Queen's Park 1, Motherwell 2

Match Date: Saturday, July 9 2005
Competition: Pre-season Friendly
Attendance:
Motherwell Team:

To follow...

Booked: none.

MOTHERWELL BEGAN THE PRE-SEASON With a comfortable, if narrow, victory over Queen’s Park at the unusual surroundings of the West of Scotland Science Park. With many changes throughout the match the game was littered with interruptions, but it was a positive start.

Within the first minute the Fir Parkers could have taken a very early lead. Paterson curled in a cross from the right, which Sinclair managed to hook partially cleared. Quinn then recovered the ball and saw Clark knock the dangerous cross behind. Craigan rose highest and crashed a header off the crossbar, which was then cleared.Foran gathered and crossed for Hamilton but his shot slid wide of the far post. The response from the Spiders was a run from Clark who got the break of the ball on the edge of the box but failed to trouble Marshall. Craigan took the ball and found Paterson whose clever close control saw him leave Gibson and Reilly stranded but his drive crept wide. It was Craigan again who set up the next move, finding Quinn and he in turn forced a corner off Gibson. Teammate McGinty then headed the corner past but a foul was given against Hamilton. Jim Paterson then ran onto a Foran through ball but Gibson made a timely interception. A net one-two involving Keogh and McDonald gave the latter a chance but he was blocked out by Agostini. However, McDonald go the better of McGinty a minute later and the Queens player tripped him to concede a penalty. Richie Foran strode up and did the needful to open Motherwell’s account for the season.The five minutes after conceding a goal are reputedly when you are at your most vulnerable, and so it proved for Motherwell. A Craigan header out of the area fell to Ferry and he sent a volley beyond Marshall and into the top corner. Partridge then conceded a corner though the defence cleared. The Fir Parkers responded, Keogh and Paterson combined but McDonald sent the header wide. Clark for Queens sent Weatherston through but good work from Craigan and Quinn eased the danger. Keogh carried the ball forward and his pass to McDonald saw the striker hacked down by keeper Crawford, and in a more meaningful game it would have been a booking. O’Donnell and Paterson found Hamilton and his header was almost helped into his own net by McGinty with Crawford scrambling the ball behind. Motherwell gained a free kick when Reilly was late on Leitch. McDonald raced onto Leitch’s pass and in an instant turned to fire beyond Crawford to restore Motherwell’s advantage. Good work from McDonald sent Foran wide but the cross was behind. Crawford in goals had to look sharp to gather a Paterson shot next, and after Paterson himself had forced a corner Craigan attempted a shot, which went somewhat wide. Marshall had to look sharp racing from his goals to head away from Weatherston and managed to get back onto his line to take a Harvey effort. From a free kick given when Foran fouled Clark, Marshall again was on hand to end the danger. A good Motherwell move had Craigan, McDonald and Paterson involved with the latter unlucky to see his net-bound effort deflect behind. McDonald turned again to shoot but saw this one cleared. Queens broke forward but the shot from Felvus was wide. Getting forward well was Keogh, and he set up Hamilton but the striker couldn’t direct the ball beyond the last defender. Just before the break Keogh and Paterson combined to find Hamilton but Crawford made a good take.

Half Time: Queens Park 1, Motherwell 2

There were plenty of changes at the interval, for Motherwell Marshall, Partridge, Leitch, O’Donnell, McDonald and Hamilton were replaced by Graeme Smith, Fagan, Kerr, Darren Smith, Clarkson and Wright respectively. For Queens, Gibson made way for Kettlewell. Foran forced an early corner but this was cleared. Queens response saw Weatherston shoot wide from the edge of the box.Quinn for Motherwell found Wright wide and his cross to Fagan saw a fierce shot deflected for a corner kick. Fagan played the ball in but Crawford was quick to deny Wright. A pass from Harvey released Ferry but he failed to repeat his earlier scoring effort with a shot over the top. A terrific move from Motherwell opened up the Queens defence but Foran was unlucky to see Crawford in top form. The Spiders defence was again carved open when Clarkson dispossessed Harvey to sent Wright clear. With only Crawford to beat the keeper produced a superb save and the chance was gone. A foul by Felvus on Clarkson gave Motherwell a free kick outside the box but Foran was wide with the shot.Queens then replaced Felvus with Panton. After Clarkson had won a corner Paterson was unfortunate to see his header sneak past the far upright. A clever long ball from Smith almost caught out the Queens defence with Clarkson hovering. Richie Foran then made way to allow Bobby Donnelly to make his debut. A break from Weatherston took him to the edge of the box but he failed to trouble Smith in goals. Good work from Fagan found Clarkson and his neat turn and shot forced a superb save from Crawford.As Motherwell prepared to take a corner former Fir Parker Harvey made way for McCann. Kerr’s quick take to Fagan saw a shot charged away. Keogh then made a great run but saw his path eventually blocked by Reilly. Motherwell had a stonewaller of a penalty denied when Clarkson was cynically brought down inside the box by Sinclair but the Referee waved play on. Queens broke and forced a corner, with McIlduff replacing Clark at the same time.Smith did well to take a deep Kettlewell ball for Weatherston. Another Queens change had Reilly replaced by Campbell. Kettlewell then broke towards the box but Craigan cleared. A 25-yarder from Ferry was on target though Smith easily dealt with the effort. Just before time-up Wright was unfortunate to see his volley, connecting with Clarkson’s pass, sail over.

Full Time: Queens Park 1, Motherwell 2

Match Report by Ricky Mullen

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