Motherwell 1, Rangers 0
| Match Date: Thursday, December 26 2002 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 11,234 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Dubourdeau, Corrigan, Kinniburgh, Partridge, Hammell, Adams,
Cowan, Leitch, Pearson, McFadden, Lehmann.
Subs not used: Woods, Ramsey, Ferguson, McDonald, Clarkson.
Motherwell scorer: McFadden (65).
Yellow Cards: McFadden, Adams.
FANTASTIC FADDY AND FRANCOIS FLOOR GERS
Motherwell 1 Rangers 0
A GOAL MID-WAY THROUGH THE Second half, coupled with a terrific goalkeeping performance from Francois Dubordeau ensured the recent revival at Fir Park continued unabated. There could be no complaints from the visitors who slumped to their first defeat of the season whilst Motherwell climbed off the bottom.
Referee Willie Young, always a Fir Park favourite, further enhanced his appeal to the Motherwell fans when he decided that Pearson had fouled Ricksen when it appeared a fair challenge. From the Free kick Mols headed well wide of the target. De Boer then played the ball forward but Corrigan did superbly well to cut the pass out and Dubordeau gathered ahead of Lovenkrands. As Motherwell broke forward McFadden was the subject of a sandwich between Malcolm and Moore but there was no foul forthcoming. McFadden then fired in a snapshot from the edge of the box but it drifted past on the angle. Partridge at the other end had to perform well to deny Caniggia as he looked set to head goal wards. From the clearance McFadden sent Hammel wide and his low cross was missed by Amoroso with Lehmann meeting the ball and forcing Klos into a save at the second attempt. Motherwell went even closer when McFadden almost capitalised on an error by Malcolm but despite breaking into the box the Motherwell man failed to get enough curl on the ball and sent it wide. The home fans were up in arms when Mols, looking well off side, sent Ricksen wide and Dubordeau turned his shot behind. Lovenkrands met the corner but drove way wide. More good play from Corrigan saw him feed Lehmann and in turn Cowan who forced a corner. Muscat conceded an immediate second which Cowan met. His shot was blocked and as Adams went in Ricksen fouled him. It looked a foul inside the box but play was waved on. Hammel then sent in a dangerous cross which Klos did well to gather ahead of Lehmann. Motherwell were on top at this point and next Pearson whipped in a ball from Cowan which Amoroso deflected behind. Ricksen used Partridge for leverage though Referee Young decided play should continue.
The visitors attacked and it took a good piece of defending from the reliable Kinniburgh to deny Mols. The corner was cleared and as Adams went for the ball Ricksen followed through leaving the Motherwell man writing in agony, but again play failed to stop. As play continued De Boer looked way offside but Dubordeau was sharp to gather. Adams then slumped to the ground as a dangerous elbow from Ferguson hit him. Given the Rangers' Manager's comments in his team's previous match Ferguson should have seen red, as it was play continued. Another baffling Young decision came soon after when Mols knocked the ball behind for a Motherwell corner. So agreed the Linesman, however, Referee Young pointed to a goal kick. A terrific long ball from McFadden was well gathered by Lehmann and as he turned on the edge of the box his shot bounced awkwardly up forcing Klos to save at the second attempt. Play swung to the other end of the park where Dubordeau did superbly to tip over a shot from Muscat. Dubordeau punched partially clear and as the ball came back in Mols sent in a header which the French keeper dived to gather. Still there were no bookings despite Malcolm's lung at McFadden. And then Ricksen took the Motherwell man out of play with again no booking. The ball broke to Ferguson who was robbed by McFadden but this time a free kick was given. Ferguson then fired in a shot form the edge of the box which Dubordeau saved. There was a nasty flare-up on the halfway line and Ricksen was very lucky indeed not to be sent-off. He clashed with McFadden, the Motherwell man booked for a relatively innocuous part in the proceedings but Ricksen, who kicked out, should have seen more than just the yellow he received.
Play continued and Rangers were then given a corner when, despite Corrigan knocking the ball off Lovenkrands, a corner was given. Cleared, Corrigan was in action up the park when he drove wide from the angle of the box. Two minutes later Motherwell were inches away from taking the lead when McFadden, turning superbly on the edge of the box, sent an angled drive narrowly past the far post. Just before the break Dubordeau had to race from his line to head clear when Mols threatened to take advantage of a non-existent flag from the linesman.
Half-time Motherwell 0 Rangers 0
Referee Young picked up from where he had left off when he decided that Pearson, who looked to have fairly beaten Ricksen in the tackle, had fouled in the midfield. Then Lovenkrands caught Leitch very late but play continued. A handball from Ferguson was ignored and Ricksen picked up to force a corner which was cleared. A quite blatant hack from Moore on McFadden sent the Motherwell man flying and the Australian picked up a yellow card. McFadden picked himself up but drove over. De Boer should have joined his teammate in the booked when he made no attempt to get the ball, instead clattering Leitch but only a foul was given. From the free kick Lehmann had his header held. McFadden then pounced on a loose pass but sent his effort wide. The visitors then gained a corner when Ferguson sent a shot wide but Referee Young pointed to the corner. They came close a minute later when Ferguson sent Ricksen wide and his cross was met by De Boer who hooked over under good pressure from Partridge. Rangers attacked again and Dubordeau had to do well to hold a shot from Muscat after he'd played a one-two with De Boer. The Fir Parkers broke upfield and gained a free kick when Moore climbed all over McFadden. Quickly taken, Adams forced a corner which fell to Leitch but his volley was high. From the kick out Kinniburgh did excellently to deny Mols but incredibly Referee Young pointed for a free kick. Ferguson stepped up but the Motherwell wall stood firm and blocked it. The visitors were pressing and again Dubordeau was on hand to stop them when he parried a shot from Caniggia wide. The visiting fans then were angered when Lovenkrands was adjudged to have fouled Corrigan inside the box though the Dane could have little complaints as his foot was well off the ground.
A terrific ball from Adams then almost sent McFadden clear only for Klos to only just win the chase. A rare error from Martyn Corrigan almost let the visitors in but Dubordeau did well to save the shot from Ferguson. The visiting captain escaped punishment a minute later when he was high on Adams, but shortly afterwards Motherwell gained the upper hand. Amoroso and Lehmann leapt to meet a cross and as the ball bounced Cowan headed on for McFadden and from the edge of the six-yard box he prodded the ball home ahead of Klos to open the scoring and put Motherwell ahead. Mols was booked as he couldn't keep his mouth shut during the celebrations. Moments later Moore should have seen his second yellow when he blatantly body-checked the Motherwell hit man 30 yards out. The free kick was cleared and play swung upfield. Dubordeau failed to hold a Lovenkrands cross but n hand was Partridge who hooked the ball out for a through. The visitors made a change when Caniggia made way for forgotten man Dodds. Motherwell almost broke though again when a neat one-two involving Pearson and Hammel almost had Corrigan racing through, the ball running just wide. A shot from Mols was cleared and the ball booted downfield to McFadden. He supplied Corrigan but the shot was past the near post. There was a booking for Derek Adams though it was somewhat soft to say the least. As Amoroso broke through the middle he ran past Adams then dramatically fell to the ground with any contact being in the minimal if at all. McFadden gathered possession and it looked to be a perfect ball which released Pearson but the near side linesman raised a flag when he was at worst on-line. And moments later a clear offside decision wasn't forthcoming when De Boer went onto the ball through though Kinniburgh cleared.
Adams was then adjudged to have fouled Amoroso who took another dramatic tumble some 30 yards out. The resultant free kick was cleared by Corrigan. As the ball ran loose Mols and Leitch tangled. The pair went head-to-head though Referee Young decided to stay well downfield, the players defusing the situation themselves. Dubordeau was to the rescue a minute later when he brilliantly tipped a header from Dodds round the post at the expense of a corner. The visitors forced another corner which was deflected narrowly past the upright, Lovenkrands taking the shot. Amoroso looked to have headed behind but amazingly another corner was given, this one well cleared. Motherwell broke forward with McFadden and he almost doubled the advantage, the ball rolling behind off Muscat. That was the last of the action and Motherwell celebrated a great win.
Full-Time Motherwell 1 Rangers 0
Match Report by Ricky Mullen