Motherwell 6, Livingston 2
| Match Date: Saturday, May 24 2003 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 4,790 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Dubourdeau, Quinn, Kinniburgh, Corrigan (Ballantyne 74), Hammell, Lasley, McDonald, McFadden, Pearson, Craig (Wright 77), Clarkson (Scott 84).
Subs not used: Ewings, Higgins.
Motherwell Scorers: Lasley (29, 90), Craig (57), McFadden (63, 72, 74)
Yellow Cards: Lasley, McFadden
SIX GOOD REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
Motherwell 6 Livingston 2
A FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE FROM ONE OF THE YOUNGEST EVER Motherwell sides swept the visitors away at Fir Park. Star of the show was James McFadden whose fabulous hat trick would have had Bertie Vogts wondering just why he dropped the Fir Parker from the Scotland squad.
Steven Craig had a very early chance when a loose pass presented him with the opportunity to race away but he overran the ball at the crucial moment. The visiting response was a shot from Brittan which was high and not so pretty. A minute later Wilson was closer but Dubordeau dealt with the 25-yard effort. Main in goals just cleared ahead of Clarkson but a quick return from Dubordeau was missed by Craig though Clarkson was alert enough and really should have done better but to miss the chance from the edge of the box. Making a welcome return to first-team action was William Kinniburgh but he conceded a free kick when bringing down Pasquinelli. Wilson took the effort but curled it over. From the kick out Quinn played a lovely long ball which only just drifted ahead of Clarkson. Motherwell were playing some neat stuff and a terrific one-two between Pearson and Lasley opened up the visitors before Main managed to smother just as Lasley looked to net. The Fir parkers then had another opportunity go a-begging when McFadden sent Clarkson clear but despite beating Main he took the ball too wide and could only find the side netting. And Motherwell were made to pay when Livingston took the lead somewhat against the run of play. Lasley slipped in midfield allowing Makel to race away and his shot from outside the box beat Dubordeau's despairing dive. Motherwell responded by forcing a corner but Main gathered. Then the visiting keeper was on hand to hold a dangerous Craig ball with Clarkson hovering. Craig came closer when he cut inside and fired in a long range shot which wasn't far away. Camacho then got himself into a good position out wide onto Pasquinelli's ball but crossed behind the goal. A minute later a couple of mystifying decisions from fans "favourite" Referee McDonald had the home support angry. Firstly he awarded a throw to the visitors after Wilson had sent the ball out then a corner when Wilson again shot wide. Dubordeau was called upon to make a superb stop from Wilson but then the match was squared. McFadden's free kick found Craig and his back post floating ball was nodded home by Keith Lasley to level the match.
Some superb build-up from Motherwell came to an abrupt end when Maidana sent McFadden flying. Picking himself up McFadden took the free kick himself but could only hit the wall and the ball was hooked away. A foray forward by McNamee took him within shooting distance but he found Dubordeau equal to his shot. It then took a vital interception from Kinniburgh to deny Camacho following a through ball from McNamee. Motherwell forced a corner and passed up another good chance when Lasley mis-hit the ball wide right and the ball was cleared. Play was somewhat end-to-end at this point with another great tackle, this time from player-of-the-season Corrigan denying Wilson inside the box. Wilson then set up Camacho but his header went well wide. Livingston had upped the pace with Kinniburgh forced to concede the corner. Wilson saw his free header strike Pearson on the way past and from the second Dubordeau punched as far as Camacho and his shot was well over the top. Motherwell had a fair claim for a penalty denied when Clarkson was taken out by Brittan but Referee McDonald waved play on. As half time approached Wilson saw a shot go woefully wide.
Half time Motherwell 1 Livingston 1
Motherwell came out with a determination at the start of the second half and immediately forced a corner. This was quickly followed by a second which Main dropped only to gather at the second attempt. The visitors were having trouble leaving their own half and had to defend again when Brinquin brought Clarkson down 30 yards out. McDonald took the free kick but struck the wall and it was cleared. Livingston did escape their own half and after Makel had seen an angled drive go past with Dubordeau watching Wilson passed up a great opportunity from the lay-off from McMenamin, then Dubordeau did superbly well to save before conceding a corner. Motherwell failed to head the warning and from the cross in McMenamin found space to turn and slot home. However, the Fir Parkers weren't behind for long and it was a quite superb finish which brought them level. Lasley and Hammel exchanged passes before finding McFadden who in turn slipped the ball through to Craig. Turning past Main he then finished with style from a very tight angle high into the roof of the net. McMenamin became the game's first yellow card when he was late on Pearson. The visiting keeper then had to get down to hold a rasping shot from Lasley before Livingston then made a change, Britain replaced by O'Brien. He was hardly on the pitch before Motherwell took the lead. Quinn found Clarkson with a superb through ball and racing clear shot beyond Main but against the post. Following up was McFadden he slotted home. The response from Livingston was a shot from McNamee which was blocked and cleared by Craig. A clever one-two involving McFadden and Clarkson almost tore open the visiting defence only for Brinquin to concede a corner. Cleared it allowed Livingston to break. Dubordeau was forced into a superb save when he blocked a McMenamin header before Makel curled the ball past. Another change for the visitors had Camacho replaced by Bingham. A slip by Kinniburgh then allowed McMenamin to bear down on goal but there was Corrigan to block the effort and clear. It was to prove crucial as a minute later Motherwell went further ahead. Clarkson was bundled over by Maidana inside the box and a penalty was awarded. A quite cheeky chip from McFadden grazed the bar as it hit the back of the net with Main well beaten.
Motherwell made their first change, and it was a significant one as Martyn Corrigan was to miss out on completing a full season by being replaced by young Ross Ballantyne, though it did give the home fans a chance to applaud a quite super season from the defender and perhaps Berti Vogts in the stand might now give him his chance. A free kick was awarded to Livingston when Quinn was adjudged to have fouled Bingham but as the move broke down Motherwell stretched their lead with a quite brilliant goal. McFadden gathered possession around the halfway line and beat man after man before slotting beyond Main for one of the best goals ever at Fir Park. A weak response from Livingston was a Makel shot well over the bar. Steven Craig was next to leave, replaced by another youngster as the average age of the Fir Park team dropped even further, Kenny Wright getting his chance. Keith Lasley then became Motherwell's 100th booking for the season for a quite innocuous tackle on Makel. Hammel cleared to McFadden who was brought down by a similar foul by Makel but there was no card this time. An off side flag then denied McMenamin as he latched onto the pass from Bingham though Dubordeau took no chances with a brilliant save. Wright was then taken by McLaughlin and from the free kick Main had two efforts at gathering with McFadden nearby. David Clarkson became the third Motherwell sub, himself only 17 and replaced by Andrew Scott. Livingston were denied a consolation when O'Brien attempted a chip which Dubordeau did well to punch over the bar. From the clearance McFadden was taken late by McNamee who earned himself a caution. McDonald then played the ball forward to McFadden who was pushed over by Brinquin. Play continued until Referee McDonald decided to book McFadden indicating dissent though it should have been a free kick in the first place. Motherwell rounded off a terrific 90 minutes by scoring in the last minute. McFadden found Wright and his shot looked to be sneaking in at the back post before Lasley made sure. And as time was running out Hammel almost made it seven from McDonald's cutback.
Full Time Motherwell 6 Livingston 3
Match Report by Ricky Mullen