Aberdeen 1, Motherwell 2

Match Date: Saturday, September 15 2007
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 10,154.
Motherwell Team (4-3-3):

Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson, McGarry, Hughes, O'Donnell (Fitzpatrick 44), Clarkson (Grabban 60), Porter, McCormack (Lasley 67). 
Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Mensing, Kinniburgh, Darren Smith.

Motherwell scorers: Quinn (34), Porter (37).

Booked: Quinn.

SOLID PERFORMANCE PUTS WELL FOURTH

Aberdeen  1     Motherwell  2

A STRONG, All-round performance gave Motherwell their third successive away win to start the season, and place them fourth on goal difference. Two quick-goals near half-time saw the ‘Well take a two-goal interval and, despite pulling one back, Aberdeen were never going to put the result in doubt against a resolute Motherwell team.

A long ball forward from Diamond searched for Young though a foul committed on Quinn saw Motherwell gain a free kick. Motherwell broke forward with Quinn finding McGarry, though he was dispossessed by Hart and the chance was gone. Young again was guilty of fouling Quinn, giving Hughes a chance to put in a good delivery. However, despite getting a header on target, Porter was unable to direct beyond Soutar. Lovell sought to get a shot in on Smith but good defending from Quinn denied him the opportunity. Good work from McCormack almost put Porter in, but Diamond came across to concede a corner. As this came in, Porter was adjudged to have fouled. Soon after a Smith cross has zipped through the area, Aberdeen won their first corner of the game. Diamond rose unchallenged to put a header on target but Hughes, well placed, cleared off the line and away. The home side had the upper hand and pushed forward again, Smith doing well to tip a Miller effort over the bar for a corner. Motherwell attacked, McGarry sending in a ball to Hughes, and his shot from 25 yards out wasn’t so far away. Miller went down easy under a soft challenge from Craigan to win a free kick some 30 yards from goal, though the Motherwell defence was able to clear. Seconds later McNamara went down heavily as he challenged for the ball with Porter. Getting to his feet, he was unable to continue, and was replaced by Foster. A chip forward from McGarry looked to have struck the hand of Foster but play continued. McGarry again put a useful ball into the box though this time Diamond cut out the pass in legal fashion. McCormack and Hughes combined with the latter forcing a good save from Soutar, tipping the ball over the top. As the corner came in O’Donnell and Clarkson seemed to get in each other’s road, Clarkson looking the more likely to have had an opportunity to net. Aberdeen responded with Miller curling a shot wide from the edge of the box. The ball was played long to McCormack but his cross carried way too much power for the waiting Motherwell forwards. Clarkson then found Hughes who fashioned a corner off Hart. The ball broke out as far as McCormack and his effort from 25 yards went narrowly wide with Soutar struggling to get across. Aberdeen responded, Smith seeing a cross go through the area with no takers, Nicholson firing wide, then Smith had an effort on goals gathered by the waiting Smith. However, as the home fans expected their side to grab the opener, it was Motherwell who nicked ahead shortly afterwards. Quinn had time and space some 25 yards out and, picking his spot, he hammered a low drive beyond the despairing Soutar to open the scoring. There was almost an immediate reply from the home side when Nicholson forced Smith to make an important stop. This was made all the more important when Motherwell doubled their advantage just moments later. O’Donnell played an inch-perfect through ball to split the home defence, and as Porter gathered, he quickly turned to tuck the ball under the helpless Soutar. Again, Aberdeen responded and almost grabbed a goal back. Clark fired in a cross which Craigan headed over and, from the corner; Miller aimed a header off the outside of the post. Motherwell still looked dangerous in attack, and McGarry’s cross was fumbled by Soutar but there were no takers. Just before the break O’Donnell had to be replaced by Fitzpatrick after picking up an injury. And as the break hovered into sight, Diamond headed a cross into the side netting with the home fans convinced a goal had been scored.

Half-Time     Aberdeen  0     Motherwell  2

Motherwell pushed up from the start of the second half, and Paterson had thought he had won a corner off Clark but the Linesman thought otherwise. Smith came to Motherwell’s rescue by pulling of a superb stop from Lovell just three minutes into the half. Lovell fired in a fierce shot from a Severin cross with Smith superbly saving. Hart had to look equally alert at the other end when he conceded a corner as the ball had been played in by McCormack. The ball went as far as McGarry but his shot from 20 yards was comfortably gathered by Soutar in the home goal. Clark attempted to pull Aberdeen back with a 25-yard shot but it was almost the same height over the bar. The game’s first booking came just before the hour when Severin was yellow carded after a late challenge on Paterson. Both sides then made changes, Young making way for Maguire for Aberdeen, whilst Motherwell replaced Clarkson with Lewis Grabban. A quick one-two involving Lovell and Maguire almost gave the home side a change to score, Craigan superbly reading things at the expense of a corner kick. Diamond rose to head towards goal though Fitzpatrick was on hand to clear. McGarry was then adjudged to have fouled Smith though it did look a tad soft. Smith positioned the ball then cracked an unstoppable shot beyond his namesake to bring the home side back into things. Porter looked to have won a goal kick when hen knocked the ball off Miller but a corner was given. Before this was taken, Motherwell changed McCormack for Lasley. The corner came to nothing as Smith fouled Craigan as the ball came in. Seconds later Smith had a chance to repeat his earlier free kick exploits with what was an even softer award. This time his effort on goals went a couple of feet over the top with Smith covering. Paul Quinn was booked for a tackle on Nicholson soon after, and from the free kick Lovell directed a harmless header well wide of goals. On-loan striker Grabban had a chance to grab his first goal for Motherwell when McGarry played him into the edge of the box, but the shot lacked power and Soutar gathered. Another change for Aberdeen had Miller making way for Mackie. Grabban then did well to turn Hart but his cross in was weak. Hart then fouled Porter to concede a free kick 30 yards out. Hughes fired the ball in but wide of the upright. Severin then fouled Grabban to concede another free kick a similar distance from goals. The ball was played wide to Hughes but, despite being in a great position on the left of the box, he elected to shoot and screwed a left-foot drive wide with options to his right. The response from Aberdeen was a Clark drive well over the bar. Smith did well to gather a deep cross from Aberdeen winger Smith as the home side tried to get back level, the Motherwell keeper doing well despite heavy pressure from Mackie. It was Motherwell who finished the stronger of the sides, Grabban seeing a 20-yard drive deflected behind for a corner. Just before time up Porter nicked a cross narrowly wide, with Motherwell comfortably seeing time out.

Full Time     Aberdeen  1     Motherwell  2

Match Report by Ricky Mullen

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