Match date : Saturday 14th February 1998 Competition : Scottish Cup 4th Round Attendance : 12,602
Motherwell scorers: Tommy Coyne (19), Gough (77og).
LATE WOODS ERROR GETS GERS OUT OF JAIL
Motherwell 2 Rangers 2AN UNFORTUANTE ERROR By the normally dependable Stephen Woods gifted Rangers a late and undeserved equaliser in this Scottish Cup Fourth Round cracker at a jam-packed Fir Park. With Motherwell ahead thanks to an own goal from Richard Gough Rangers appeared to be heading out until the slip with just seven minutes to go.
The home side, still smarting after the departure of Alex McLeish just three days before the match, almost fell behind inside the first couple of minutes. Porinni's forward pass to Durie was cut along the six-yard box by the Scotland striker, but there was Brian Martin to beat Negri to the ball and conceed a corner, which came to nothing. Motherwell quickly got over this early upset and almost took the lead with a flowing, sweeping move. Martin's excellent tackle on Duire on the half-way line allowed Garcin to gather. His pass out wide to Tommy Coyne was pin-point, as was Coyne's cross into the box, but Owen Coyle's header was too high when he really should have scored. Not long afterwards Coyle came even closer as Rangers were on the rack. Newman brilliantly tackled Negri on the edge of the box and supplied Arnott with a great pass. A terrific piece of close football saw Arnott lay-off for Coyne to shoot clear of the static Rangers defence. Spottin Coyle clear on the edge of the box, Coyne set up his Irish International team-mate, but Coyle's rasper fell just inches the wrong side of the upright. Rangers almost grabbed the lead when McCall 's 25-yard shot took a wicked deflection off Newman but managed to clear the bar. Goram had to look sharp when clearing Cleland's short back-pass, and when it fell only as far as Garcin, he combined with Coyne to send McMillan clear on the wing. His cross fell invitingly for May, but the resultant shot from only 10 yards skewed wide of the box. Motherwell were not to be denied, and took the lead in spectacular fashion soon after. A Rangers attack was broken up when Garcin expertly timed a challenge on Gascoigne. McMillan was fast onto the loose ball, and he sent a great ball forward for Coyle. With Coyne and Arnott for company agaist a two-man Rangers defence, Coyne peeled off to the left, with Arnott playing a one-two with Coyle. on the edge of the box Coyle threaded the ball through to Coyne, he took a stride, then sent Fir Park alight by slotting the ball into the far right corner. Dougie Arnott was replaced soon after by McCulloch much to the delight of Gough who was having a torrid time against the striker. Gough himself should have left the field after a last-man trip on Coyle, but Ref McCurry chose the easay way out with a yellow card. Motherwell's lead did not last nearly long enough, though it was a slice of luck which handed Rangers the equaliser. Garcin's forward pass was intercepted by Bjorklund, and Gattuso then fed Albertz. His pass inside the box was only partially cleared by Martin who slipped, allowing Albertz to fire in a shot. Woods parried, the ball rebounded off Garcin but McMillan managed to block onto the post. However, the ball then fell into the path of Negri, who made no mistake. Negri did appear offside when Albertz first shot, however the East Stand-side linesman, having a nightmare, chose to ignore. Indeed, a few moments later Negri, miles off-side, was allowed to run in on Woods, but his clipped shot went by. Motherwell recovered and McMillan;s low cross was touched on by Coyle to McCulloch. His lay-off fell to Tommy Coyne, but the shot was too straight and Goram smothered. Gascoigne, having a quiet game thanks to the excellent Garcin, managed a rare shot just before the interval, but Woods saved well.
HALF-TIME MOTHERWELL 1 RANGERS 1Motherwell began the second-half on the attack. The half had hardly begun when Porinni entered the Ref's book following a bad tackle on Colye. From McMillan's free-kick, Goram made a rare error in missing his punch, but there were no immediate takers. The ball did fall to Eric Garcin, but he was unable to keep his 25-yard shot down and the chance was gone. Motherwell werwe almost caught out after losing possession inside the Rangers half. Gattuso raced clear of his own defence, and sent the ball forward to Gascoigne. His first touch went wide to Durie on the edge of the box. With Rangers up in numbers, he chose to lay it along the 18-yard box for Albertz, but his shot was well saved by Woods. Rangers were in the ascendency now, and beginning to see more and more of the ball. Porinni's right-wing corss fell to Negri who had sneaked ahead of the defence, but Woods was equal to the task to deny the Italian a second goal, but also required some treatment after sustaining a head knock. Moments later Woods produced another excellent save from Negri at point-blank range from an Albertz chip. It seemed only a matter of time before Rangers scored a second which, on their first-half showing, they scarcely deserved. Durie then hit a post with a curling shot, and it was then Woods to the rescue diving at Duries' feet. However, Motherwell rode the storm and went ahead in somehwat bizzare fashion with only 11 minutes left on the clock. Christie was body-checked by Albertz who surprisingly escaped a yellow card. Justice was done, however, when McMillan swung in the free-kick. There, above everyone else, was Richard Gough, and the Rangers captain produced a deft header which nestled in the back of his own net. Fir Park erupted, Gough was disgusted. With Rangers apparently going nowhere now, it looked like an error would be their only passage to a replay, and the unfortunate " victim" was Motherwell keeper Stevie Woods. He had been a hero up to now after his string of superb stops, but instead of booting a McMillan back-pass towards Motherwell Cross he opted to attempt a pass back towards the young defender. Durie, lurking nearby, needed no second invitation, and he managed to squeeze the ball beyond Wodds and just into the net. It was hard luck on Motherwell, and Woods in particular. Rangers were then irate when Rob Newman brought down Durie on the ege of the box. The flag had already gone up for off-side, though Newman did touch the ball first. Several Ibrox men surrounded Referee McCurry, though each one was fortunate to escape without as much as a talking-to. As time ticked away, Motherwell swept forward in an attempt to finish the tie at the first attempt. Kevin Christie, who had a solid match, curled in an inviting corss. Porinni's clearance was only partial, and Falconer did everything right only to see Goram somehow block the 10-yard shot for a corner. It was an exceptional save, and soon after proved it's importance by securing a reply for the visitors.
FULL-TIME MOTHERWELL 2 RANGERS 2