Match Date : Saturday 23rd August 1997 Competition : Premier League Attendance : 11, 522
Motherwell scorers : Mickey Weir (9, 55) and Tommy Coyne (29).
WEIR TAKES THE MICKEY OUT OF DONS
TWO-GOAL Mickey Weir was the hero for Motherwell as his two goals secured a vital away victory at Pittodrie, whilst at the same time sending Boss Alex McLeish's old side to the bottom of the Preimer League.
With both sides virtually at full strength, the opening goal was always going to be crucial, and it almost fell to the home side courtesy of some questionable officiating. Recent return to Pittodrie Gary Smith played a long ball into the box which Dodds clearly controlled with both his arms. The linesman chose to ignore this, and Dodds was able to get in a shot which Woods smothered at the second attempt. Motherwell shook off this early scare to take the lead on 9 minutes. Willie Falconer's flick on was played in the direction of Weir by Coyne. Smith's attempt at an interception was futile to say the least, Koumbarre couldn't collect, which left Mickey Weir to drill a terrific shot low past Leighton and into the net. It was Leighton's home debut upon his Summer return to Pittodrie, and his first touch was to pick the ball out of the net. The Dons' equaliser was inevitable if only for the law of averages. Miller was being given an amazing amount of room wide on the right, and from one of his numerous crosses following good work by Newell and Dodds, Rowson beat off a Christie challenge to head into the net. This stung Motherwell into almost instant retaliation, with the Fir Park side regaining the lead within 3 minutes. Again, the shaky Aberdeen defence helped their visitiors edge in front. Buchan passed back to Smith, and the ex-Rennes defender's attempt to find Koumbarre was woefully short allowing Coyle to intercept. Irish International Coyle's shot was palmed sidewards by Leighton only for Tommy Coyne to race in and side-foot the ball into the far corner of the net. At half-time it was Motherwell who held the slender advantage, though it has to be said they looked under little threat from a feeble Aberdeen strike force.
HALF-TIME Aberdeen 1 Motherwell 2The visitors began the second half in almost identical fashion to the first by going on the attack. Christie's long ball almost found Coyle but Koumbarre beat him to the ball and headed out for a corner. However, in Motherwell's next attack, they did increase their lead. Coyle showed great skill by lifting the ball over the Aberdeen defence to send Weir and Coyne clear, the ball bounced once and Mickey Weir lofted the ball up and over Leighton and into the unguarded net. It could have been four soon after when Ross sprinted clear of the defence only to slide his shot just the wrong side of the post. Aberdeen almost pulled one back when a corner was only palmed on by Woods as far as Windass, and the former Hull players' shot was headed onto the bar by Weir, and cleared eventually in spectacular fashion by Captain Brian Martin. Tzetanov, the Aberdeen full-back, then showed a lack of Professionalism by refusing to play the ball back to Motherwell after Woods had put the ball out of play to allow treatmen to an injured player. Irrespective of the state of the match, this has become an accepted part of todays' football to play the ball back, and Tzetanov was rightly booed from there on. Aberdeen had the last real chance of note, Tzetanov played the ball to Newell and his shot was well blocked by Woods for a corner. At the end of the match the home support roundly booed their team off the park, whereas the healthy travelling support from Motherwell cheered their favourites off the park. A terrific win for Motherwell, who were well worthy of the three points.
FULL-TIME Aberdeen 1 Motherwell 3