Motherwell 1, St Johnstone 0

Match Date: Saturday, April 7 2001
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 4,600

Motherwell Team (4-4-2):

Woods, Corrigan, Okoli, Strong, Hammell, Twaddle (McFadden 76), Leitch (Lasley 62), Chiba, Elliott, Nicholas, Adams (Wood 54).
Subs not used: Connolly, Ramsay.

Motherwell scorer: Elliott (23).

Yellow Cards: None

HEAD MAN ELLIOTT GETS WELL BACK ON TRACK

Motherwell  1     Saint Johnstone  0

A HEADED GOAL BY NORTHERN IRISH INTERNATIONAL Stuart Elliott, aided by a wonder Stevie Woods save from the penalty spot gave Motherwell their first home win since last December. In a more-or-less meaningless game the Fir Parkers did enough to deserve their third win of the season over the men from Perth.

Motherwell came close early on when Elliott made a break on the left. His ball in was gathered by Adams and he turned to shoot not far past the post with Main struggling. Twaddle then dispossessed Kernaghan to set up Nicholas but he fired a shot well past. Twaddle and Nicholas then combined to send Corrigan wide who in turn crossed for Elliott. He beat McClune to the ball but the header was inches past, though in any event Referee McDonald saw an infringement. A blatant push by Weir on Nicholas carried only a free-kick, the tall centre-half lucky not to be booked, and Motherwell had a dangerous free-kick only 16 yards from the by-line. Chiba whipped the ball to the back post where Okoli rose to head back across though Weir was on hand to clear just in time. An error by Greg Strong then gave the visitors their first real opportunity to attack. Dasovic played the ball long fro Hartley to gather and he turned to shoot wide of the far post. Controversey seems to follow Sylla and there was no exception in this game. He made a dramatic dive when challenged by Strong with the Referee waving play-on. There was no free-kick, nor the deserved yellow card, and Motherwell broke forward. Twaddle cut back fro Adams but he allowed the ball to run to far and when finally making contact struck the side netting. Although Motherwell were ahead in terms of possession Saint Johnstone were creating the odd chance. Lovenkrands picked out Weir and the header wasn't that far away. The Fir Parkers swept upfield with Nicholas, making a rare start, shooting low on the angle with Main getting down well to hold. The ball was played long to Lovenkrands and he beat Woods but Strong was on hand to clear. Elliott picked up and, spotting the run by Nicholas, looked to have sent him clear but Weir made a good recovery to concede a throw. Main in the visiting goal had to be sharp to gather a Twaddle looping cross with Elliott set to pounce, the goalkeeper plucking the ball from almost on the winger's head. Motherwell had a great chance to go ahead when Adams beat Main to the ball out wide. With the keeper well out of goal Adams turned and curled the ball along the goal line but there was no-one to touch home and it was cleared for a throw. Terrific play involving Chiba and Elliott saw a series of clever one-twos and back-heels before Chiba sent in a scorching shot which Main tipped round for a corner. However, the opening goal was merely delayed. Twaddle swung in and Elliott rose above everyone to angle a header in to the far post and into the net. Motherwell had the bit between their teeth now and went for a quick second. Strong passed to Letch who played a great ball wide for Twaddle, though a good block by Dasovic at the expense of a corner stopped the danger. The game was far from dirty though one unsavoury incident went unnoticed by the officials. Weir appeared to pull then elbow Stevie Nicholas but this went unpunished. Then Chiba looked to have been caught high by Sylla though again this went without official intervention. Referee McDonald looked intent on keeping his card well hidden and this was underlined when a wild challenge by Forsyth on Leitch carried only a free-kick. Leitch recovered and it was Main who rescued his side with a punch away, and as the ball came back in Forsyth looked to have obstructed the progress of Corrigan in the box but play was waved on. Lovenkrands made a long run down the wing and his cross was nicked away by Hammel just as Hartley looked to head home. Chiba headed out to Sylla but his shot went way over the stand. Kevin Twaddle then made room on the right and his cross was met by a terrific leap form Elliott though the header went over. A body-check by Dasovic on Chiba gave Motherwell a free-kick some 30 yards out on the right. Strong hooked the clearance back in but Forsyth sent the ball well away. Just as half-time approached Sylla made another flailing dive near the corner flag but again there was no card.

Half-time     Motherwell  1     Saint Johnstone  0

Motherwell began the second half again the more positive team and a great run from Twaddle took him all the way to the 18-yard line. He cut the ball across the line but again there was no home attacker to take advantage and the ball was cleared away. Chiba then played a superb ball in and it took a terrific clearance from McCulloch who just beat Nicholas for a throw. Okoli sent in another long-range throw which Main punched only as far as Chiba and the 25-yard shot went wide. Hartley made a good run for the visitors by Okoli recovered well to concede the throw. Motherwell then took off Adams and replaced him with Martin Wood. There should have been a yellow card for Forsyth when he was late and high on Nicholas. A mistake by Corrigan then let in Sylla. He set up Hartley but Motherwell Captain Scott Leitch made a great recovery to block for a corner. Woods didn't claim the ball as it came in and Dasovic hooked wide. Stevie Woods then looked unsure as another ball came in a minute later and it was Leitch who again stopped Hartley's progress with an important interception. The ball spun wide and Leitch again was on hand to block for a corner. The visitors then made a change with Hartley making way for Parker. Motherwell also taking off Leitch, who looked most displeased, and brining on Lasley. With Motherwell still reorganising Sylla fired in a free-kick which Forsyth met unchallenged to head wide from a good position. Sylla himself then chipped well over from out on the right as the visitors looked to be interested in a point. They made another change when McCulloch went off in place of Kane. With 22 minutes to go Saint Johnstone had a great chance to level. Forsyth supplied Lovenkrands with the ball and his cross was headed by Lowndes towards goal. Strong rose and blocked with his hands giving Referee McDonald no option but to point to the spot. Sylla strode up and fired towards the top right only for Woods to make a terrific save and turn the ball round the post for a corner. Woods again was called to make another important save from the corner, clutching the header from Weir. There should have been a yellow for Dasovic when he deliberately handled the ball wide right but by now both sets of players would have realised none were to be issued. Motherwell had a fair claim for a penalty when Dasovic brought Okoli down from behind inside the box. Okoli did go down somewhat unconvincingly though there was no doubt contact was made illegally. Then Parker was very late on Elliott but again no offence appeared to have been committed, least not in the Referee's eyes. Motherwell replaced Twaddle with McFadden with 14 minutes to go. Another late challenge by Parker on another day perhaps would have by now have seen him leaving the field, but Motherwell had to be content with another free-kick. A minute later Weir rather crudely brought the progress of Lasley to a halt some 16 yards out. Chiba's free-kick was blocked but McFadden made a great run with the ball and saw an 18-yard shot well saved. Visiting danger man Parker looked set to shoot until Lasley made a terrific interception in the box. Then Kane had a chance but his shot form the edge of the box was wildly over the bar. Motherwell attacked with Lasley out wide but he was brought down by Forsyth. The free-kick was whipped in to Wood and his pass to Elliot saw the latter get in a shot despite being pushed by Weir, the effort saved. McFadden then made good break and his pass for Lasley was curled only inches over. Elliott then did likewise but his run was halted by Forsyth. He in turn made a run in the opposite direction but good tracking by Corrigan denied the young visiting defender. Kernaghan then left to be replaced by McCluskey. In the last minute a great long ball by Lasley picked out Nicholas on the right. His cross was met by the flying Elliott but the header went narrowly over the bar.

Full-time     Motherwell  1     Saint Johnstone  0

Match Report by Ricky Mullen

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