Rangers v Motherwell 22.10.05

Match Date: Saturday, October 22 2005
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 49,215.

Motherwell Team (4-5-1):

Smith, Corrrigan, Kinniburgh, Craigan, Hammell, Fagan, Kerr, McDonald, Foran, Paterson (Fitzpatrick 58), Clarkson (Hamilton 78).
Subs not used: Marshall, Steve McDonald, Paul Quinn, Connolly, Darren Lee Smith.

MOTHERWELL’S QUITE MISERABLE RUN AT IBROX Continued yesterday as they slumped to yet another defeat there. Not since 1997 have Motherwell taken anything from the Glasgow ground, though despite the defeat they remain in the top six.

In recent visits Motherwell have conceded early, and that poor statistic continued. There were 30 seconds on the clock when the defence slept allowing Burke to connect with a Lovenkrands header to net at the far post. Motherwell gained a free kick when Ricksen fouled McDonald but Andrews cleared. Prso was guilty of a pull on Craigan but this was ignored. The Fir Parkers came very close to levelling when McDonald latched onto a Paterson ball and, turning in the box, sent a curling effort beyond Wattereus but also agonisingly wide of the post. After Foran conceded a corner Hammel was on hand to nod an Andrews goal-bound header away from the line and to safety. Fagan was adjudged to have handled when taking the ball up field though it looked anything but, and with no reaction form the linesman this looked the wrong decision from the Referee. Motherwell cleared and broke upfield, Rodriguez conceded a corner and as this broke to Fagan he was unable to keep the ball down. Rangers attacked with Ricksen crossing to Prso who headed wide. Prso then tried to find McCormack but Hammel did well to clear. Good play from McDonald found Paterson and his cross was only partially cleared to Kerr who drove wide. A foul by Bernard on Corrigan should have seen a free kick to Motherwell but a corner was awarded to the home side. Smith held a back heel from Rodriguez. David Clarkson forced a corner which was cleared only as far as Fagan but the shot was wide. Motherwell went forward again with McDonald and he forced an error from Andrews. The ball ran for Clarkson but the shot fell the wrong side of the upright. More clever play from McDonald opened up a chance for Kerr but he elected to pass and the chance went. The home side thought they had scored again when, after a Prso header had been palmed onto the crossbar by Smith, McCormack netted but he was well off-side. McCormack was then very, very late on McDonald but play was allowed to continue. Rodriguez had to look sharp to stop McDonald getting on the end of a Clarkson ball. Hemdani then tried to find Prso but he was denied by a fine Kinniburgh interception. Clarkson dispossessed Hemdani quite fairly just afterwards but to the despair of the Motherwell players and fans a free kick was awarded. McCormack again was heavy with a challenge, this time leaving Fagan in pain, but once more there was no stoppage in play. Rodriguez clattered into McDonald and despite it being clearly a foul play continued. However, it instantly stopped the second Hemdani fell over as Hammel challenged. Craigan was forced to concede a corner, which Craigan cleared himself despite having Andrews clambering all over him. Winning possession 30 yards out was Kerr and he found McDonald. With a sniff of goal the striker shot low but Wattereus held. Upfield Prso connected with a Burke cross to fire over from 16 yards. Near the break Motherwell won a corner but failed to hit the target.

Rangers won a rather soft free kick when Hammel challenged McCormack out wide. However, when swung in, Kinniburgh cleared. McDonald did well to create an opening after beating Andrews all ends up but the cross in for Clarkson saw an important Rodriguez clearance. McCormack had two opportunities to cross deep but on both occasions the ball was cleared, firstly but Kinniburgh and then Craigan. McCormack swung in a free kick from the right soon after but Fagan cleared despite strong Rodriguez pressure. Clarkson broke upfield but saw his cross cleared by Ricksen. Both teams then made changes, Motherwell replaced Paterson with Fitzpatrick whilst the home team had McCormack change for Murray. Hammel had to knock behind under pressure from Hemdani but the resultant header from Ricksen was hooked clear. Soon afterwards the home support were screaming for a penalty when Lovenkrands took a clear dive as he chased a ball into the box with Kinniburgh. Burke was then very late on Kinniburgh but there was still no card. The Ibrox man then found Prso whose effort was well held by Smith at the second attempt. A break by Sean Fagan took him to the edge of the box and as he released McDonald the striker appeared to be impeded by Ricksen but there was no penalty. Superb defending from Martyn Corrigan, making his first start of the season after a long injury absence, saw Lovenkrands denied the opportunity to test Smith. The Dane then released Prso but Smith made a clever stop. However, he was unable to stop the home side doubling their advantage a minute or so later though the rest of the defence were perhaps slack. Prso was allowed to weave his way to the by line and cut back to the unmarked Lovenkrands and he slotted in, the goal coming perhaps against the run of play at that time. The home side made an immediate change, Hemdani replaced by Hutton. A clearance by Bernard fell to Kerr as Motherwell tried to hit back but it was held. A slip from Smith as he attempted to control a McDonald pass back almost allowed Lovenkrands to nick in, Smith smothering the ball with Murray sliding in with a high boot ignored by the Referee. Changes for both teams had Prso make way for Thompson whilst Motherwell replaced Clarkson with Hamilton. The Motherwell sub almost made an immediate impression, setting up McDonald but he was crowded out. Fitzpatrick then sent McDonald into the box but there was no one to take advantage of the ball across the six-yard box. High feet from Murray went unnoticed as Craigan took a sore one soon after. Ricksen then took a leaf out of the Lovenkrands book of diving when he went to ground under very minimal Kinniburgh pressure. Ferguson took the free kick but the wall did its job. Foran won the ball fairly from Ricksen who again fell over winning a free kick. With time running out McDonald had an opportunity but the 18-yard shot was saved.