Elliott, Goodman, McCulloch (Nicholas).
Subs not used: Connolly, Ramsay, Ouiefio.
Motherwell scorers: Townsley (85), Brannan (pen 90).
THE GEDI SWOOPS TO NICK POINTS FOR WELL
Dunfermline Athletic 1 Motherwell 2
A LATE, LATE PENALTY BY Ged Brannan gave Motherwell slightly fortuitous three points in a largely uninspiring match at East End Park. Indeed, with seven minutes left the points looked to be staying in Fife until two late goals gave the Fir Parkers three priceless points.
The visitors were first to show when Captain Brannan sent a long ball in the direction of Stuart Elliot. He looked to have got clear until a well-timed tackle by Nicholson stopped the progress of the winger. Play quickly returned to the penalty area and just outside the box Nicholson, foxed by Elliott's trickery, brought him crashing to the ground some 16 yards from the by-line. Corrigan swung the ball in where Goodman rose to head narrowly past. Nicholson and Elliott were seeing plenty of early action and the former Ibrox man again produced a well-timed interception to stop Elliott running onto Brannan's pass. Home centre-half Skinner escaped punishment when he body-checked Goodman near the box. The Pars first attack saw them go close to opening the scoring. A well-worked move involving Dair and Coyle saw the former cross deep and it took a great clearance by Hammel at the expense of a corner to stop Crawford. The ball came swinging in and Coyle saw a shot blocked by Strong, and as it ran loose Dair tried to nick it through only for Elliott to deflect for another corner. Don Goodman rose to head out only as far as McGroarty but he shot way over. Woods then made a long clearance which Goodman headed into the path of Adams. Holding off the challenge of McGroarty the Motherwell midfielder bore down on goals and shot inches over on the angle. A minute later, however, the home side went ahead with a goal which was a carbon copy of ones lost by Motherwell to the Pars this season. McGroarty pumped in a deep cross and Moss rose unchallenged to loop a header over Woods and into the net. Moss should have gathered a yellow card seconds later when he cynically chopped down Stevie McMillan as he ran through the middle. Worryingly for Motherwell Boss Davies would have been the room afforded to Dair as he ran from his own half and only some poor finishing stopped him adding a second. A Goodman exchange with McMillan forced Skinner to concede a corner and Skinner again blocked Goodman's header. Soon after it was Nicholson's turn to block, this time Elliott's cross, although there was only a spectacular save by Ruitenbeek to deny the powerful header from Strong. Motherwell were playing the better football and came close again when McMillan made a terrific run and upon receipt of a Goodman one-two tested Ruitenbeek who held well. The visitors should have had another corner when Skerla clearly blocked Goodman's cross but although the linesman flagged Referee Underhill gave a goal kick. Skerla then brought Adams down but was on hand to clear the Brannan free-kick. It almost became two-nil when Crawford eased away from four Motherwell defenders but the cross from Dair was poorly timed catching Moss way offside. There were shouts for a penalty when Hammel appeared to be brought down by Dair close to the 18-yard box following Ruitenbeek's punching clear of Corrigan's cross. McMillan then had to produce a great block to stop Crawford as he looked set to shoot at goal just inside the box. Crawford and McMillan then clashed as a McGroarty pass ran towards the Motherwell box, the ball rolling behind for a corner. Goodman headed only as far as McGroarty but the shot found only the Row Z of the stand behind. Hammel took receipt of Woods's pass and supplied Elliott but his progress was halted by a high Skinner tackle which brought the defender a yellow card. Brannan curled the free kick in forcing Ruitenbeek to palm the ball away from almost on the line. Corrigan and Adams exchanged passes with the latter curling inches past. Lee McCulloch was given a severe talking-to by Referee Underhill for a tackle on Matthei, the Ref enraging the home support by not awarding a card though to be fair the challenge hardly merited one. Near the interval McCulloch flicked wide for Elliott and he dragged his shot past the far post from the edge of the box.
Half-time: Dunfermline Atheltic 1 Motherwell 0
The game had hardly re-started when Nicholson was given a yellow-card for a late, late tackle which had Elliott rolling in agony. However, Scott Leitch then followed Nicholson into the book when he was given a yellow for an equally late tackle on Matthei which saw the former Motherwell man writhing in pain. Leitch shrugged off the booking to send Goodman racing through with Skinner making a great block to divert the ball wide of goal. Again, the linesman appeared to give the corner but as Goodman lay injured the Ref awarded a goal-kick. Goodman recovered and returned to play soon afterwards. Motherwell forced another corner but it was Ruitenbeek who made a good catch ahead of McCulloch. The home keeper then had to be sharp as he gathered only just before Elliott looked to score. It was Dunfermline who came close next when Woods had to produce a brilliant tip over the bar from Moss as he latched onto McGroarty's through ball. The corner came in with Skerla able to jump on his own to head way over the top. Crawford then made a run through the middle and he shot for goals, Woods making a good take. Dunfermline then made a change when they took off Coyle and brought Mendez on. Crawford again went close when he got on the end of a Moss header to nod just past though it did look like Moss had used an unfair advantage by holding Strong down as he tried to jump. Motherwell were making some good passing moves but to typify things Brannan shot wildly over from the edge of the box. Hammel then saw a cross deflected by Skerla in the direction of McCulloch but his angled header was over. Another sweeping move saw Brannan and McCulloch combine to send Adams wide. His cross was deep but found only Skerla who had no option but to concede the corner. Dunfermline broke out of defence with Crawford but he was denied by a well-timed McMillan tackle. Another former Motherwell man, Matthei, then made way for Hampshire. The home side went close again to doubling their lead when Thomson made way through a couple of weak challenges to the by-line and crossed to the near post. Greg Strong, nicking in ahead of Crawford, made the crucial clearance. The ball remained near the Motherwell goal when Dunfermline were given a free-kick though Brannan made an important header over. Motherwell were slightly under pressure at this point and it was Woods with a good take as Nicholson drove from outside the box. Motherwell attacked and won a corner, taking the opportunity to bring on Townsley for Leitch. In the midst of a goal-mouth scramble Goodman though he had scored when his header looked to have been scooped from on the line by Ruitenbeek and over the bar. With five minutes left McCulloch left for Nicholas's inclusion. A minute later Motherwell drew level and it was no more than they deserved for never giving up. Elliott managed to knock a throw-in towards goal and as Ruitenbeek advanced Nicholas managed to nick the ball away. It broke for Derek Townsley and he coolly curled a low shot into the net from a tight angle. Townsley was harshly booked for his celebrations which were hardly inflammatory. Seconds after the re-start Woods made a terrific save as Moss piled in a header from Crawford's cross. Motherwell had clearly taken heart from the leveller and sought an unlikely winner. Townsley's through ball fell just an inch beyond Nicholas as Ruitenbeek gratefully gathered. And, as the clock showed 91 minutes, Motherwell were awarded a dramatic penalty. Corrigan sent the ball towards the box and as Nicholas and Skinner jumped it fell behind them for Skerla. His first touch was poor allowing Elliott to gather. Skerla made an untidy challenge and the Referee called right by pointing to the spot. Despite the immense pressure Brannan slotted home for the winner. Dunfermilne had a late chance when Moss got the benefit of the doubt when clashing with Strong 25 yards out. The free-kick, however, was sent way over by Thomson and Motherwell gathered all three points.
Full-Time: Dunfermline Athletic 1 Motherwell 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen (rmullen@motherwell.co.uk)