Aberdeen 2, Motherwell 1

 

Match Date: Saturday, April 22 2000
Competition: Premier League
Attendance: 9,348

Motherwell Team:

Woods, Corrigan, Strong, Brannan, Hammell, Nicholas, Adams (Spencer 65), Valakari, Townsley (Nevin 77), Goodman , McCulloch (Ramsay 65).
Subs not used: Brown, Lasley.

Motherwell scorer: Brannan (41 pen)

SLACK WELL GIVE AWAY THREE MORE POINTS

Aberdeen  2     Motherwell  1


MORE LOOSE DEFENDING BY MOTHERWELL Allowed Aberdeen to end a run of seven league games without a win, four days after gifting Dundee United their first win in twelve. Although the game wasn't the best of entertainment Motherwell really should have done better after looking likely to put themselves right back into the UEFA qualifying frame.

Aberdeen showed first with Winters getting the break of the ball and sending Stavrum to the by-line but his low cross was met by centre-half for the day Ged Brannan who cleared. Deputising for injury-victim Stevie McMillan was Steve Hammell and he played a good ball to Valakari, the Fin in turn almost giving Nicholas the chance buy Anderson was able to clear. Aberdeen were making space on the wings, Belabed sending Guntveit to the line but his cross was again met by Captain Brannan who set Motherwell on the break. Nicholas and Adams combined for McCulloch but his shot was deflected wide by Lilley and Leighton saved. Nicholas was again getting involved and his cross was headed by Adams towards goal, striking Guntveit on the hand but the claims of hand-ball were ignored. Aberdeen broke upfield but good work by Hammell saw him dispossess Winters and the ball ran out. Guntveit then fouled McCulloch inside the Aberdeen half but Strong sent the ball way beyond Goodman and out. Corrigan had to knock the ball behind for a corner after Guntveit had sent Dow wide. The corner came in and was met by Solberg who, despite being marked by 6 foot 7 inch-tall Derek Townsley leapt way above the winger and his header was met by a great save from Stevie Woods. Then, as Nicholas lay injured following a late, late tackle from Solberg who escaped any punishment, Aberdeen broke forward and it took a great cut-out by Hammell to stop Winters. The home side's next attack saw Meyer in space near the box but his shot went wildly past. However, seconds layer Meyer sent Stavrum racing clear and his shot beat Woods but then struck the post and into the goal-keeper's grateful hands. Motherwell raced to the other end where Townsley forced a corner. However, Valakari's cross was cleared by Solberg. Home defender Anderson was lucky to escape a card for a late lunge at Nicholas who was receiving some rough treatment. Not long afterwards Nicholas again lay clutching his ankle following a Solberg tackle, though no card again was produced. Solberg by now had cottoned on to the reluctance of Referee Brown's reluctance to book him, and he tripped both Nicholas and then Goodman inside the box. Both looked penalties though neither were given. Solberg was well-involved in the action and his next admission was to again beat Townsley in the air but his header went just past. A run by Down then gave Winters another free-header but he headed wide from a good position. Motherwell had fallen out of the game and were defending deep. Stavrum sent Winters to the by-line but it was Strong who blocked and allowed Woods to gather. After soaking up the Aberdeen pressure Motherwell almost took the lead when the ball fell to Goodman 25 yard out, his fierce drive going only just over the bar. Aberdeen took the lead just on the half-hour when Brannan lost possession inside the home half. Stavrum' cross-field ball found Dow, and he won the break of the ball against Hammell to fire low past Woods. The inconsistency of referee Brown was underlined when he allowed Guntveit to escape a card for a bad tackle on Adams whom in turn caught Winters in an attempt to win the ball. Adams was booked despite Motherwell gaining the free-kick. A run by Goodman saw him enter the box but Solberg was there to block his progress and also charge away Valakari's shot. Solberg then beat Goodman to a cross though the corner came to nothing. Motherwell were making a determined effort to level with Nicholas sending a low cross to McCulloch but his 18-yard shot was well held. Five minutes from the break Motherwell were awarded a penalty when Leighton and McCallister combined to bring the forward down inside the box. Brannan strode up to send the Keeper the wrong way and draw Motherwell level. Some good pressing by McCulloch and Nicholas forced Solberg to give a corner but poor control by Townsley saw the chance fade. A shot by Kemble just before the break was well held by Leigthon.

Half-Time     Aberdeen 1     Motherwell  1

Motherwell were more alert after the interval than recently and pressed to take the lead. Goodman forced Solberg to knock the ball behind from Brannan's long-ball. Brannan himself saw his shot then blocked and as the Aberdeen defence hesitated Valakari chipped back in though no Motherwell player was alert enough to take advantage. Solberg then slipped allowing McCulloch a chance but a poor first touch by the striker saw the ball race ahead and into Leighton's arms. Another very late tackle from Anderson went without a card but the free-kick, met by Strong, went wide to Goodman whose cross was cleared. McCulloch was causing the home defence many problems, the latest being Anderson who had to concede a corner with McCulloch snapping at his heels. However, despite a good presence it was Solberg who rose to head away. Winters relieved the pressure when he took advantage of a misjudgement by Hammel but the low cross was knocked downfield by Brannan. Anderson for Aberdeen was then replaced by Perry. Derek Adams had to leave the field with a facial knock and as play continued Lilley clearly pulled McCulloch back as he looked set to bear down on Leighton, Referee Brown failing to stop play. Adams returned after a couple of minutes treatment to see Corrigan booked for a softish challenge on Winters, and given what Brown had allowed Solberg and Anderson to escape with earlier it was harsh indeed. With 19 minutes gone Motherwell replaced Adams and McCulloch with Spencer and Ramsay. The Motherwell striker was then immediately involved running on to Ramsay's chip only for Lilley to knock behind. The ball was swung in by Valakari and as Solberg and Spencer challenged the ball broke to Nicholas and his angled drive went just over. Aberdeen passed up a great chance when Winters beat Corrigan to a Stavrum cross to head wide of goal. A body-check by Lilley on Nicholas gave Motherwell a free-kick on the left and the free-kick, taken by Strong, was cleared to Spencer. Clever work by the striker saw a cross deflected out to Nicholas but his shot was saved. Martyn Corrigan was caught out by Belabed's turn and he fouled the striker. Corrigan made up for the error by clearing, though Hammel then had to concede a corner. Woods punched clear and the visitors burst upfield. Goodman made the by-line and although his cross was deflected behind by Solberg the short-sighted linesman indicated a goal-kick. Winters then trooped off to be replaced by Derek Young. With fifteen minutes to go Greg Strong became the latest Motherwell player to be booked for a challenge on Belabed. The ball was knocked out wide by Townsley only as far as Solberg who crossed in for Stavrum, his header saved well by Woods. Townsley then left to be replaced by Pat Nevin. Mayer, who had been throwing himself about, saw his luck run out when he was booked for halving Hammell. Sub Nevin was then dispossessed by Belabed who ran forward in space. Crossing deep he picked out Stavrum but Woods gathered the header easily. Motherwell should have gained a free-kick 18 yards out when Perry checked Spencer's progress, Solberg being allowed to complete the clearance. Solberg's latest challenge on McCulloch gave Motherwell a free-kick though his next tackle, more a foul than the previous, went unpunished near the box. Aberdeen then made a change, Rutkiewicz replacing Guntveit. With eight minutes to go Aberdeen took advantage of a very soft free-kick when Belabed hit the turf under very little pressure. However, there was no excuse as the free-kick came in with three Aberdeen players in acres of space some eight yards out, Solberg having the easiest of headers to knock behind Woods. Motherwell pressed right from the kick-off with Nevin's flick met by Corrigan though it was deflected for a corner. A terrific run by Nevin to the by-line ended with a great cross along the six-yard box but the ball just evaded Spencer and ran out. Ramsay then appeared to be fouled by Solberg inside the box but as play coninued Nicholas blasted over from 12 yards out. Right on the final whistle Motherwell were furious when Dow clearly blocked Goodman's cross, the ball running behind for what should have been a corner. The short-sightedness of the Linesman turned to complete blindness as he failed to raise his flag. 

Full-time     Aberdeen  2     Motherwell  1

Match Report by Ricky Mullen (rmullen@motherwell.co.uk)