 |
|
| |
|
St Johnstone 2, Motherwell 3
Match Date: Saturday, December 23 2000
Competition: Premier League
Attendance: 3,489
Motherwell Team:
Goram, Corrigan, Strong, McMillan, Hammell , Townsley, Adams, Leitch, Twaddle
(Elliott), Spencer (McLen), McCulloch (Ouiefio).
Subs not used: Woods, Nicholas.
Motherwell scorers: Spencer (6), Adams (40), Townsley (43).
WHIRLWIND WELL GAIN CRUCIAL WIN
Saint Johnstone 2 Motherwell 3
THREE-UP AT THE INTERVAL, Motherwell hung on to gain an important win in the chase for a top six finish. Some dodgy Refereeing decisions did little to help the win but the three points were nevertheless Fir Park-bound.
The home side began on the attack with McBride making a run to the edge of the box and his chip went over the bar. Scott Leitch then brought down Parker giving the Perth men a free kick some 25 yards out on the right. Bollan curled the ball in forcing Goram to tip the ball round the near post. However, from the corner Motherwell took the lead with a goal which will rank highly in Goal of the Season. Lee McCulloch blocked the short corner with the ball running to John Spencer some 25 yards from his own goal. Sprinting forward, he evaded Kane on the halfway line and progressed to 30 yards out. With a quick look up he unleashed a piledriver which gave Main no chance as it sailed into the top left-hand corner of the net. It was almost two just a minute later. Spencer hooked the ball wide to Townsley and he dinked the ball towards the far post after outpacing Bollan only for the ball to drop inches wide. It was Townsley again as he gathered a Spencer pass and made his way into the box. As he lined up a shot Sylla quite literally hauled him out of the way but there was no foul given. Great defending from Stevie Hammel stopped a dangerous McBride cross after he'd broken upfield, allowing Motherwell in turn to counter-break. Twaddle's cross was cleared and play swung again to the other end where Strong had to nod a cross behind ahead of Weir. The ball came in and Dods was allowed freedom to head wide. Andy Goram then put his own team under pressure with a poor kick-out which Leitch was forced to turn behind. A head-flick by Connolly looked to be heading in until Hammel booted away. Townsley then backtracked to deny Dods and despite being constantly fouled the big man was able to see the ball out. There was uproar when Dasovic beat Spencer to Adams chip and clearly passed back to Main. Despite numerous objections from the Motherwell players Referee Somers waved play-on. Goram made up for his earlier slip when he produced a brilliant save to parry a turn-and-shot from Conolly. Goram punched clear allowing Strong to send a long ball out wide for McCulloch. With players up in attendance the cross was too deep but Twaddle was able to cutback for Hammel. He drove in a shot but it just evaded Adams at the back post and ran out. The Motherwell defence was caught out a few moments later when Sylla got in behind to send a ball across the face of goal and out with fellow home men in support. Hammel then brought Sylla crashing to the ground giving Saint Johnstone a free kick near the box. Dods got in a header which Goram again magnificently turned over but to the amazement of the home support and players alike a goal kick was given. A good Motherwell move involving Adams and Townsley saw the ball laid-off for McCulloch but his 20-yard drive was well held. A reckless challenge from Bollan on Townsley should have carried the game's first booking but the Referee saw fit to award only a free kick along with a ticking-off. Weir and McCulloch were then involved in a chase for a loose ball into the box and with McCulloch winning Weir took a dramatic dive which convinced Somers to give him a free-kick. Motherwell players were gain up in anger when McMillan beat Dasovic to a header and sent Spencer racing clear only for a very, very late off-side to be given, despite Spencer running from well on. Saint Johnstone passed up a good opportunity to level when Weir was given room to head well wide from Sylla's free-kick on the right. Just before the half-hour Dods was eventually booked when he pulled back Twaddle wide left of the box. Great work by Spencer then set up Twaddle but his shot from the angle almost tore into the net through the side wall. Spencer was at it again a minute later sending a brilliant pass to Adams. His cushioned header was met by Twaddle on the drop but Main held comfortably. Motherwell were upping the effort again and Townsley slipped a ball through for Twaddle. The winger steadied himself before attempting to chip Main, the home keeper holding near his bar with Adams screaming for a pass to the left. There was more anger for Spencer when he sent McCulloch through way on-side only for the linesman again to flag late. A cynical foul by Kane on McCulloch carried only a free-kick on the half-way line with the Motherwell striker requiring time to recover. The home side managed to relieve the pressure when Strong was adjudged to have fouled Parker on the right. Bollan curled the ball in but a foul by Weir on Townsley stopped the play. It was definitely the Spencer show and another great ball from the diminutive midfielder gave Townsley a chance to cross but Dods blocked for a throw. However, five minutes form the break Spencer played a major part in doubling Motherwell's lead. Corrigan and Townsley combined on the half-way line to play a pass to Spencer. Turning, he picked out Townsley who had continued his run down the wing. Controlling the ball on his knee he made progress to the 18-yard line and cut the ball in for Adams, the former Ross County man needing no second invitation to bury the ball beyond Main from 10 yards out. Saint Johnstone almost pulled a goal back when Hammel had to concede a corner which Weir flicked wide in space. Motherwell promptly when right back up the park and all but finished the game. Twaddle then forced a corner off Dods. Curling the ball in Townsley actually stopped to head home from just on the penalty spot. Two minutes from the break there was controversy. Sylla and Adams clashed over a loose ball but as Adams pulled away Sylla grabbed him round the throat and pushed the Motherwell man back. Incredibly Adams was booked but Sylla also gained a yellow when a red should have been awarded. McCluskey then was very late on Townsley but the leniency continued from Somers as a free-kick was the only punishment given.
Half-Time Saint Johnstone 0 Motherwell 3
Saint Johnstone came out as expected determined to gain some consolation and it was Kane who drove over from25 yards in their first attack. With three minutes of the second-half gone Motherwell were reduced to ten men. Adams was somewhat harshly done by to gain a first yellow before the break but he could no argue with the second as he raised an elbow when jumping with Bollan. Motherwell were being pushed back and both Sylla, lucky to still be on the park, and Connolly both had shots which sailed wide. However, seven minutes in and the home side pulled a goal back. Parker forced a corner and before it was taken Motherwell replaced Spencer with McLen. There is an unwritten rule never to change at a corner and this was proved when Saint Johstone scored. Connolly flicked the ball on and despite Parker looking suspiciously off-side at the back post he scored. This gave the home side impetus and they attacked again. A late Kane tackle on McLen was ignored giving the home side the chance to break. Connolly saw his shot deflected by Sylla inches wide. Goram then made a good take from Kane's shot from the edge of the box. Motherwell should have finished the game off when an error by McCluskey gave Twaddle the chance to go one-on-one with Main. However, the goalkeeper blocked Twaddle's effort for a corner. Leitch gathered the loose ball but his drive from 25 yards was saved. From Main's kick-out Connolly fell rather dramatically as Leitch challenged 30 yards out. McCluskey drove the ball into the wall and Bollan then drove way over the bar. An error by Twaddle forced Stevie Hammel to concede a corner and as this came in Goram made an outstanding save from Connolly's header with Parker's follow-up shot going wide of the target. The home side then made a change with Dasovic being replaced by Lovenkrands, and seconds later gained a foul when Leitch was late with a challenge on Sylla. However, the whistle from Somers was extremely late infuriating the away fans and support alike. Townsley cleared to the edge of the box where McBride drove wide. Lovenkrands made ground on the right to cross in moments later where Parker had another free header which he sent wide of the mark. Hammel then had to be sharp to block Sylla's cross for a corner with several team-mates up in the box. Everyone was helping out in defence for Motherwell and it was McCulloch's turn to block a cross, this time from Kane for a corner which Kane in turn sent way wide of goals. Motherwell then took off Twaddle to introduce the fresh legs of Elliott. It was almost a dream introduction for the winger when McLen's break gave Elliott the chance to shoot and although he beat Main he also cleared the goals. Big Derek Townsley was harshly punished when he won a tackle with Lovenkrands, the home player making a spectacular dive to win the free-kick. Motherwell regained possession but Corrigan slipped on the edge of the box allowing Lovenkrands to bear down on Goram. The Goalie blocked the shot with his legs but Sylla, lucky to still be on the park, followed up to reduce the deficit still further. Saint Johnstone, however fortunate, could sense an equaliser and continued to attack. Hammel brought down Connolly 25 yards out though the free-kick, when swung in, saw Dods foul Townsley. Sylla must have thought it was his lucky day when he struck out again, this time at Hammel, following a foul. To add insult to already gaping injury Hammel was booked with Sylla allowed to walk free. Parker then passed up a great chance to level when he was left alone in the box to head Lovenkrands's cross wide. Seconds later Connolly left to be replaced by Russell, with Motherwell taking McCulloch off for Ange Ouiffio. With time running out Elliott when down clutching his face after a clear elbow by Weir, but once again Somers failed to spot. There was a frantic scramble in the last few seconds when a free-kick conceded by McLen was swung in. A poor punch by Goram fell to Parker who swung the ball back in and as it bobbled about Dods drove a shot off Hammel and over the bar. However, after three-and-a-half minutes of injury time after a half with relatively few stoppages the whistle was blown and Motherwell had recorded their first win in Perth since October 5th 1991.
Full-Time Saint Johnstone 2 Motherwell 3
Match Report by Ricky Mullen (rmullen@motherwell.co.uk)