Motherwell 0, Livingston 0
| Match Date: Saturday, August 25 2001 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Brown, Corrigam, Ready, Forrest, Hammell (Pearson 23), McFadden (Twaddle
46), Lasley, Leitch (Martinez 67), Dow, Adams, Kelly.
Subs not used: Woods, Elliott
Yellow Cards: Leitch
GOAL-SHY WELL FAIL TO SHINE
Motherwell 0 Livingston 0
MOTHERWELL ARE STILL Searching for their first win of the season after recording a no-scoring draw with new SPL boys Livingston. Despite having the better of the chances the Fir Parkers failed to make the breakthrough.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges and Brown had to look sharp to gather Bingham's early low ball in. Martyn Corrigan then saw a shot deflected way by Andrews after good work by Adams and Dow. Livingston were presented with a free-kick when Wilson was sent sprawling following Leitch's tackle, but that chance was wasted as Kelly was fouled in the box, Xausa the player trying to gain an unfair advantage. Motherwell then went close when Kelly's flick almost found Adams in space, the ball cleared by Deas. A dramatic dive by Fernandez in the box should have gained the Spaniard the first yellow card of the game. Referee Orr waved play on until Fernandez chose to go head-to-head with Leitch, again no card merely a word of caution. Andrews, a former Fir Park trialist, then caught Kelly from the back giving Motherwell the chance to flight in a free-kick but it was too close to Broto and he gathered. Some slack defending by Motherwell allowed Livingston to push up and it took Lasley's intervention to stop the danger at the expense of a corner. David Kelly rose to send a header narrowly behind for a second corner which was partially cleared by Corrigan to Wilson but he headed behind. A long ball from Xausa caught Brown to of goals but he was able to get back and hold the shot from Fernandez who fired in from just outside the box. A cross from Hart then created problems though the eventual header from Wilson was weak and behind. Another opportunity fell to Motherwell when Hart brought Kelly down from behind. However, this was wasted when McFadden was dispossessed on the edge of the box allowing Livingston to break, Fernandez eventually shooting way over. Some brilliant defending from Stevie Hammel stopped Livingston taking the lead when Quino found Fernandez who looked set to strike. That was Stevie Hammel's last contribution as he was replaced by Stephen Pearson in a tactical move, one which did not go down well with the Motherwell support who loudly voiced their displeasure. A mis-placed McFadden pass allowed Quino to burst forward and his pass wide to Fernandez saw Brown swoop to gather the dangerous ball in. A break upfield saw Wilson race to the box buy Corrigan blocked the corner. As the ball was swung in Rubio's header was blocked by Forrest and cleared away. Scott Leitch was having a fine match and his clever ball forward almost sent Adams in on goal, the alert Rubio knocking the ball behind. Kelly met the corner but his header to Lasley was blasted over. Some great play from Motherwell almost brought the opening goal just after the half-hour. Pearson found Lasley in midfield and his one-two with Kelly then saw Lasley lob forward finding Pearson near the box. Some good skill from the youngster saw him breeze past Andrews and Rubio into the box. A knock-back to Adams was crossed deep to McFadden who took a stride before firing in a low shot which Broto did well to turn away, Deas completing the clearance though somehow a goal-kick was given. Livingston pushed forward after that escape and won a free kick when Corrigan was adjudged to have fouled Xausa 25 yards out. Pearson cleared to Quino and his cross was dummied by Ready who failed to spot Andrews, but the header was wide. A loose ball on the wing saw Corrigan and Xausa chase and as the two collided the Canadian seemed to kick out at the Motherwell defender, though Referee Orr whilst giving the free kick to the Fir Parkers failed to punish Xausa. Another terrific lung-bursting run from Pearson almost brought dividends but his final pass to Kelly was only just too strong. Rubio then brought Kelly down 20 yards out but McFadden saw his shot blocked. Just before the break Rubio again brought down a Motherwell player, this time Dow, but there was no card and the free kick was wasted.
Half-Time Motherwell 0 Livingston 0
Motherwell made another change during the break, James McFadden making way for Kevin Twaddle who had made a remarkable recovery after being stretchered off a week a go at Pittodrie. The impressive Pearson soon got in on the action when his dangerous cross was only just booted away by Rubio. Somehow Rubio still escaped the yellow card he surely deserved as seconds later he pulled Dow to the ground as the Motherwell man raced down the wing. A long ball by Twaddle looked to find Adams and although he appeared to be pulled back by Rubio play was waved on. Livingston attacked with Quino and he found Lovell. Near the box Lovell was beaten in the tackle by Twaddle and the ball ran for Leitch who, as he cleared, was caught late by Lovell and the danger averted by the Referee's whistle. A minute later Leitch saved the day when he made a superb stop on Bingham who was through on goal. Motherwell went close again to taking the lead and again it was Pearson at the hart of the move. His clever skill saw him make space on the wing and race towards the box. The lay-off for Adams was somewhat wasted by the former Ross County man as with Twaddle wide and clear he chose to shoot and was blocked. However, the ball broke to Lasley, his shot was cleared as far as Pearson who, with a good first touch, sent a shot inches past from the edge of the box. Karl ready then made a superb stop on Quino as he threatened to burst into the box, the striker then lucky to escape a late lunge on Kelly. Quino gathered the loose ball and he shot wide of the target. The ball was cleared way downfield and a poor touch from Broto almost let Kelly in, the visiting Keeper able to clear in time. A poor back-header from Ready put Motherwell under pressure with the ball running behind but Andrews returned the favour by heading way past. Soon after big Andrews chose to mimic Ready by returning a header to his keeper with pace. This time, however, only the post stopped a goal. Twaddle crossed in, Dow returned a header to the far post and Kelly's nod in came off the inside of the post and into the grateful arms of Broto. The game's first booking came not for Rubio but Scott Leitch, he was late on Rubio and earned a yellow card. The visitors claimed a penalty when Xausa's shot struck Forrest though quite how it could have been claimed deliberate is anyone's guess. A clever pass forward by Lasley then sent Twaddle racing clear on the wing but with no support all he could do was fire in a low shot which beat Broto but also the far post. Motherwell then took off Leitch to replace him with Roberto Martinez. A missed clearance by Corrigan almost let in Fernandez with Brown having to race from his goal in time to stop. Livingston then made a double change with Wilson and Xausa being replaced with Lowndes and Caputo respectively. Lowndes almost made an immediate impact with a snapshot which sailed over from the edge of the box. Quino then forced a corner off Corrigan but Forrest cleared away. Another dramatic dive, this time by Caputo, had the visiting fans claiming penalty but there was no way as Ready cleared. Livingston then made their third change, Quino leaving to be replaced by Tosh. Again the danger for the visitors was being created by Lowndes who did well to connect with Tosh's cross, flicking a shot in which Brown did well to hold. With 8 minutes to go some hesitant defending almost allowed Fernandez in. Caputo found Fernandez with a neat pass and edging towards the edge of the box defenders backed off until the shot came in which Brown turned over. More claims for a spot-kick came when Lowndes crashed to the turf, the ball running loose and being crossed in again. Brown, under pressure punched out as far as Tosh and had to be alert to turn his shot over, Andrews heading the corner behind. Motherwell relieved the pressure somewhat and attacked, Twaddle's cross finding Kelly but the header failed to find the goal. A brilliant last-ditch tackle by Ready stopped Caputo connecting with Fernandez flick inside the box. With time running out Martinez spotted Twaddle running clear and it was a very close offside call which stopped his progress. In the last minute Corrigan conceded a corner. Andrews header was cleared from near the line and likewise a Rubio header was also cleared though a bit more convincingly.
Full-time Motherwell 0 Livingston 0
Match Report by Ricky Mullen