Motherwell 2, Rangers 2
| Match Date: Saturday, December 15 2001 |
|
| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 9,894 | |
| Motherwell Team (3-5-2): |
Brown, Ready, Deloumeaux, Strong, McFadden, Lasley (Pearson 90), Leitch,
Soloy (Corrigan 68), Hammell, Kelly, Elliott.
Subs not used: Woods, Adams, Dow.
Motherwell scorers: Lasley (16), Kelly (79 pen).
Yellow Cards: Kelly, McFadden, Corrigan, Leitch
SPOT-ON NED KEEPS WELL ON THE LEVEL
Motherwell 2 Rangers 2
A LATE PENALTY BY DAVID KELLY Ensured that Motherwell took a deserved point from an all-action clash at Fir Park. After a wonder strike from Keith Lasley Motherwell found themselves behind before the penalty drama.
It was the visitors who were first to show, Ferguson picking out McCann and his deep cross was knocked behind by De Boer under pressure from Deloumeaux. Motherwell gained a free kick when Elliott was fouled, Moore climbing all over the winger, though the ball was booted away. Rangers burst upfield with McCann latching onto the through ball from Ricksen. Breaking for De Boer his shot took a wicked deflection off Strong and crept behind for a corner. The Fir Parkers dealt easily with the threat and almost went clear when Kelly's through ball was only inches beyond Elliott's outstretched leg. A one-two involving De Boer and Averladze almost gave the visitors the lead, the latter's attempt at a shot from the edge of the box woeful to say the least, completely mis-hitting the ball. Then a superb tackle from Leitch prevented McCann bursting through.
Motherwell were beginning to wake from their early slumber and only a good take by Klos stopped Elliott making the cross from McFadden. A burst upfield from Strong saw Motherwell advance again but the ball from Elliott was poor. Konterman then fired well over from outside the box before some uncertainty in the home defence almost cost Motherwell dear, Ready taking the ball from Brown but he was able to clear. A foul on Elliott by Moore then gave Motherwell a free kick some 40 yards out. Ready's knock down was met by Elliott, he took his time to tee up Keith Lasley and he gave Klos no chance with a superb strike from just inside the box to give Motherwell the lead. A slow build-up from the visitors ended when Brown got down well to hold McCann's shot on the angle. The Fir Parkers had a claim for a penalty ignored when Kelly looked to have been barged by Moore. Play continued and only sheer bad luck stopped Motherwell scoring again.
McFadden crossed low and Kelly met the ball perfectly only for it to strike Klos in the face and rebound to safety. Then a close offside call stopped Kelly racing onto Soloy's long ball. Mark Brown did well to punch a deep De Boer cross clear under severe Averladze pressure soon after, but Motherwell broke and won a free kick thanks to another Moore foul on Elliott. Then ball was put in by Hammel but Kelly's shot was blocked by Moore and cleared. Both Numan and then Ricksen were lucky not to be booked when firstly Numan floored Lasley and then Ricksen elbowed McFadden as the two clashed on the touchline. Motherwell had a good opportunity when Konterman brought down McFadden but the defender then cleared to set up a counter-attack. Averladze turned inside Deloumeaux but Brown did superbly well to tip the shot onto the post and behind.
Rangers then claimed a penalty as De Boer was out jumped by Elliott, the ball running onto Brown. The visitors then had a slice of luck to draw level. Ferguson's cross in struck Soloy then Deloumeaux before falling kindly for Averladze. With Ready slow to react the Georgian needed no second invitation to score. A minute later Ferguson was clear onto Averladze's wide pass but drove over. Moore's luck ran out near the break when he was at last booked for a late tackle on Elliott. The tackle itself didn't carry a card, though Moore's unnecessary boot away would cost him dear later. McFadden curled well wide. Soon after there was more unpleasantness, this time Referee Young rather unnecessarily pulled McFadden back after he'd fouled Ferguson. A terrific run from Deloumeaux gave McFadden the chance to run at the defence but his final ball fell just beyond Kelly. A studs-in effort from Averladze on Leitch should have carried a yellow and seconds later he then fouled Deloumeaux and again escaped punishment.
Half-Time Motherwell 1 Rangers 1
The visitors made an immediate change, with Latapy staying and Hughes taking his place. The visitors began the second as they had the first, Averladze going wide but Strong did very well to block his shot. Then McCann made the by-line and his cutback raced along the 6-yard line and out. Soloy then had to look sharp to stop McCann getting a shot in. Motherwell were putting themselves under pressure and only good alertness from Brown stopped Strong's poor clearance falling to a visitor.
Stuart Elliott was then subjected to too bookable fouls, firstly from Konterman and then Ferguson but Referee Young deemed neither enough to stop play. He then further enraged Motherwell by awarding a free kick to Ricksen who had been quite fairly tackled by McFadden. However, a push by Moore on Ready ended the danger. Throughout the match Rangers were constantly taking free kicks from way forward of their origin without Young's intervention, and from another Ready was forced to concede a corner. Leitch then headed behind two successive before Brown punched out of play. De Boer gathered the ball inside the box but he was blocked out by Kelly. Just prior to the hour mark an attempt at a streaker made an appearance. It was a poor attempt, wearing socks and pants he soon left the field of play. Stuart Elliott won the ball in midfield and he sent McFadden racing into the box. Evading despairing challenges he chose to attempt a left-footed curler and drove past when a shot with the right might have brought dividends. Then a Hughes error was pounced upon by Elliott but he also drove wide. A superb block by Karl Ready then stopped Numan from pulling the trigger. The corner came in and it appeared Moore had headed behind, but Referee Young pointed for another corner. This time McCann curled in and the ball took the slightest of deflections off Kelly to go in at the back post despite an attempt by Lasley to clear.
A moment or two later Kelly was rather unfortunate to be booked when he kicked the ball back to Klos, Referee Young taking exception at this for some reason and he produced the yellow card. Soon after McFadden joined Kelly in the book for a late tackle on Ricksen. Motherwell took off Yan Soloy to replace him with Corrigan. The Fir Parkers continued to seek the equaliser and Strong's long free kick was flicked on by Ready but Vidmar cleared. A body-check by Ricksen on McFadden should have brought a free kick near the box but incredibly Young waved play on. Rangers broke and Ricksen saw his cross knocked behind by Deloumeaux. A second was conceded but Brown took that one well. With 19 minutes left Ricksen was at last booked, a late foul on McFadden punished. Deloumeaux then made a run which ended when Averladze pulled him down. Konterman kicked away giving the visitors the chance to break, but Brown made a terrific block to stop McCann scoring a third. Ricksen then almost broke into the box, a foul by Hammel stopping his progress though the ridiculous attempts by both De Boer and Ricksen to get Hammel booked were shameful. Hughes found himself in space at the far end of the box but a good block by Strong should have seen a corner, a goal kick given instead. Motherwell got back on level terms from the spot in 78 minutes. Lasley was brought down by Averladze, somehow escaping a yellow despite persistent fouling. McFadden curled in and the ball appeared to strike Ricksen on the arm. Despite protests a penalty was given, and Kelly strode up to score, Klos getting a touch but not enough.
It was almost a short-lived time on level terms. Averladze's fall was enough to win a free kick and played into Konterman's path he shot from 25 yards off the post and away to safety. Motherwell then went desperately close themselves when McFadden set up Lasley and his shot on the angle was brilliantly tipped over by Klos. The visitors then took off Averladze and brought on Caniggia. A rather innocuous trip by Corrigan on McCann brought a rather unfair yellow card for the Motherwell defender, the free kick eventually hit in by Konterman and Brown did well to hold the deflected shot. Another yellow card was produced when, despite winning the ball, Leitch was booked with Ricksen hitting the turf. Moments later a rather nasty, reckless challenge by Moore saw him gather his second yellow and a red with Lasley being carried off on a stretcher. As injury time approached the fifth minute Corrigan did well to block Numan though the Dutchman then fouled Corrigan but play was allowed to continue, Leitch clearing.
Full-time Motherwell 2 Rangers 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen