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Dunfermline 1, Motherwell 2
Match Date: Saturday, May 12 2001
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 2,610
Motherwell Team:
Woods, Corrigan, Kemble, Hammell, Townsley, Chiba (Lasley 46), Harvey (Ramsay
59), Pearson, Elliott, Nicholas, Twaddle (Wood 75).
Subs not used: Connolly, McFadden.
Motherwell scorer: Elliott (7, 16).
Yellow Cards: None
ELL OF A DOUBLE SEES WELL HOME
Dunfermline Athletic 1 Motherwell 2
A FINE DOUBLE STRIKE FROM Northern Irish International Stuart Elliott saw Motherwell record their first win since the SPL split and take them above the Pars in the table. In front of a sun-baked crowd of just 2610 Motherwell did enough to deserve all three points against a poor home side.
Referee Underhill showed his intentions early when he failed to pick up on a late tackle from Doesburg on Twaddle but instantly penalised Stevie Nicholas for an innocuous challenge on Ferguson. Dunfermline pushed upfield and Petrie forced Martyn Corrigan into conceding an early corner. Woods punched the ball out but it was returned with menace though the header from Skerla went well wide. Good play from young Stephen Pearson, dispossessing Matthaei in midfield almost gave Elliott a chance but the final ball from Twaddle was just too strong. The home side went close when a one-two between Petrie and Matthaei saw the latter get in a shot which Townsley did brilliantly to block for a corner, Kemble clearing the ball when that came in. However, it was Motherwell who took the lead with a fine piece of trickery from Stuart Elliott. Latching onto a fine pass from Paul Harvey the winger took Skerla to the cleaners before driving the ball beyond Ruitenbeek from a virtually impossible angle and into the far corner of the net.
Kevin Twaddle then made the by-line and his deep cross was only just cleared by Doesburg with Elliott lurking. Doesburg then misjudged a header back to his keeper giving Motherwell a corner. Twaddle curled the ball in and arriving like an express train Elliott powered home the second Motherwell goal giving Ruitenbeek no chance. Racing away, Elliott did his trademark cartwheel in delight. Seconds later Elliott was close to a quick-fire hat-trick when his deep cross almost sneaked in at the back post. Motherwell were pushing the Pars back with Twaddle and Elliott causing a host of problems. Twaddle's lay-off for Elliott resulted in a pass to Hammel and his shot was well blocked by Skerla near the line, Hammel's follow up going over. Elliott was clearly relishing the sunshine and he then made a superb run from the half-way line, entering the box and shooting for goal with Doesburg clearing from almost on the line. Dunfermline were rarely seen as an attacking force but they perhaps could have done better when Nicholson's cross-cum-shot was headed over by Crawford.
A terrific passing move involving Chiba, Harvey and Nicholas ended with a superb save by Ruitenbeek from Twaddle's shot after he'd cut inside the despairing lunge of Doesburg. The home keeper was at it again from the corner, superbly blocking Elliott's diving header with the latter needing attention for a knock. The Pars then came close to pulling a goal back against the run of play when Ferguson sent Nicholson wide and his cross was met by the unmarked Crawford who crashed a header off the post with Woods beaten. Motherwell returned back upfield and good work by Elliott in holding the ball up almost resulted in a goal, Ruitenbeek again there to deny Twaddle. With 10 minutes to go to the interval Dunfermline got back into the game thanks to a rash tackle by Chiba on Fotheringham inside the box. Crawford stood up and became one of the few penalty-kick takers to beat Woods with a shot inside the left-hand post. Motherwell should have had a free-kick near the box when Doesburg used Elliott for leverage to clear but play was waved on. Ferguson should have seen yellow when his tackle on Pearson was made well after the ball was released but the only punishment was a free-kick to Motherwell. From the kick Harvey found Elliott and his angled drive was well held by Ruitenbeek. What then looked like a clear foul by Ferguson on Corrigan amazed the visiting Support and players when Referee Underhill gave the free-kick to Dunfermline some 25 yards out. Motherwell allowed McGroarty to race along the edge of the box before firing narrowly past the far post. McGroarty then conceded a free-kick on the angle of his own box but Chiba's take was poor to say the least. A clip by Skerla on Pearson was ignored by the Referee but as soon as Pearson made a tackle on McGroarty the whistle was blown, causing more frustration to the Motherwell players. Hesitancy by Petrie, who'd gone clear on the edge of the box, allowed the Fir Parkers to regroup and his eventual cross was knocked behind by Hammel for a fruitless corner.
Half-time Dunfermline Athletic 1 Motherwell 2
Motherwell made an immediate change, bringing on Keith Lasley in place of the departing Said Chiba. It was the home side who threatened early on, Townsley having to kick clear from near his own goal line after a flick on by Crawford. McGroarty then returned the ball only for Bullen to head well wide of the target. A retaliatory, and late, tackle by Petrie on Nicholas should have seen the game's first yellow card but Referee Underhill deemed only a free-kick the necessary punishment to be given. Nicholas picked himself up and not long after made a good break but instead of a shot chose to pass to Pearson and his shot was charged down and cleared. Twaddle then found Pearson with a terrific ball but Doesburg again was on hand to clear in time. Fotheringham for Dunfermline showed some trickery on the wing to enter the box and his dangerous low cross missed everyone and ran out for a throw.
Motherwell were slack in defence at this point with McGroarty's cross finding the unmarked Nicholson who headed wide. The Fir Parkers did break upfield, though, and Harvey found Twaddle out wide. The Captain cut inside before unleashing a curler which wasn't far beyond Ruitenbeek's far post. Fotheringham was making good ground on the wing for Dunfermline and another cross was well cut out by Townsley as Crawford looked set to pounce. Motherwell broke away with Elliott racing upfield but instead of taking it on himself he held up play and the pass for Twaddle was cleared. The second change for the visitors came on the hour mark, Harvey making way for Dougie Ramsay. Another great run by Elliott saw him taken out by Doesburg and a free-kick given some 25 yards out. Twaddle strode up and curled the ball over the bar, failing to trouble Ruitenbeek. A superb tackle by Benito Kemble saved a probable equaliser as Crawford burst through into the box. Woods then denied Fotheringham with an outstanding block as the Pars tried to get level, the follow up by Nicholson being deflected over for a corner off Townsley's outstretched boot. The home side then took off Matthaei in place of Mason.
Motherwell still looked the more likely and Stevie Hammel came close to his first goal in claret and amber when he sneaked in behind Fotheringham to connect with Twaddle's cross but hit the effort wide. Dougie Ramsay then played a superb pass forward for Elliott though the resultant cross was disappointing with Twaddle clear at the back post. Instead of taking the ball all the way Stevie Nicholas looked to lay the ball off when a shot was on and the ball was cleared. Kemble was playing well at the back and he made an important interception to stop Mason's cross reaching Crawford. A poor decision by the linesman then denied Stuart Elliott the chance for a hat-trick when, running on to Hammel's through ball, he was flagged when most definetly well onside. Dunfermline the made a second change, replacing Ferguson with Skinner. A clever move almost put the game beyond the home side and it took a fine save by the home keeper to keep his side in things. Ramsay's well-weighted pass found Elliott who laid the ball off for Twaddle. Cutting inside Fotheringham like he wasn't there the tall winger looked set to score but Ruitenbeek brilliantly blocked with Skerla completing the clearance. It was Twaddle's last contribution of the match as he was replaced by Martin Wood, with Fotheringham also leaving to see Tod take his place. Another inaccurate off-side decision then stopped Wood in his tracks as he raced clear from well onside to connect with Elliott's pass.
Motherwell conceded a free-kick near the box when Lasley brought down Tod. The latter picked himself up and flicked a header on for Bullen who did likewise and over the bar. Martin Wood was then so unlucky not to score when, connecting with a fine Elliott pass, he chipped Ruitenbeek but the ball ran agonisingly inches past. A rash tackle by Skinner on Ramsay should have seen a yellow but again Referee Underhill chose not to book. With five minutes to go Doesburg was lucky not to see yellow or even red when he deliberately tugged back Elliott who looked set to race clear on the wing. Townsley then sent a header behind for a corner to Dunfermline but Tod headed into Woods arms. Motherwell had a fair claim for a penalty denied when Skerla climbed all over Elliott. A minute from time Dunfermline were reduced to ten men when Doesburg was sent off for bringing down Elliott as the last man. Elliott took the free-kick himself but Ruitenbeek saved well. As time ran out Dunfermline came close to an unlikely leveller. Crawford cut in practically on the by-line and his cross was knocked by Kemble towards goal with Woods scrambling back to make a dramatic clearance and shortly afterwards Referee Underhill blew for time.
Full-Time Dunfermline Athletic 1 Motherwell 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen