St Mirren 0, Motherwell 2
| Match Date: Monday, July 22 2002 |
|
| Competition: Pre-season Friendly | |
| Attendance: 1,408 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Team: Woods, Corrigan, Hammell, Lasley, Rmasay (Dempsie), Pearson, Adams
(Fagan), Leitch (McDonald), Lehmann, McFadden (Clark), Kinniburgh
(Partridge).
Sub not used Ewings.
Motherwell scorers: Lehman, Pearson.
Yellow Cards:
UPBEAT MOTHERWELL SWEEP BUDDIES ASIDE
Saint Mirren 0 Motherwell 2
GOALS FROM DIRK LEHMANN AND A Peach from Stephen Pearson saw Motherwell continue their positive start to the pre-season campaign. Despite a lacklustre start the longer the game progressed their was never any real doubt about the outcome of the match.
The visitors were given an early opportunity when Kerr sent McFadden flying near the corner flag. From Hammel's free kick it took an important header from Gillies to stop Lehmann getting in at the expense of a corner. The Motherwell full-back clipped the corner to Lasley but he sliced the shot wide of goals. Saint Mirren were next to show and only a superb tackle from Corrigan prevented Mendez running clear onto Gillies' through ball. It was the turn of Kerr to save his team when he then stopped McFadden racing on to test Roy, the terrific long ball from Leitch almost creating the first goal. Former Motherwell man Denham conceded the corner, with Gillies clearing Corrigan's header off the line at the expense of a second flag kick. The Buddies managed to clear this and build downfield before a speculative shot from MacKenzie saw Woods having to make his first contribution of the game, though he wasn't troubled with the effort. Mendez then outpaced Kinniburgh but his cut-back fell behind trialist Cameron and was cleared.
The next opening fell to the Fir Parkers with Adams sending in a terrific cross
but the ball dropped beyond Lehmann. Possession was retained by Pearson though Gilles blocked the cross for a corner. Hammel found Leitch but he was inches
away from his first goal for Motherwell as the ball sizzled wide. Rudden made ground for Saint Mirren and found MacKenzie but he crucially delayed allowing
Kinniburgh to nip in and send the ball away. Showing yet more of his undoubted talent was Stephen Pearson, and he swept past two defenders to find Hammel. He
in turn supplied Derek Adams but the volley sailed over the bar. Cameron for Saint Mirren was proving troublesome and he found space before flashing a shot
across the face of goals before running out. A minute later Woods had to be sharp when a shot rebounded off Kinniburgh and then McGinty before Woods
clutched the ball. A slack pass-back from Kerr then had Roy in trouble and he had to scramble the ball out for a throw.
Referee Toner had to pull Keith Lasley aside for a chat after the Motherwell man had fouled McGinty with a late challenge. Pearson won the ball back for Motherwell and via Lehmann found Lasley, but the midfielder sliced his shot and Roy made a good take. Lasley was becoming well involved in things though he was unfortunate to be punished for a challenge on Mendez which looked, if anything, fair. From the free kick McGinty volleyed the ball towards goal where Woods made a brilliant tip onto the bar for a corner. Just before the break a Lehmann trundler saw Roy get down to hold though it was the Buddies who almost snatched the lead. Another soft free kick to Saint Mirren saw Denham rise to head and again Woods did well to turn the ball over.
Half Time Saint Mirren 0 Motherwell 0
Motherwell made the first impression and it was Denham who was forced to bring
Lehmann down. Firstly Dow and then Denham did well to clear. Saint Mirren were
up in arms when Mendez went racing into the box but saw his progress halted when
fussy Referee Toner pulled play back for a foul when advantage should have counted. Ex-Motherwell man
Dow curled the ball in but Woods saved easily. The Buddies were enjoying a spell in possession and it was only a terrific tackle
from Pearson which stopped McGinty pulling the trigger following the cross in from Cameron. Mendez then went off injured and he was replaced by Lowing.
Motherwell attacked and Denham had little choice but to concede the corner ahead
of Lehmann. The ball was dropped by Roy but fortunately for him Denham cleared Kinniburgh's effort off the line for another corner. However, the defensive
work merely delayed the opening goal and from the corner McFadden slipped past the static-looking Rudden and crossed for Lehmann, the big German making no
mistake heading beyond Roy.
Saint Mirren were clearly rattled and McFadden burst through almost right from kick off but just as
he was about to shoot Denham blocked for the corner. After a clash of heads with a Paisly forward Kinniburgh went off injured, and although
the Motherwell man recovered almost immediately he was replaced by debut-man Partridge. From the free kick which was curiosly awarded Baltacha forced a
great save from Woods before being replaced by Robb. Woods cleared downfield and found Leitch. The Motherwell captain in turn supplied McFadden and his
cross found Adams who was only stopped by a vital Roy block. Lehmann won a corner off Lowing and from the corner Hammel drove the ball wide. Scott Leitch
then made way for Kevin MacDonald. Another burst from McFadden found Lasley but
his shot cannoned off Denham for a croner. McFadden then chipped brilliantly over Roy but also inches over the bar. The home fans were calling for blood
when firstly Ramsay then McFadden committed fouls on Lowing and Gilles respectively. Referee Toner calmed
things down with a word in both Motherwell players' ears.
James McFadden was having a ball and he set up Pearson but unfortunately the cross failed to match the build-up. Pearson quickly raised his head and made a
spectacular run before a last-ditch tackle from Kerr stopped a certain goal-scoring chance. Motherwell made a further change, Adams replaced by Sean
Fagan. The Motherwell support roared in admiration whenMcFadden showed sublime skill on the wing to leave two defenders chaising shadows. He crossed for
Lehmann and it took another brilliant Roy block to stop what would have been a candidate for goal-of-the-season.
Saint Mirren had a rare opportunity when Cameron laid-off for Lowing but he pulled his
shot wide. Motherwell resumed in attack and MacDonald headed over before McFadden raced into the box again,
evading several lunges before Denham blocked for a corner. The ball fell for Stephen Pearson and he sent a crashing low shot in at the back post to double
Motherwell's lead. McFadden then went off to a rapturous round of applause from
the away support, being replaced by David Clarke. The Paisley men forced a couple of corners but both came to nothing, whilst Motherwell then made a
further change with Ramsay making way for Brian Dempsie. After Lehmann had narrowly headed wide there was a chance for Saint Mirren when a rare slip by
Corrigian allowed Cameron a chance but he dragged the shot wide. McDonald then set up Clarke but he also drove wide. Motherwell had
the final chance, a free kick after Denham had fouled Ramsay, but MacDonald sent the ball over.
Full Time Saint Mirren 0
Motherwell 2
Match Report by Ricky
Mullen