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Motherwell 0, St Johnstone 1
Match Date: Saturday, April 21 2001
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 3,195
Motherwell Team (4-4-2):
Woods, Ouiefio, Okoli, Strong, Hammell, Nicholas (Adams 66), Harvey (McFadden
59), Leitch, Elliott, Chibba, Twaddle.
Subs not used: Connolly, Corrigan, Lasley.
Yellow Cards: None
WELL EDGED OUT AT GHOST TOWN FIR PARK
Motherwell 0 Saint Johnstone 1
A SECOND-HALF GOAL BY THE VISITORS in a sparsely filled Stadium saw the points undeservedly go north. In a game of few clear-cut chances a no-score draw perhaps would have been the fairest outcome as the excitement of the SPL split petered out long before the first kick of the ball.
Motherwell keeper Stevie Woods set up the game's first attack when his long ball found Elliott. His head flick sent Twaddle to the by-line but Main in the visiting goal held the low cross. Hartley made his first of many nasty challenges when he caught Stevie Hammel late, but escaped a booking. Slack play at the back by Ange Ouiefio saw Hartley beat the offside trap and he took Kane's pas before shooting inches past the far post. However, from Woods' kick Twaddle sent Elliott scampering clear but the ball just ran out of play. The visitors then gained a corner when Harvey conceded, and as it was swung in Woods completely missed the ball with Forsyth unable to direct a header towards goal.
Motherwell then won a free kick up field and Twaddle's fierce shot deflected off Weir and just beyond Strong for a throw. Kane made a trademark tackle from behind on Scott Leitch but again the only award was a free kick. Another of James Okoli's huge throws then found Ouiefio and he crossed deep for Elliott, the header flashing wide. It took a good recovery tackle from McCulloch to prevent Twaddle's cross reaching Nicholas and seconds later Harvey picked out Elliott who raced to the 18-yard-line but stumbled and the ball was cleared. Motherwell were furious soon after when Elliott appeared to send Nicholas from an on-side position but he was hauled back by a very late flag. A superb pass from Chiba gave Twaddle the chance to strike but despite fumbling Main gathered at the second attempt. Belying his huge size Okoli showed some sublime skill to find Chiba and his forward pass gave Nicholas the chance to shoot. The shot, however, was more a poor chip and Main was able to turn round the post easily. Okoli rose to head off McClune but no corner was given. Motherwell should have taken the lead when Forsyth was woefully short with a pass-back. Chiba seized on the ball but his fierce shot was well blocked by Main and cleared.
Recently returned from a long-term injury Paul Harvey was quietly finding his way into the match and he did very well to deny Hartley a header on goals from Kane's in swinging free kick. A minute later, though, Hartely turned Hammel and fed Parker who beat Ouiefio and shot past the far post. Parker did himself no favours when he made a dramatic dive near the corner flag with the Referee waving play on, the young striker lucky not to be booked. There was further uproar amongst the home support when Parker and Ouiefio went in for a 50-50, and although the Motherwell man won fairly Referee Toner blew for a free kick the other way. Parker picked himself up to test Woods moments later but the keeper was equal to the shot. Referee Toner should have stopped play soon after when Parker again was late with a challenge, this time on Elliott. As the action was allowed to continue offender Parker broke forward and his cutback to Kane saw a shot go wide. Another clumsy tackle by Weir on Nicholas gave Motherwell an opportunity 30 yards out but Chiba's effort was blocked behind for a corner. A stramash developed in front of the visiting goal where both Chiba and Elliott saw shots blocked with Main eventually smothering the ball. Chiba then dispossessed Forsyth as he dithered near the half-way line but instead of rushing forward he chose to hold up play, then when playing Elliott from what looked like a position well onside the linesman flagged otherwise.
Motherwell were picking up the pace towards halftime with Twaddle's terrific ball wide picking out Chiba. He then sent a great ball racing along the six-yard line but there was no one to take advantage. McCluskey took Chiba out of play just 20 yards out soon after but the Moroccan's effort went way over the top. Near half time the Officials enraged the home support when they firstly failed to pick up on Parker's foul throw, then gave a corner when Parker deflected Ouifio's clearance behind. Kane then tried to send Kevin Twaddle into the dressing room two minutes before the interval but again play was waved on.
Half-Time Motherwell 0 Saint Johnstone 0
There was a change of Referee for the second half when Kevin Toner failed to appear and his place was taken by Cammy Melville. The visitors also made a change, Kane replaced by Dods. Motherwell threatened almost from the off with a neat one-two involving Hammel and Twaddle broken up by the swift intervention of McCluskey. Recognising the change of Referee Parker decided to repeat his earlier dive and again there was no card, though the UK Diving Squad are rumoured to be interested. There was similarly not card when Weir brought Nicholas crashing to the ground after a lunge. Lovenkrands, who had been on the park for the full 49 minutes despite no one being able to recall a previous sighting, then forced a corner off Ouiefio and the resultant inswinger was headed wide by Weir.
The visitors came closer soon after when McClune sent Sylla racing into the box and with no defensive tackle to be seen he knocked the ball along the box and out wide. An attempted back-header from McCluskey then forced Main into a skewed clearance resulting in a throw. Cleared as far as Hammel he fired wide from the edge of the box. Action swung again up to the South Stand where Sylla's shot was deflected behind by Leitch. Again Sylla gained possession from the corner and it took good work by Okoli to stop a shot on target. Motherwell broke forward with Chiba and he got as far as 25 yards out before a cynical trip from Weir stopped his progress. Twaddle took the free kick but the curling effort was cleared. Sylla was beginning to provide the visiting threat and he made a good run before firing into the side net with. Motherwell then took off the tiring Harvey and replaced him with James McFadden. With no shout forthcoming Ouiefio conceded an unnecessary corner which fell to Lovenkrands and he sent a powerful shot across Woods and out at the far post.
It then took a good header from Okoli to deny Parker the opportunity to go clear on Woods. However, a minute later the visitors took the lead. Lovenkrands provided the pass to Sylla and he avoided a couple of slack challenges before slotting beyond Woods. Motherwell responded by brining on Adams in place of Nicholas. Four minutes later Lovenkrands passed up the chance to settle the game when his header from Weir's free kick went right to Woods. Motherwell at last made a positive response and Leitch sent a rasping 25-yard drive just over the bar. Chiba then made some great play and he sent McFadden wide but the cross disappointingly fell behind. Motherwell fans and officials were up in arms when Weir appeared to elbow Elliott as the pair chased a long ball through the middle. It did look as if Weir had caught the winger but play was astonishingly waved on.
The Fir Parkers were beginning to up the pressure and from Forsyth's partial clearance Twaddle's volley fell just past the post with Main beaten. Elliott made a mazy run and was about to enter the box when Weir quite literally pushed him over, play being waved on. Saint Johnstone then took off Hartley for Lowndes. A pass-back from Weir almost caught out Main and he recovered just in time as the ball crept towards the goal. Soon after Main then completely miscued a clearance but luckily for him it fell to Weir who hooked away. At last Weir's luck ran out as he was booked for, to say the least, a rash tackle on McFadden. Cleared as far as Leitch he sent a terrific shot just a foot the wrong side of the post. However, that was the last of the action and the visitors secured the points.
Full-Time Motherwell 0 Saint Johnstone 1
Match Report by Ricky Mullen