Livingston 3, Motherwell 1
| Match Date: Saturday, December 1 2001 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 5,426 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-3-3): |
Brown, Corrigan, Ready, Deloumeaux, Hammell, Lasley (Twaddle 58), Leitch,
Pearson (McFadden 77), Adams (Strong 69), Kelly, Elliott.
Subs not used: Woods, Dow.
Motherwell scorer: McFadden (77)
Yellow Cards: Pearson, Leitch, Deloumeaux.
WELL IN BLUNDERLAND
Livingston 3 Motherwell 1
A QUITE DREADFUL FIRST HALF AT Almondvale saw Motherwell concede three sloppy goals and virtually give the three points away. Despite opening the match in confident fashion a 20-minute spell, during which three easily preventable goals were conceded, sealed their downfall.
Livingston were awarded an early free-kick when one of their many foreigners, Brinquin, went down easily under the challenge of Hammel. However, Leitch was on hand to hook away. Then a Motherwell attack broke down allowing Livingston to break but Fernandez was caught way offside. It should have been the Fir Parkers turn to have a dangerous free-kick when Kelly was barged off the ball by Brinquin but amazingly Referee Dallas decided otherwise. Belying what was to come, some cool defensive play from Corrigan took the heat out of a quick home move when he headed Xausa's header back to Brown. A handball decision, given somewhat unluckily against Stevie Hammel, presented Livingston with a free-kick wide on the right, though Brown easily held the header from Santini. A long through ball was then missed by Corrigan allowing Fernandez to bear down on goal. Turning inside he unleashed a low shot which Brown did well to block with his legs. The ball was cleared to Kelly and he was cynically hacked down by Rubio who rightly received a yellow card.
Some good play from Motherwell then presented Elliot with a chance but his low shot was easily held by Culkin. However, it was Livingston who took the advantage. A cross from Quino saw Xausa out jump Corrigan and he placed the ball in at the far post. It was almost 2 just a minute later when Fernandez pounced on a loose ball only for Brown to brilliantly save. All Brown's good work was in vain, however, when the Motherwell defence pressed the self-destruct button just moments later. Wilson ran clear of the static defence but his goal-bound shot was blocked by Corrigan. The ball broke again to Wilson and his cross was chested down by Hammel, the ball running on into the empty net. And it could have been worse again soon after, Fernandez rising in complete isolation to head a free kick towards goal where Brown superbly tipped round the post.
Motherwell's first real opportunity at last came and they should have done more with it. Derek Adams goal-bound header was knocked away by Rubio only as far as Lasley but he drove wide of the far post. Deloumeaux then brought Wilson down giving Livingston a free kick near the box and although Andrews had a free header fortunately for Motherwell no one was there to meet it. A blatant dive by Fernandez, one of his more dubious traits, was waved aside by Referee Dallas who, despite indicating no penalty, should have booked the home man. Seconds later Fernandez succeeded in conning Dallas into booking Pearson. The far-side linesman was having trouble keeping up with play throughout the half and he gave a corner when Fernandez had clearly run the ball out, the linesman being some 30 yards away at the time. With five minutes to the interval the game was all over bar the shouting thanks to another comic-cuts effort from the Motherwell defence. Ready, who should have taken charge of the situation, left the ball for Corrigan who had no hope of beating Xausa, the latter racing round Brown to score the third goal. Motherwell almost snatched one back when Brinquin had to look sharp and beat Elliott to the ball. Just before the break another error from Ready almost allowed Rubio to make it four, whilst Elliott saw a 20-yard shot easily saved.
Half-time Livingston 3 Motherwell 0
Motherwell replaced Pearson with McFadden at the break. McFadden was immediately involved, being brought down by Quino on the edge of the box for what should have been a free kick, though once again Dallas thought otherwise. Hammel then had to concede a corner ahead of Xausa who was almost on hand to score his hat trick. The Fir Parkers then forced a corner of their own but had a fair appeal for a penalty ignored when Andrews appeared to handle the ball in. Minutes later there was another penalty appeal waved away when Adams was barged in the back by Brinquin as he rose to meet a free kick. At last Referee Dallas decided a foul on Adams was punishable when the Motherwell man was tripped by Rubio, on a yellow card incidentally, on the edge of the 18. The ball was curled in by Elliott but Culkin saved easily. Elliott then pounced on a defensive error but with options available the chose to shoot and drove the ball wide.
The Fir Parkers then made another change, Lasley making way for Kevin Twaddle. There should have been a red card produced for Rubio when he again caught Kelly very late, more than once during the game Rubio had been guilty of nasty, late challenges but again he was allowed to continue. McFadden took the responsibility but again Culkin got down to save. Adams was next to suffer a late, late challenge when he was caught by Quino though the fact Dallas waved play on was little surprise. A poor clearance by Brown then a further error from Corrigan put the Motherwell defence under more pressure, Xausa running clear but Brown was equal to the shot. Scott Leitch then saw yellow when he caught Santini with a late tackle. Livingston then made a change, Aurellio replacing one of the rare Scots in the Livingston team, Wilson. Another great save from Mark Brown, when he tipped over for a corner, kept Motherwell in with a glimmer of hope. Adams then made way for Strong though this was a curious move with the side three down. Another of Fernandez's spectacular dives was sufficient to convince Dallas to book Deloumeaux moments afterwards.
A break upfield by Motherwell saw good play from Kelly and Elliott force a corner. Ready headed towards goal where Lovell headed out and although the ball played Strong's hand a free kick was given. Another change for Livingston saw Quino replaced by the ridiculously numbered 91, Maman. Whilst Rubio was allowed to hack around on a yellow Brinquin was getting away without as much as a warning, Elliot the latest recipient. Twaddle stepped up to take the free kick and his curler sailed into the net, McFadden claiming the slightest of touches to bring Motherwell back into the match. Good pressure from McFadden forced a corner soon after and after Rubio had to concede a second Culkin fell under minimal Elliott pressure to gain a free kick. Motherwell were pressing and after Rubio had handled out wide Andrews just beat Elliott to clear. With time running out Livingston gained a corner tough Aurellio knocked that over. Xausa then left to be replaced by Lowndes. Motherwell still tried to get more back and McFadden forced Culkin to dive low to save, Livingston breaking upfield where Bingham set up Maman but his shot was blocked. Again Brinquin escaped a booking when he stopped Elliott and with Twaddle's curling free kick looping over the game was well and truly over.
Full-time Livingston 3 Motherwell 1
Match Report by Ricky Mullen