Motherwell 1, Livingston 2
| Match Date: Saturday, February 2 2002 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 4,458 | |
| Motherwell Team (3-5-2): |
Woods, Ready, Deloumeaux, Strong, Soloy (Nicholas ), McFadden, Leitch,
Pearson, Hammell, Lehmann, Elliott.
Subs not used: Brown, Corrigan, Martinez, Adams.
Motherwell scorer: Soloy (38).
Yellow Cards: Strong.
LUCKY LIVI NAB THE POINTS
Motherwell 1 Livingston 2
LIVINGSTON ALL BUT STOLE THE POINTS As Motherwell could only curse some poor finishing and ill fortune in this SPL clash at Fir Park. In some 6 league clashes between Motherwell and the visitors, in various guises, the 'Well have only one win to their credit though it should have been two.
Motherwell pushed up from the start and after Andrews had fouled McFadden 28 yards out a free kick fell to Ready but he hooked over. An elbow from Quino on Leitch should have given the Fir Parkers another free kick but somehow Referee McCurry saw fit to give it to the visitors. Pearson then pounced on a loose ball though his half volley was well held by Culkin in goals. Livingston's first effort on goals was a 25-yarder from Tosh which failed to give Woods any difficulties. There was a close call for Motherwell when an error by Strong seemed to set up Fernandez but after he had fired past Woods the offside flag ended the celebrations from the rather small away support. Play swung to the South Stand and only luck kept the scoreline blank, luck for Livingston that was.
McFadden's fine turn and shot was blocked on the line by Andrews and as it bounced up Culkin smothered it, all this after some fine build-up play involving Pearson, Elliott and Leitch. Referee McCurry had the Livingston players up in arms when he failed to award a corner after Andrews had flicked the ball of Deloumeaux, though the linesman came to the visitors aid but Strong headed clear. The offside trap failed to work for Livingston a moment later and Elliott raced clear, though Culkin in goals was on hand with a fingertip save to deny him. The game's first booking came when Rubio was yellow carded for a tackle from the back on Lehmann. Loose play in the Motherwell midfield then presented Bingham with the ball and, upon supplying Hart, looked on in dismay when the latter chipped over from the edge of the box. Bingham then brought Lehmann down as he bore down on goals but the resultant free kick was driven well wide by Elliott. Another booking for Livingston followed when Quino hacked down Lehmann. A chip in from McFadden was held by Culkin as he rose above the packed box.
Lehmann then knocked on a cross which Culkin did well to beat Pearson to. The visitors were left cursing their luck when, from a corner, Bingham saw his shot blocked and bounce up onto Leitch on the goal line. Motherwell burst upfield and McFadden turned on the edge of the box to fire a shot inches past. Stevie Woods in the Motherwell goal then had to look sharp to beat Fernandez who tried to connect with the header from Bingham. Eight minutes from the break Motherwell took a deserved lead through somewhat unusual circumstances. Elliott raced up the park and crossed to McFadden. He allowed the ball to run under his feet but Soloy gathered, advanced, and then shot for goal. The ball should have been gathered by Culkin but he a-la-Clemenced it and the ball slithered between his legs into the goal. Pearson then made a terrific run which took him into the box but he was ushered out by Andrews, though his ball back to Culkin was almost gathered by Lehmann. There was then a scramble in the visitors box but somehow Elliott and then McFadden had great chances to score but neither applied the finishing touch when it looked easier to score. Culkin then made a superb stop to deny McFadden and just before half time the Motherwell possession and chances counted for nothing. Tosh had a pot at goals from 25 yards which Woods brilliantly turned round the post. However, this escape didn't last long and with no one on the back post the ball fell to Andrews who shot high into the unguarded net.
Half-time Motherwell 1 Livingston 1
Livingston had an early opportunity when Fernandez won a free kick near the box, but Strong cleared well. Then a mis-placed header from Anderson gave away a corner. Bingham conceded a second which, when gathered by McFadden, saw the youngster tripped in the box by Tosh but play was waved on. Great work by Strong and Ready then prevented Fernandez bearing down on Woods, Lehmann breaking to supply Elliott but his cross was poor. McFadden then passed up a golden opportunity to restore the lead for Motherwell. Racing clear onto Lehmann's pass he crucially delayed when only faced with Culkin allowing Anderson to apply the block. Brave defending by Leitch then stopped a rocket from Tosh troubling Woods, Motherwell having made a change with Soloy going off to be replaced by Nicholas.
Some more woeful finishing stopped Motherwell going ahead when Nicholas, in isolation at the far post, trapped Elliott's deep cross but swung and sliced the ball well wide with McFadden just behind in space. A late Tosh tackle on Deloumeaux failed to attract a deserved yellow card, and once play had stopped Makel replaced Bingham. There was another yellow for the visitors when Lowndes was booked for persistent fouling. Tosh then fired in a low, bouncing shot which Woods did well to smother. McFadden was trying hard to atone for his earlier miss and he turned superbly in the box but saw his shot blocked by Brinquin and hooked away. Fernandez gathered and it took great defending by Deloumeaux to stop his progress, the clearance falling to Lowndes who drove way over. Livingston however did take the lead with twenty minutes left. Motherwell lost possession in midfield to Lowndes and his lay-off to Quino was driven in from an angle.
A minute later Strong became Motherwell's first booking for a foul on Makel. The visitors broke again and it took good defending by Strong to stop Quino. Motherwell returned to the attack and the unusual striking figure of Strong shot past connecting with the cross from Elliott. The fourth Livingston player to be booked was Hart for a foul on Hammel. Motherwell's shouts for a penalty when Ready was surely held by Andrews fell on deaf ears. Great wing work from Elliott almost let in McFadden, the ball knocked behind by Rubio. A second corner was conceded by Anderson from which Leitch drove wide on the turn. The Fir parkers should have had another when Anderson headed behind and although the linesman gave it somehow Referee McCurry thought otherwise. Lehmann then turned and almost fed McFadden but good defending by Bolan averted the danger. A foul on Nicholas by Tosh then gave Motherwell a terrific opportunity some 20 yards out bang in front of goal. Up stepped McFadden and he curled a superb shot only an inch past with Culkin well beaten. Livingston then resorted to some shocking time-wasting tactics and were almost undone when, in the final minutes, Strong knocked down for Lehmann and he drove a shot again only an inch past.
Full-time Motherwell 1 Livingston 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen