Motherwell 1, Aberdeen 0
Match date : Saturday, March 4 2000 Competition : Premier League Attendance : 7,538
Motherwell Team:
Goram, Corrigan, Kemble, McGowan, McMillan, Townsley (Nevin), Harvey, Valakari, Adams, Goodman, Spencer (McCulloch).Motherwell scorer: Goodman (53)
THE DON DONE GOOD
Motherwell 1 Aberdeen 0A SUPERB HEADED GOAL By Don Goodman gave Motherwell their first league win at Fir Park since November, ending a run of three straight defeats and sending the visitors to their first loss in ten.
The visitors pushed upfield from the kick-off though Adams was alert to prevent Zerouali's cross troubling anyone. A slack pass by Derek Townsley then gave Zerouali the chance to break but his pass was too strong for Stavrum and Goram took the ball easily. Motherwell then mounted their first concerted attack with McAllister forced to concede a corner. Don Goodman met the cross but his header was well cleared by McAllister. The Aberdeen full-back was then short with a clearance allowing Adams the chance to progress. Bernard was there just ahead of Spencer to deny the striker a returning goal from his recent lay-off. The loose ball fell for Townsley but his soft shot was partially cleared by Anderson into the path of Simo Valakari, though he might well have wished it hadn't as the shot from 18 yards flew high into the Cooper Stand. Aberdeen broke forward with Winters, turning he sent Zerouali to the bye-line but the cross in was well taken by Goram under pressure. A terrific piece of individual skill by John Spencer then sent Derek Townsley towards the box only for McAllister to produce a great block and clearance to deny the tall winger. The visiting back four were having their work cut out as Motherwell began to dominate, with McAllister again forced into conceding another corner following a fine piece of vision by Harvey whose chip in almost found Adams. The corner fell to Kemble but his over-head kick fell to Dow who was able to clear as far as Adams, though Leighton was able to claim his cross. A blatant hand-ball was ignored by Referee Dougall, McAllister escaping after Townsley's flick to Valakari was illegally intercepted. Jamie McGowan picked up the ball and sent Don Goodman towards the box, twisting and turning he fired in a shot which Leighton did well to hold. Zerouali showed the other side of his game when, after a fair challenge by Corrigan, the talented Moroccan took a dive out wing to gain a free-kick for his team, though it came to nothing. Motherwell continued to attack and John Spencer wasn't far away when he pounced on a loose ball inside the box, Leighton again producing a good save. Spencer then sent Goodman to the line but his deep cross found no-one waiting. Although Motherwell were now on top there was always the chance of a visiting break, and a sloppy ball by Corrigan gave Zerouali such an opportunity. Racing towards the box only a timely interception by Kemble stopped the danger. Some great combination play involving Harvey, Goodman and Townsley set up Spencer but his 16-yard effort was thwarted by Leighton. It was all Motherwell, Kemble sent a perfect 60-yard pass to Townsley but with three options available he chose wrongly and the poor shot was easily saved. After only 20 minutes Aberdeen were forced to sub the injured McAllister for Belabed. For the third successive match Motherwell were then subjected to the sight of a player being carried off. A well-worked move left Townsley racing towards goal and just as he was about to pull the trigger Perry produced a brilliant tackle to stop a certain goal. Unfortunately for Townsley he received a bad injury and had to be replaced by Pat Nevin. Play continued towards the visiting box with McGowan chipping in towards Adams, but the striker was a little slow in reacting leaving Leighton to gather. Aberdeen managed a rare foray upfield but Corrigan was able to cut-out Guntveit's ball to Zerouali. Martyn Corrigan improves with every match for Motherwell, and a terrific piece of vision sent Don Goodman in the clear. As Aberdeen defenders caught up, he laid the ball off for Nevin, The cross was partially cleared and as Dow nicked the ball away Goodman caught him late. Goodman was booked, though Referee Dougall indicated it was for persistent fouling, though it was Goodmans' first tackle he had failed to win. Aberdeen could not get out of their won half with Spencer picking up a ball in midifeld. Spotting McMillan the fullback ran on to the ball to cross but it fell just beyond the outstretched Adams. The visitors broke upfield with Dow racing toward the box, Kemble coming a cross to concede the corner which Goram took easily. Motherwell had a shout for a penalty on 32 minutes when Spencer's great one-two with Nevin was blatantly obstructed by Dow inside the box. A break by Aberdeen was well cut-out by Kemble who intercepted Dow's long pass towards Belabed. Motherwell came close a minute later when Harvey sent Goodman clear to the 18 and the striker clipped the ball beyond Leighton but agonisingly also just past the far post. Goodman was caught late by Dow but play was waved on. Aberdeen then gained an unlikely corner when Corrigan's header back to Goram was wide, though Goram took the header from Solberg with no great difficulty. As Motherwell then attacked Belabed caught Nevin late but again Dougall failed to spot. Spencer crossed for Goodman, his knock-down was met on the drop by Nevin but he volleyed over on the angle. Paul Harvey made a good run to supply Nevin, the chip in knocked behind by Anderson. Although cleared, Adams chipped back in forcing Leighton to make a good take close to his own line. Another late tackle by A43 should have seen a yellow but again Referee Dougall gave only a free-kick. John Spencer then won a corner, Kemble flicked the ball on and Don Goodman's netbound header was tipped round the post by the alert Leighton. It was desperate stuff as outstretched legs blocked efforts by Spencer and McGowan. Just before the break Aberdeen produced their first effort on target, Winters turning Corrigan on the half-way line to drive forward. Linking with Zerouali he in turn sent Stavrum to the edge of the box but Goram made a great save turning round for a corner. In time added on Motherwell scored what looked like a perfectly legitimate goal. Paul Harvey drove the ball into the net from 16 yards after Spencer had knocked the ball back to him, and although the ball appeared to take a slight deflection of Spencer who had fell into an off-side position quite how he could have been interfering with play is debatable.
Half-Time Motherwell 0 Aberdeen 0The game had hardly re-started when the first booking was issued. A rash tackle by Guntveit left Derek Adams in a heap and the visiting defender received a yellow. Motherwell continued in the attacking theme and Stevie McMillan sent Don Goodman tearing towards the Aberdeen box only for Perry to manage a late, partial clearance. Simo Valakari was waiting and his cross was plucked out by Leighton. The visiting Keeper was grateful then to see Anderson cut out a dangerous ball which looked set to give Goodman a clear opportunity. Pat nevin was tormenting the Aberdeen defence and a great piece of play from the Veteran Winger ended when Spencer's effort was again gathered by Leighton. However, it was only a matter of time before Motherwell took the lead and on 52 minutes they did just that. Nevin was at the heart of it, skilfully disguising a pass which gave Stevie McMillan the chance to cross, and as the ball came in Don Goodman rose above everyone to slam a header beyond Leighton. Aberdeen tried to hit back, Dow's cross well taken by The Goalie, though Referee Dougall chose to ignore the late challenge by Zerouali who ran in on Goram. The goal seemed to wake Aberdeen up, and seconds later Guntveit sent a deep cross in which Kemble deflected and Goram did well to tip the ball round the post. Kemble met the header but Goram was forced to complete the clearance with a well-timed punch away. Spencer and Dow then challenged out on the wing and the Aberdeen player was given the benefit of the doubt. As the ball came in Zerouali shot well wide of the Motherwell Civic Centre. Motherwell were strangely forced back after dominating for so long, with Zerouali and Winters combining to almost set the Moroccan clear, Corrigan covering well. Play was controversially waved on when Dow went in heavily on Valakari. With the ball loose Dow fired in a shot though it went well over the bar. Having been booked earlier in the half, Guntveit was lucky not to be red-carded for a hefty tackle on McMillan. The free kick fell for Adams though Leighton saved his shot well. Don Goodman was having a fine match and a run and shot from the Striker went inches over the bar. Motherwell then replaced the tiring Spencer with McCulloch. A Nevin twist and turn had the visiting defence in knots but the eventual slip for McCulloch was only just too strong. Guntveit was then only just beyond an Zerouali cross, but play was beginning to swing back towards the Aberdeen goal. Goodman's flick was fired goalwards by McCulloch and the striker was unlucky to see the shot smack the outside of the post and away to safety. Goodman again was in the thick of things, supplying Nevin with a good ball and the cross was shepherded behind by Dow narrowly ahead of the eager McCulloch. However, Motherwell had to guard against complacency, and once such incident almost gifted an equaliser. McGowan's loose pass was jumped on by Stavrum though his pass to Winters was intercepted by a fine piece of defending from Corrigan, who was fouled by Winters in the process. Play however was waved on and Winters's shot was well saved by Goram. Aberdeen replaced Winters shortly afterwards with Clark. With 15 minutes to go Solberg managed a shot in from Dow's pass but it went well wide. Motherwell attacked and won a free-kick in a dangerous position when Perry brought down McCulloch. The ball broke out to Valakari and his shot was blocked. Aberdeen burst forward and although it looked like a legitimate tackle form Corrigan to win possession back Belabed's spectacular fall won not only Aberdeen a free-kick but also Corrigan a yellow card. The ball was swung in but broke off Perry for a goal-kick. Stevie McMillan sent a terrific long-ball to Goodman but his flick on was intercepted by Perry and Leighton gathered. A slack pass by Solberg was gathered by Nevin with McCulloch then shooting, Leighton saving well low down. Two minutes later Bernard made way for McGuire. A good move by Motherwell almost produced a second, and perhaps should have don. Valakari's pass saw Adams cross and Goodman's header went just over the bar. Dow was booked for a late challenge and Motherwell had a free-kick 12 yards out on the wing. Nevin curled the ball in but Solberg was on hand to hook away. With a minute to go Zerouali received a yellow for a hack at Adams and was perhaps lucky not to walk at this point. Goodman's header down was met by Nevin who shot over from 20 yards. With more or less the last kick of the match Aberdeen were given a soft free-kick when Kemble challenged with Belabed out on the standside wing. Zerouali's cross was met by Stavrum but Goram produced an excellent save to deny an undeserved equaliser.
Full-Time Motherwell 1 Aberdeen 0