Rangers 2, Motherwell 0
| Match Date: Wednesday, March 19 2003 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 49,240 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Dubourdeau, Corrigan, Vaughan, Partridge, Hammell, Ramsay (Cowan
29), Adams, Lasley, McFadden, Lehmann (Craig 75), Clarkson (Offiong 65).
Subs not used: Woods, Fagan.
Booked: Vaughan, Cowan, Craig.
GREYSKULL KEEPS SHADOW OVER WELL
Rangers 2 Motherwell 0
MOTHERWELL RECORDED THEIR ELEVENTH DEFEAT In-a-row at Ibrox and failed to score for the fifth successive time in another disappointing defeat. With the chance to move off the bottom of the league Well failed to impress.
The visitors should have had an early free kick when Ramsay's long ball saw Clarkson pushed to the ground by Ferguson but play was waved on. Ferguson then saw a cross deflected off Hammel into the arms of Dubordeau with the home fans baying for a non-existent penalty. Motherwell had begun brightly and James McFadden worked space on the edge of the box but saw his piledriver cannon off Muscat and away. There was a definite handball by Lovenkrands ignored by the linesman who instead gave the home side a corner. Moore rose above everyone but his weak header was easily held. Motherwell had a superb opportunity to open the scoring when McFadden played a quite brilliant ball into the path of Lehmann. Unfortunately for Motherwell his German counterpart raced from goal to block at point-blank range to deny the big striker. McFadden then released Hammel who looked set to run in but a pull by Malcolm was somehow ignored allowing the Ibrox man to clear. Lovenkrands gathered a long ball from Moore and looked to have slipped as Ramsay came in. A free kick was awarded which Ferguson played wide to Ricksen but the low cross was saved. There was a free kick for Motherwell shortly afterwards when Lehmann was used by Moore to climb high for a cross, but the danger ended there, as Hammel's take was poor. Vaughan was then forced to concede a corner which was in turn knocked behind by Hammel. Swung in Dubordeau punched partially clear and although Lovenkrands headed towards goal Vaughan was on hand to head away. Tony Vaughan then took matters into his own hand and strode forward before unleashing a shot from 30 yards which wasn't too far over the top. Motherwell had a penalty appeal waved away when Malcolm's back-pass was short allowing Clarkson in. He was eventually flattened by Klos but play failed to stop. And a minute later the decision was all the harder to take. Mols and Partridge clashed 20 yards out with the latter adjudged to have fouled the home player. Ferguson strode up and curled the ball in under the bar though a strategically placed defender would certainly have cleared it. As Motherwell tried to hit back Clarkson was sent flying by Muscat who wasn't even warned. Keith Lasley then had a great opportunity to create something when he burst forward but once at the opposing box a delay in movement up front allowed numbers back and he was crowded out. Ricksen took the ball forward and crossed for Mols whose header was well past. Motherwell had to make a change when Ramsay went off with an injury to be replaced by Cowan.
The Fir Parkers came close again when Lasley forced a corner. Hammel whipped it in and Lehmann's flashing header drifted inches past the far post. Tony Vaughan became the first booking for a tackle on Mols though, no worse than Muscat's earlier offence, surely worthy only of a warning. McFadden then made a great run forward and crossed for Clarkson. He was stretching but managed to knock the ball high in the air where Klos managed to only partially clear. Clarkson gathered but was somehow adjudged offside. Rangers gained another soft free kick when Hammel and Thompson raced shoulder-to-shoulder with the latter crumbling into a heap in a convincing manner. Crossed in De Boer headed towards goal and into Dubordeau's hands. A minute later Lovenkrands had an effort form 18 yards go woefully wide. Stevie Hammel almost set up Derek Adams when he pounced on a loose midfield ball. Adams ran into the box but was out-muscled by Malcolm. Somehow Muscat still escaped a booking when he was late on Clarkson. From the free kick Clarkson rose to head in but Klos gathered. Ferguson then fired in a shot which went wide before De Boer set up Ross whose cross was headed goalwards but failed to trouble the Motherwell custodian. Seconds later the home side had a corner but again Dubordeau was on hand. Some sublime skill from McFadden then saw him sail past Lovenkrands and the Dane decided to enact revenge and was promptly booked for a quite cynical tackle. Just before the break Malcolm flattened Lehmann and although Vaughan nodded the free kick off Muscat and behind no corner was given.
Half time Rangers 1 Motherwell 0
Motherwell should have come out at the start of the second half determined to keep up their good showing of the first 45 minutes. Instead the slept and were caught out within 60 seconds of the re-start. Muscat went on an unchallenged run down the wing and his pass released Lovenkrands who drew Dubordeau before slotting the ball in at the far post. De Boer then had a shot which sailed well past before Motherwell had an opportunity to create something up at the other end. Malcolm, like Muscat, continued to escape a booking despite his latest in a long string of offences, this time guilty of pushing Lehmann. Hammel slotted the ball through for McFadden who looked well on side but was incredibly given off. McFadden then sent Lasley wide a moment or two later but the cross was cleared by Malcolm. Play moved upfield with Lovenkrands but Partridge cut out his cross for a corner which Dubordeau did well to punch clear. Thompson should have had his name taken for a jersey-pull on the shirt of Stevie Hammel but Referee Dallas decided only to award a free kick. The home side made a change shortly afterwards, De Boer making way for Konterman, before making another soon after, Mols leaving in place of Averladze. A good build-up from Motherwell involving several players ended when Adams shot from 25 yards with the ball only just clearing the cross bar. Motherwell then made their first change, Offiong replacing the tiring Clarkson. And a third home change had Lovenkrands changing places with McCann.
A terrific Motherwell move almost pulled a goal back a minute later. Lasley and McFadden combined to set up Adams whose shot was desperately blocked by Moore. The ball spun to Offiong who, instead of a first-time shot at the relatively open goal delayed and was dispossessed. Dubordeau then had to produce his first real save of note when he parried an Averladze header which Partridge cleared. Partridge was then the subject of a late nick from Thompson which went unnoticed by the officials. A handball from Averladze, right in front of the nearside linesman went also unnoticed and he ran in to shoot only for Dubordeau to save. Motherwell were beginning to drop right out of the match and shots from Thompson and Muscat were blocked and sent over the bar respectively. There was still some life left in the Fir Parkers with McFadden showing superb skill but despite sending Offiong into a good wide position the latter's cross was woeful. Motherwell made a third change, Lehmann replaced by Craig. The flying McFadden was then twice fouled in quick succession with Konterman lucky to escape a booking though at last Muscat was carded when he clattered into the young winger. Richard Offiong then did well to find Craig but he was unlucky to see the ball canon off the fortunate Moore and cleared to safety. Cowan was next in the book for a challenge on Muscat though seconds previously a similar offence by McCann on McFadden went unpunished. Good work by Tony Vaughan prevented Averladze reaching a cross from McCann. A third Motherwell player went into the book when Craig was carded for a soft tackle on Muscat. With time running out Thompson had two late chances but both failed to trouble Dubordeau.
Full Time Rangers 2 Motherwell 0
Match Report by Ricky Mullen