Dundee Utd 1, Motherwell 1
| Match Date: Sunday, August 25 2002 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 5,795 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Woods, Ramsey, Corrigan, Partridge, Hammell, Lasley (Kinniburgh
80), Adams, Leitch (McDonald 90), Pearson, McFadden (Ferguson 80), Lehmann.
Subs Not Used: Dubourdeau, Fagan.
Motherwell scorer: Pearson (3).
Yellow Cards: McFadden, Leitch
IT'S A GAME OF TWO HALVES
Dundee United 1 Motherwell 1
AFTER COMPLETELY DOMINATING The first 45 Motherwell went into their shell and in the end were virtually clinging on for a point. It should have been so different after a whirlwind start but the draw was, on the balance of the match, a fair outcome.
The Tannadice outfit were on the attack firstly, however, with Lilley getting the break on the edge of the box but his weak effort was deflected and Woods saved easily. Then Partridge was on hand to stop Lauchlan finding Thompson with a through ball and he mopped things up. Motherwell then produced their first attack and this led to the opening goal of the game. Hammel fired in a corner which, after Partridge had flicked on, was rifled home by Stephen Pearson lurking at the far post. Partridge then appeared to have won the ball fairly from Smart but looked on in horror as Referee Fyfe decided otherwise, giving United a dangerous free kick. A combination of Lehmann and Adams partially cleared. As the ball was returned Corrigan completely mis-kicked and it took sharp defending from Partridge to end the danger. Slick passing from Motherwell then had United in tatters, Lehman's head flick found Pearson but he was rather unfairly flagged offside. It should have been two-nil to Motherwell just moments later. Derek Adams made the by-line and his cutback was met by Lasley who was stopped from scoring by a point-blank block from Gallacher in the home goal. The ball was booted away and as McFadden challenged McGowne the Motherwell man went down after receiving an elbow in the face.
Play continued, however, and as United attacked good work from Corrigan, nipping in ahead of Thompson, stopped him in his tracks. There should have been a yellow card for a nasty challenge by Lilley on Adams, but Referee Fyfe chose only to award a free kick to Motherwell. The home defence were living on the edge and McCunnie was almost caught out by the attentions of Pearson though he recovered. A tug on the shirt of Lehmann by Easton gave a free kick to the visitors some 30 yards out. Dirk Lehmann met the ball but with the help of a hefty push in the back from Thompson headed well over. Motherwell were well on top and forced successive corners, the pressure ending only with a fortuitous deflection from McGowne finding Gallacher. The United centre-half was then lectured for a hefty hack at Lehmann, though a yellow might well have been the order by now. Pearson then made a terrific run to the edge of the box and supplied Lasley but a crucial delay allowed the United defence to regroup and clear. Scott Leitch's superb long ball then looked to have sent McFadden clear but he was harshly flagged offside when looking well on.
It was an unhappy period for McFadden who found himself booked for a foul on Lauchlan when he himself had been subject to many fierce challenges from both home centre-backs previously. It was made all the worse when two quick, cynical challenges on Motherwell players went unpunished. Firstly, Pearson felt the force of Easton's' wayward tackle then Adams went down as Lilley again went in late. Gallacher in the home goal was called into action again to save from Lehman's looping header. United had a rare chance of their own when Partridge was adjudged have brought down McIntyre thirty yards out, though justice was down somewhat when Griffin sent the ball well over the bar. Home favourite Thompson rather unnecessarily went in on Woods as the keeper punched over the bar, but he escaped a booking. Seconds later he then continued to play on despite being whistled back for being off side, Referee Fyfe choosing again to bend the rules somewhat. A deliberate handball by Lauchlan gave Motherwell a free kick some 30 yards out. McFadden found Adams and the midfielder was unlucky to see his angled drive go just past. It was Woods to the rescue as, despite being relatively inactive during the first half, he raced from his goals to stop the danger of Thompson. Just before the break Lehman's lay-off found Lasley and his angled shot raced across the six-yard box begging for a touch which never came.
Half-Time Dundee United 0 Motherwell 1
United made a double substitution, replacing McCunnie with Cummings and Lilley with Miller. It was a change which was to pay immediate dividends and bring the home side right back into the game. Within a minute of the re-start they were level, Easton crossed from the right and although McIntyre completely mis-hit the shot it bounced awkwardly and over Woods who, despite getting a touch, couldn't stop it going in. Woods was able to take a free kick a minute later from Griffin as the home side picked things up. Thompson then turned inside Ramsay and was about to pull the trigger when Corrigan made a great block to clear. Just six minutes after drawing level United could have been ahead. Thompson raced down the wing and his cutback was met by Smart who shot off the upright and the ball raced away to safety. An error in the home defence allowed McFadden and Lehmann to combine but the lay-off for Pearson saw the Motherwell man crowded out. Scott Leitch was then booked for a late challenge on Miller in midfield. The Motherwell Captain then passed up a golden opportunity to regain the lead shortly afterwards. From the corner McFadden set up Leitch but from about 8 yards out he fired over the bar.
Just on the hour mark Motherwell threatened again. Adams broke forward and found McFadden but the Motherwell striker dragged his shot wide from 18 yards. Adams then did well to force home keeper Gallacher out wide though the United man recovered to concede a throw. A push by Thompson on Corrigan should have resulted in a free kick but Referee Fyfe waved play on and as the ball raced towards goal Corrigan did very well indeed to recover and clear. A handball from Smart was then ignored and it took more superb defending from Corrigan to prevent the striker getting in a shot on goals. A minute later Smart then met a cross from Cummings and although powerfully hit the header was straight into the arms of Woods. The third United change saw smart make way for Gunnlagsson. Another case of deliberate handball went unpunished when Thompson controlled the ball before shooting wide. However, he almost put his side ahead when, breaking free of Corrigan, he hooked a shot in which cracked off the post before shooting the rebound wide. McFadden was in despair moments later when it looked as if Adams had sent the striker away well on side only for the linesman to say otherwise. What appeared then to be a rather nasty and late challenge by McGowne on McFadden went without a stoppage in play, when a yellow card at least would surely have been merited.
It was McFadden's' last involvement in play as he was soon replaced by Steven Ferguson on loan from Tottenham, with Kinniburgh replacing Lasley. The far side linesman then failed to spot Thompson well offside and he was allowed to progress up field before shooting wide of the far post. United then were awarded a soft free kick when Leitch looked to have tackled Thompson well to win the ball, Gunnlagsson taking the free kick but finding only Woods. The biggest cheer of the day from the away support came with four minutes remaining when Miller tired to be smart with a back flick and found only the touchline. An outstanding piece of defending from Kinniburgh then stopped Miller and Gunnlagsson shooting some 12 yards out before Griffin fired the rebound way over. A foul by Leitch on Thompson conceded a free kick which McGowne took but Woods held easily. As United pushed for the winner they gained another free kick when Gunnlagsson went down easily under Partridge's challenge. Motherwell replaced Leitch with McDonald then, as the free kick came in, Kinniburgh almost scored an own goal when misdirecting his header narrowly over the bar. However, that was that with full time coming shortly afterwards.
Full time Dundee United 1 Motherwell 1
Match Report by Ricky Mullen