Motherwell 1, Aberdeen 2
| Match Date: Saturday, October 5 2002 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 6,014 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Woods, Ramsay, Corrigan, Partridge, Hammell, Lasley, Leitch (Sengewald
68), Adams, McFadden, Ferguson (Russell 80), Lehmann.
Subs not used: Dubourdeau, Cowan, Fagan.
Motherwell scorer: McFadden (41).
Yellow Cards: Ferguson, McFadden, Hammell
OLD BOY DELOUMEAUX RETURNS TO HAUNT WELL
Motherwell 1 Aberdeen 2
FORMER FIR PARK FAVOURITE Eric Deloumeaux came back to haunt Motherwell with a late winner at Fir Park. The Frenchman ignored the boos from some home fans to silence them late on, though in truth he should have had a losing return to his former club.
Motherwell had a fair claim for an early penalty ignored. Ramsay's long ball sent McFadden into the area and as McAllister caught up he appeared to clip the Motherwell man though Referee Toner decided otherwise. McFadden then showed superb skill and was only stopped by four Aberdeen defenders who crowded him near the touchline. Adams then burst into the box and was nudged off the ball by McGuire allowing Kjaer to clear the danger. The visitor's first chance came as a result of a poor decision from the linesman, failing to spot Mackie well offside it took a late interception from Partridge to stop him going in on Woods. Motherwell returned to the attack with Adams setting up Lasley but the low shot failed to bother Kjaer. However, the visitors should have taken the lead when poor home defending gifted a chance to Mackie. He got on the end of Rutkiewicz's cross but with the goal at his mercy headed wide. A minute later they went close again. Young broke down the wing and his cross was missed by Mackie though a foul he'd committed on Ramsay went unnoticed.
Motherwell themselves then almost took the lead. Referee Toner decided that a two-footed challenge by Young on Partridge should be ignored and as play continued McFadden's cross was booted away from well inside the six-yard box by Anderson. Soon after more desperate defending from the visitors kept the scoreline blank. Ferguson whipped in a terrific low cross which Young just managed to hook away with Lehmann poised. Lehmann then took his turn to supply Ferguson though this time Anderson got in to concede a corner. Moments later a good old-fashioned stramash in front of the visiting goals almost gave Motherwell the lead. Hammel's corner bounced up onto the crossbar and as it came back out Partridge attempted a back-heel. The ball broke loose and Ramsay was adjudged to have fouled Anderson. Referee Toner further enraged the home support when he awarded Aberdeen a corner when the ball looked to have gone out without touching Leitch. However the Motherwell captain was on hand to partially clear with Adams completing things. A clash involving Mackie and Partridge led to the Aberdeen man going off injured, and he was replaced by Michie. Lasley then went on a mazy run which took him all the way to the edge of the box and although he was blocked out by Bisconti he regained possession until a dramatic dive by the visiting midfielder convinced the Referee to give a foul in his favour. Aberdeen then carved out an opening when McAllister found Mike and his cutback fell to Young, the header easily held by Woods.
Superb work by Martyn Corrigan saw him dispossess Michie. He then supplied Hammel and the pass forward to McFadden brought out a terrific save from Kjaer. The corner fell to Lehmann but he shot over. Motherwell's next attack saw them go close again. McFadden forced a corner which, partially cleared, fell to Adams and his low curler went narrowly past. McFadden and Lehmann then combined to set Ferguson up though Rutkiewicz's' interception at the expense of a corner saved his team. Hammel found McFadden with the corner but this was saved. The games first booking saw Ferguson booked for a late tackle on Young out on the touchline. Motherwell took the lead in somewhat controversial circumstances six minutes from the break. Great build-up play saw Lasley race into the box and as Anderson slid in to knock behind the Referee decided the minimal contact was enough to award a penalty. Soft as it may have been, McFadden made no mistake from the spot. Both Bisconti and McGuire saw yellow for complaining. Aberdeen tried to hit back before half time, Ramsay adjudged to have fouled Mike near the box. Mike himself met the corner but saw his header saved. McGuire then headed wide before two minutes into injury time the visitors were awarded a very soft free kick. Adams clearly won possession from Bisconti but another dive conned Referee Toner. Bisconti made a dramatic recovery to send the free kick over.
Half-Time Motherwell 1 Aberdeen 0
The visitors made another change when Young failed to appear after the break, Fabiano taking his place. It didn't take the visitors long to level and Motherwell 'Keeper Woods would have to hold his hands up to this one. Derek Young hit a shot from outside the box which Woods should easily have dealt with. Instead he allowed the ball to bounce off his chest and despite blocking Michies' effort from close-range the ball ran wide where Young slotted home. Motherwell were in some disarray at the back and the visitors almost took a quick lead. Deloumeaux, who'd been having a quiet game, crossed for Young whose lay-off was met by Mike but blocked away. Mike then dramatically fell inside the box as Partridge challenged, play continued and the long ball to Lehmann saw the German crowded out by Anderson. Motherwell then saw another man booked and this one was quite significant. McFadden looked to have dispossessed Bisconti though another of the visitors' unnecessary spectacular falls had Referee Toner reaching for his card. The booking means McFadden will miss Motherwell's visit to Ibrox in two weeks' time. Aberdeen pushed forward again with Young crossing toward Mike though Corrigan intercepted just in time.
The home support were angered when Adam's lay-off looked to have set Lehmann clear though a flag from the linesman, clearly wrong, stopped his progress. Ferguson was then sent flying by a push from McGuire and again the Linesman, right up with play, got it wrong by awarding the visitors the throw. A low, bouncing shot from Young was held by Woods as the visitors tried to take the lead. Motherwell carved open the visting defence when Leitch and Ferguson combined though the move was ended with McGuire knocking behind. McFadden then broke into the box and as he and Anderson clashed the Aberdeen man appeared to hold the striker down though play was waved on. There was then then amazing scene of two quite blatant dives from Bisconti going unpunished by Referee Toner. McFadden was subject to a foul from the Pittodrie man and after Toner had ignored the foul he decided to warn McFadden to calm down his protests. Dougie Ramsay then lost possession to Mike and the visiting forward fed Michie whose drive went past the far post. Bisconti then escaped what would have been a red card when he chopped down McFadden near the edge of the box. McFadden picked himself up and curled the ball inches past the top of the bar. Motherwell then replaced Leitch with Daniel Sengewald. Good build-up from Motherwell saw them go close when Ramsay found McFadden but the header was held by Kjaer. Teammate Bisconti was having trouble remaining on his feet long enough and another collapse saw him gain a free kick 30 yards out.
Aberdeen then made a change, taking off Mike and replacing him with Billio. The free kick was driven off the wall and Lehmann broke though a full on his jersey by McAllister went unnoticed. McFadden was then fouled by Bisconti but there was still the lack of a red card. Stevie Hammel was booked for protesting about the fact and joining him in the book was Fabiano. Motherwell passed up a golden opportunity for the winner when Lalsey found Lehmann with a low cross but the striker somehow drove over. The Fir Parkers made another change, taking the hard-working Ferguson off to be replaced by Russell. A two-footed, reckless tackle from McAllister on Sengewald had the Motherwell players and fans alike up in arms but Referee Toner decided a yellow card was sufficient. And just a minute later the visitors stole the points. Deloumeaux met a cross from the right and as the ball bounced he acrobatically swept the ball home from 8 yards out. There was almost an immediate reply when Lehmann's flick had Russell breaking but Kjaer saved the shot. Russell then looked to have forced Deloumeaux to concede the corner but the Linesman again decided otherwise. With time running out the visitors almost made it three. A shot from Billio from 25 yards cracked off the bar with Woods watching the ball sail past him, reacting only to catch it as it bounced on the line. Motherwell had the last effort, McAllister bringing down Russell out wide though McFadden failed to take advantage.
Full-time Motherwell 1 Aberdeen 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen