East Fife 0, Motherwell 2
| Match Date: Tuesday, September 24 2002 |
|
| Competition: CIS League Cup, 2nd Round | |
| Attendance: 970 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Team (4-3-3): Woods, Ramsay (Cowan 83), Corrigan, Partridge,
Hammell, Lasley, Leitch (McDonald 45), Adams, Ferguson (Russell 88), McFadden,
Lehmann.
Subs not used: Dubourdeau, Dempsie
Motherwell scorers: Lehmann (28), McFadden (66).
Yellow Cards: None!
TWO EASY AS WELL PROGRESS
East Fife 0 Motherwell 2
MOTHERWELL SWEPT ASIDE THE Challenge of East Fife to progress into the Third Round of the CIS Cup at a chilly New Bayview. In front of less than a thousand spectators they were never in any danger of being subject to another shock exit.
Inside the first minute Motherwell went close to opening the scoring. Good holding up from Lehmann let in former Fifer Ferguson but he blazed his shot inches over the bar. The Fir Parkers then forced a corner when harrying from Hammel had Love running the ball behind. This was cleared, and minute or so later East Fife had a chance of their own. A push on Ramsay by Farnan went unpunished and he gathered possession before firing a shot well over. Lehmann was causing problems for the home defence and he again held play up well to allow Ramsay a shot but it was deflected into the arms of Butter. A long ball from Lasley almost had McFadden racing away, Russell coming to the rescue of his team. More vital defending kept the scoreline blank, Hammel whipping in a terrific cross only for Mortimer to head away as Ferguson waited. Ramsay swung the ball back in though the header from Lehmann was well saved. Woods then kicked long and Lehman's flick sent Ferguson running clear only for a wrongly raised flag to deny him. Ferguson had a chance shortly afterwards when McFadden's' flick opened an opportunity though the shot failed to match the build-up. Motherwell continued to dominate and forced another corner when Ramsay and Lasley almost set up Adams. The header from Lehmann was cleared and East Fife broke up field only for Gilbert's pass to be intercepted by Ramsay and the danger averted. The Fifers then gained a soft free kick when Corrigan appeared to win from Gilbert only for Referee Thomson, far from a Fir Park favourite following his performance in a pre-season friendly, gave the free kick to the home side. Donaldson floated to the back post where Woods did well to tip the ball away before Love drove the ball well over.
The Fifers cleared and pushed up field to win a corner of their own which Woods did well to save Hall's header. From Woods kick out McFadden set up Ferguson but his shot was deflected over when he really should have scored. However, the opening goal was merely delayed. Ferguson controlled a long ball up field and squared for Lehmann. 20 yards out and Ferguson having drawn the keeper the German had the easy task of stroking the ball home to open the scoring. A couple of minutes later the Motherwell players appealed for a penalty when Adams was bundled over in the box by Hall, and shortly afterwards Adams then had a great chance but delayed his shot allowing Mortimer to block. It was still mostly Motherwell in attack, Partridge finding McFadden and his terrific lay-off for Lehmann ended with a shot going narrowly past. Ferguson then almost connected with another Partridge ball, this time Butter claiming. As half-time approached East Fife won a corner though Lehmann headed away. Then, just before the break, Lasley was denied when Russell popped up on the line to head behind for a corner.
Half-Time East Fife 0 Motherwell 1
Motherwell made an immediate change, Leitch making way for McDonald. East Fife continued on the back foot, Hall forced to concede the corner ahead of Ferguson. The ball was swung in by Adams and although Lehmann made good contact his header was blocked. Adams then picked out McFadden and the glancing header had Butter diving away to save well. The Fifers then carved out a chance when Donaldson found Love and his shot deflected off Lasley and went behind. Partridge's partial clearance fell to Herkes but he saw his shot blocked just inside the box and cleared. McMillan then had to hurriedly knock the ball out of play as Ferguson threatened, from the throw Hammel picked out McFadden but Butter held the header. The Fir Parkers should have made it two nine minutes into the second half. Hammel sent Ferguson along the sideline and as Lehmann laid the pass off to Lasley he whacked the ball over from 12 yards out. Woods, who had little to do, had to be sharp when East Fife created an opening. He got down well to hold the shot from Herkes after Partridge and Love clashed. The Motherwell keeper's direct opponent Butter made a superb stop a minute later. Hammel picked up possession some 35 yards out and after striding forward unleashed a fierce shot which the former Blairgowrie man turned round the post. Adams found Lasley with the corner though McMillan hooked it away. Motherwell continued to press and McFadden's flick sent Ferguson racing into the box though he pulled the shot wide of the far post and received a late challenge from Hall to boot. Love of East Fife showed some great skill to get to the by-line but Partridge cleared his cross and McFadden raced away.
Showing superb close control he breezed past several players and sent Lehmann away only for a very close offside to stop him in his tracks. The Fifers made a change, Love making way for Ovenstone. Good work from Corrigan, who was having an outstanding match, prevented the ball from Graham making its way through to Farnan. However, it was Motherwell who put the game out of the reach of East Fife shortly afterwards. McFadden gathered partridge's long ball out of defence and he sailed past a couple of defenders, rounded Butter, and slotted into the empty net. East Fife's response was a shot from Donaldson which went high over the bar. It should have been three to Motherwell and only a bad miss stopped the goal. Ferguson sent in a cross which Lehmann somehow headed wide of the far post with McFadden inches away from connecting. Then a terrific tackle from Hall stopped McFadden going clear on Butter. The home keeper was having a busy evening and he did well to deny McFadden with a low drive. Ramsay and Lasley combined a minute later but Mortimer swept behind for a corner. The Fifers then made another change, Gilbert replaced by Deuchar. They then attacked with Donaldson making the by-line and his cross, met by Farnan, left the Stadium. It was a very short period of attacking play from East Fife; Graham saw his shot deflected by Partridge behind for a corner. A third Fife change was then made, Graham replaced by Allison. Motherwell resumed on the attack with Ferguson beaten to the ball by Hall though somehow a corner wasn't given. There was one awarded however when McDonald beat Farnan to the ball and as it was swung in Woods easily held the header from Deuchar. Motherwell the changed Ramsay for Cowan. There was a scare for the visitors when Deuchar almost burst through though Woods booted the ball away for a throw-in. The teams exchanged corners before Butter denied Motherwell a third with a terrific save. A slip from Hall allowed Lehmann and his shot was superbly tipped away by Butter. A last-minute substitution had Ferguson replaced by Russell, but that was the end of the action.
Full Time East Fife 0 Motherwell 2
Match Report by Ricky Mullen