Motherwell 1, Dundee 1
| Match Date: Saturday, September 28 2002 |
|
| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 4,025 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Woods, Ramsey, Corrigan, Partridge, Hammell, Lasley, Adams,
Ferguson, Pearson, Lehmann, McFadden.
Subs not used: Dubourdeau, Cowan, McDonald, Kinniburgh, Russell.
Motherwell scorer: McFadden (55).
Yellow Cards: Partridge, Pearson
CUTTING EDGE DESERTS MOTHERWELL
Motherwell 1 Dundee 1
ONLY POOR FINISHING DENIED Motherwell all three points after dominating this
clash at Fir Park. After falling behind the Fir Parkers did draw level but in truth should have had all three points.
The visitors were first to show and forced an early corner when Lovell sent MacKay to the by-line with Hammel forced to concede a corner. Dundee failed to
take advantage, however, with Adams completing the clearance. Good chasing by Dirk Lehmann at the other end saw Lovell knock the ball behind and Lehmann
himself met the corner only to head wide. Motherwell went even closer soon after. Terrific work from Lehmann sent Lasley wide and the big German was on
hand to receive the return ball though despite beating Speroni he also beat the post. The Fir Parkers were stretching the visiting defence with Ramsay and
Pearson presenting Hammel with an opportunity to cross, Smith intercepting to sweep the ball behind. Steven Ferguson then did well to find Lehmann and the
flick on was partially cleared to Adams, his 25-yard effort sailing wide. Dundee came out of defence with Caballero staying on his feet long enough to
cross towards Sara who was beaten to the ball by the more alert Partridge. The visitors took the lead much against the run of play a minute later with Stevie
Woods not looking too clever. Smith burst down the wing and his cross from the edge of the box
was headed goal wards by Lovell, though Woods perhaps could have done better to claim the cross.
There was almost an immediate reply with Ferguson getting space but his shot
went over on the angle of the box. Hammel was then adjudged to have fouled MacKay giving the visitors a free kick 18 yards out. Hutchinson rose
unchallenged but headed wide of the target. Attempting to gain another free kick was Sara though his dramatic fall near the box fooled no one. Woods then
had to race from goal to deny Lovell who looked set to connect with Caballero's through ball. Referee Dougie McDonald was to make some strange decisions in the
course of the match and one particularly strange one occurred when, despite Caballero clearly pulling Adams back, he awarded the visitors a free kick near
the corner of the Motherwell box. He also decided to book David Partridge for merely pointing out the obvious. Wilkie swept the ball in where Ramsay cleared
well away. Shortly afterwards what was quite blatantly a dive by Caballero went
without a blink from the man-in-the-middle. Motherwell tried to draw level and Lehman's header almost found Ferguson, the clearance made by Wilkie just in
time. And only a tremendous tackle by Hutchinson stopped Ferguson bearing down on Speroni at the expense of a corner.
Lehmann rose to meet it and in truth should have scored, the striker visibly disgusted with his miss.
Pearson then found McFadden but his header was cleared by Hutchinson. The Fir Parkers should have had a free kick when Lehmann was
sent crashing by Hernandez though play continued. Seconds later Hernandez again
fouled, this time Ferguson, though Referee McDonald decided a talking too was punishment enough. Hammel was next to be fouled, Lovell the culprit, though
Motherwell failed to take advantage. Mair of the visitors should have seen yellow when he continued to play on well after the whistle had gone, his show of
dissent going unnoticed. Lovell then intercepted Corrigan's cross for a corner though a free kick somehow went the way of the visitors. Dundee broke forward
and Lovell got in a shot which Woods held easily. The Motherwell Keeper had to do a lot more a minute later when Caballero's fierce 25-yard drive had him
reaching to tip the ball over. However, after such a good shot Caballero's effort from the corner was abysmal to say the least. Motherwell broke upfield
with Ramsay and Hammel combining to set up McFadden but he was eventually crowded out. A slip by Caballero then gave Ferguson a chance to race away but
he lost his footing at the crucial moment and the chance was gone. The last action of the half had
Motherwell still searching for the equaliser, McFadden rising to meet the cross from Lehmann but the header went wide.
Half Time Motherwell 0 Dundee 1
It was almost an immediate leveller for Motherwell within a minute of the
re-start. Pearson broke into the box and his pass was met by Ferguson, though the connection wasn't great and Speroni was able to just gather. Pearson was
then booked for a late and high tackle on Hernandez who made the most of the challenge. Only great defending by Hernandez stopped McFadden's cross finding
Lehmann and despite forcing two more corners Motherwell failed to level. Motherwell were coming closer and almost made the breakthrough when Ramsay and
Lehmann swapped passes, the latter then almost finding Ferguson who was beaten by Smith. Dundee weren't so lucky ten minutes in when Motherwell deservedly
levelled. Good build-up play had the visiting defence chasing shadows and from Ferguson's cross Lehmann missed the header but McFadden didn't and he headed
home. Martyn Corrigan is probably the most improved player at Fir Park and he almost capped a great performance with a superb goal. Bursting forward from
midfield he sent in a tremendous 25-yard shot which beat Speroni but also the post. The visitors were doing little in attack though Rae made his way into the
box and although Corrigan deflected the cross the ball found it's way to Sara who
couldn't take advantage. Another of Referee McDonald's curious decisions came when Rae clearly
pulled Lasley back yet Dundee were awarded a free kick 25 yards out.
Motherwell should, however, have taken the lead just after the hour mark. Ferguson raced away clear on Hammel's through ball but he delayed his shot
giving Speroni the chance to block. McFadden followed up and taking the ball round the Italian he shot for goals only to see the ball go inches past the far
post. Fir Park erupted in fury when another awful Refereeing decision occurred.
Wilkie brought down McFadden but incredibly the foul went the way of the visitors. Again
Motherwell went close. After forcing consecutive corners Smith was on the line to clear Adams
effort. And Dundee were then lucky not to be reduced in numbers soon afterwards. Two quite awful challenges were deemed only
bookable by Referee McDonald, probably mindful he had only booked Pearson earlier. Firstly Lovell was in very late on McFadden and booked, then less than
a minute later another week-late challenger, this time from Caballero on Hammel,
had the visitor booked. McFadden recovered and looked to have beaten the offside trap only for the linesman to wrongly decide otherwise. Dundee then made
a change, Lovell leaving to be replaced by Novo. A minute later McFadden was again the subject of a poor decision from the linesman despite being well onside
when the ball was played by Ramsay. A rare Dundee attack had Hernandez firing in from 25
yards forcing Woods to get down to hold. It was then Novo's turn to dive and his flailing effort again went unpunished.
Motherwell continued to take the game to Dundee and only a good save from Speroni, blocking Lehman's shot, kept his team on level terms. Caballero then took another spectacular dive near the edge of the box and unsurprisingly play was waved on though by now he should have been off. Excellent chasing from Ferguson saw Hernandez concede the corner which, when swung in by Adams, found McFadden but his shot was blocked. Smith then made a rare excursion upfield and only Partridge with a timely interception kept him away from troubling Woods. Motherwell still looked much the likelier to take the points but as Ferguson latched onto Pearsons ball Hutchinson blocked. Near the end Caballero and Ferguson had shots go past as the game ended in a draw, with Dundee the happier of the two teams.
Full time Motherwell 1 Dundee 1
Match Report by Ricky Mullen