Rangers 3, Motherwell 0
| Match Date: Saturday, October 19 2002 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 49,376 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Woods, Corrigan, Partridge, Hammell, Lasley, Pearson (Jack 73),
Adams, Ferguson, Lehmann (Russell 45), Ramsey, Cowan
Subs not used: Dubourdeau, Sengewald, McDonald
Yellow Cards: Lasley, Adams
Red Card: Partridge
DISMAL IBROX RUN CONTINUES
Rangers 3 Motherwell 0
MOTHERWELL'S POOR RUN OF RESULTS At Ibrox continued when they lost again without reply. The Fir Parkers cause wasn't helped when they lost David Partridge to a dubious red card decision mid way through the second half.
It couldn't have begun worse for Motherwell when they lost a goal within the first minute. The cross from Ross was met by Arteta but his shot deflected off Adams and went behind. From the corner Lovenkrands had his effort blocked but Amoruso slipped the ball behind Woods. The Italian almost made it a quick double when he had a free header from another corner but headed over. Motherwell were awarded a free kick when Moore pushed Lehmann over but the Fir Parkers failed to take advantage. Shortly afterwards, however, Ferguson did very well to force a corner off Ross. Amoruso headed clear though, and play stopped when De Boer was late on Hammel but escaped punishment.
Despite the poor start Motherwell were coming into things and Ferguson should have done better when he burst forward but overran the ball at the crucial moment. Rangers pushed upfield and won a corner which Motherwell dealt with comfortably. Indeed, they broke forward themselves with Ferguson supplying Ramsey but the cross was gathered by Klos inches ahead of the waiting Lehmann. Referee Freeland was lax with some of his decisions already and he failed to take action when firstly Lovenkrands and then Ricksen dived looking for free kicks which never came. Some vital defending from Ross then stopped Ferguson as he looked set to draw Motherwell level from the edge of the box. Lovenkrands then went flying as Ramsay was late with a tackle and whilst undoubtedly it was a free kick Lovenkrands did his best to get Ramsay booked without succeeding, rolling several yards up the park. An error from Lasley gave away possession and as Rangers broke Hammel did well to stop De Boer. The ball fell for Caniggia but this time Partridge was on hand to clear. Superb goalkeeping from Stevie Woods kept Motherwell in it when he tipped Lovenkrands effort round the post. Slack defending shortly afterwards almost put paid to Woods good work. Arteta was free inside the box and he turned to shoot off the post after Ross was given room to race forward. Ross was on the receiving end of a De Boer pass but he shot way over. Bad luck and fortunate goalkeeping kept the home side ahead on the half-hour.
Lehmann was brought down by Moore just to he left of the box and as the ball was swung in Corrigan met it only to find Klos who wouldn't have known anything about the ball rebounding off him. After Ferguson had a wild shot way over Motherwell were awarded another free kick in a dangerous position. This time Moore just cleared away as Partridge hovered. Motherwell were dealt a blow when Lehmann was injured as Amoruso went in with a hefty challenge. Referee Freeland obviously thought an offence had taken place but for reasons known only to himself chose only to warn the Italian. Although Lehmann returned, he was to be replaced soon after by Russell. Motherwell then had Adams booked when he rightly took offence at an unnecessary swipe from Ricksen. This wasn't noted by Freeland, but he wasn't slow in yellow carding the Motherwell man. From the free kick Corrigan found Ferguson but Klos held the low cross.
Half-Time Rangers 1 Motherwell 0
A rare slip from Martyn Corrigan allowed Arteta an early chance but Woods was quick off the mark to close things down. Referee Freeland decided not to play to the book soon after when Lovenkrands, knowing full well he had been caught off side, played on. The Fir Parkers had a great chance to level a minute later when Ferguson's lay off from the Hammel cross was met by Russell but he swiped the ball over from 12 yards out. Good defending from Partridge and Corrigan stopped Caniggia troubling Woods before a superb clearance from Hammel stopped the Argentinean connecting with De Boer's cross. Caniggia then fell as if pole axed moments later gaining his side a free kick near the edge of the box. The much-hyped Arteta strode up but failed to live up to his billing by drilling the free kick low into the box. Russell, a former Ibrox player, then fought well to force a mistake from Amoruso who conceded the throw near his own area.
The Ibrox side almost were gifted a second when Corrigan's deflection fell just past the far post. Amoruso rose without hindrance but Woods gathered the header. From another corner shortly afterwards Amoruso shot past the far post though Woods looked to have it covered. Woods then got down well to deny Lovenkrands after he had opened things up with a 1-2 with Ross. Despite being well placed Referee Freeland failed to notice a nasty kick from De Boer after he was beaten to the ball by Corrigan. Motherwell rather unnecessarily conceded a corner when Adams hooked the ball out despite Woods' shout. The Fir Parkers cleared and though they had a throw deep in Rangers' territory when Ferguson knocked the ball off Arteta, not so according to Freeland. An angled drive from Ross saw Woods then get down easily to hold. Rangers then made a change but it was a long drawn out affair with Caniggia taking a full thirty seconds to wander across the pitch, Referee Freeland making no attempts to hurry things up. When he had eventually left the pitch Mols took his place. There was no booking there, nor when De Boer aimed an elbow at Hammel. Freeland did award Rangers a free kick for Hammel's soft challenge and it was decisive, the cross ball headed home by the unchallenged Lovenkrands.
Motherwell changed before play got fully underway again, Pearson replaced by Jack. Another Fir Parker was booked, and another soft yellow, Lasley carded for a tackle on Ricksen. It was clearly feel sorry for Fernando day with David Partridge red carded a minute later when his late tackle, where contact appeared minimal to say the least, was deemed dangerous by Referee Freeland. The home side took charge of proceedings and pushed for a third. Woods punched De Boer's cross away then Ross sent an angled drive well over. Ferguson was replaced by Hughes soon after. Lovenkrands then had his hands in the air claiming for a penalty when his cross cannoned off Corrigan for a corner. They made another change when Moore went off for Konterman. There was a brilliant save from Woods with three minutes to go when he superbly tipped Ricksen's shot round the post. Lasley had a late shot for Motherwell but Klos got down to hold before the home side completed the scoring. Lovenkrands saw his shot parried by Woods and De Boer tapped in.
Full-Time Rangers 3 Motherwell 0
Match Report by Ricky Mullen