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Motherwell 2, Arbroath 0
Match date : Saturday, February 19 2000 Competition : Scottish Cup 3rd Round Replay Attendance : 5,311
Motherwell Team:
Goram, Doesburg, McGowan, Denham, McMillan, Goodman (Twaddle), Brannan, Valakari, Davies (Townsely), Spencer (Nicholas), McCulloch.Motherwell scorers: Goodman (13), McCulloch (61).
FIFTH TIME LUCKY AS WELL SMOKE OUT ARBROATH
Scottish Cup Third Round Replay
Motherwell 2 Arbroath 0GOALS FROM DON GOODMAN AND Lee McCulloch saw Motherwell into the Fourth Round of the Cup at the fifth time of asking. After abandonment, a draw and two postponements, there was rarely any doubt Motherwell would overcome their Division Two visitors at a sunbaked Fir Park.
Almost straight from kick-off the pressure was on Arbroath and a poor kick by Wight almost gave Spencer an opportunity. As the ball ran loose Gallagher clashed with John Davies and though a free-kick was Motherwell's the Arbroath defender was lucky not to be booked. Ged Brannan, gradually returning to the sort of form he displayed when first arriving at Motherwell, then showed some sublime skill to gain space on the wing. Passing to Davies, he was denied by Bryce or it would have almost certainly have been the opener. Denham saw an opening denied by Webster, but an attempt at a clearance fell to McMillan. He crossed accurately for Spencer who's angled header drifted just past the post. However, Abroath showed they were not there just to make up the numbers and should have taken the lead in the fourth minute. Don Goodman lost possession on the half-way line leaving Cooper to run down the wing in acres of space, and the cross to Bryce in plenty of room in the box looked certain to at least trouble Goram. The resultant header, however, went well over. The game's first booking should have come seconds later when McMillan passed and was then caught very late by Cooper, play being waved on. Arbroath then won a free-kick on the right, with McGowan forced to head behind for a corner as the ball came in. Goram was equal to the corner and punched clear, though at this stage Arbroath were passing well with Motherwell looking slightly dis-jointed. Goodman was body-checked by Gallagher wide right some 25 yards from goal. Lee McCulloch should great skill to bring the ball under control and his shot went not too far past. Gallagher then lost possession to Davies, with Goodman backing up and eventually supplying Spencer. His cross was hard and low though Wight was able to collect at the second attempt. The pressure was telling, and in the 13th minute paid dividends when Motherwell took the lead. Stevie McMillan made the run in midfield supplying Goodman. Running forward he beckoned Spencer, and playing a terrific one-two met the return chip to slot behind Wight. Slack play by Motherwell then almost gave Arbroath an immediate equaliser, Sellars crossing for Mercer and his header was not far over the bar. A cross-cum-shot by Stevie McMillan almost drifted in at the far post as Motherwell pushed forward again. Great play involving McCulloch, Davies and Spencer left the Abroath players mesmerised, the final ball to Goodman leaving the striker running clear only for a woeful decision by the linesman who flagged incorrectly for off-side. Abroath were by now becoming limited to rare breaks, and from one such burst upfield Mercer's header from a Bryce cross gave Goram a touch of the ball, albeit an easy one. Good work by Goodman saw him rob Gallagher, though the defender was able to recover and read the situation well, blocking Goodman's attempted back-heel which would have sent McCulloch clear. Motherwell should have doubled the advantage when great vision by Valakari picked out Spencer. He then sent McCulloch into space at the edge of the box but the poor shot went well wide, the Motherwell striker having time to turn. Davies then went close when his shot from 20 yards was well saved after good work by McCulloch and Spencer. A poor header away by Bryce then gave McCulloch a chance but his volley from 18 yards was wide. A break by Bryce was halted with a terrific challenge by Doesburg. Playing the ball wide to Denham and on in turn to McMillan the cross was chested down by Davis who shot wide from 16 yards out. On the half-hour Brannan made a brilliant pass to send Spencer clear, though again play was halted with a poor flag from the linesman, Spencer clearly running from an on-side position. A fantastic piece of defending by Gallagher stopped Spencer connecting with Brannan's cross, and as the ball came in again Wight made a good punch clear. John Spencer was clearly in the mood and his shot was cleared from almost on the goal-line by Gallagher. A poor ball by Valakari then gave Abroath a rare opportunity to break, though Bryce's pass was well intercepted by Denham. The Motherwell keeper Andy Goram was then called upon to save a rare break, McGlashan shooting weakly into the Goalie's hands. Normal service resumed when a clever one-two between Spencer and McMillan saw the latter fire just wide. The game's first yellow card came eight minutes from the break when Cooper brought down McGowan with a late tackle. Arbroath were now limited to breaks dependent on errors, and from a Goodman slip Cooper broke upfield. The bounce of the ball as it was crossed forced Bryce into a mis-kick in the box, though it then broke to Mercer whose shot was deflected over the bar by Goram for a corner. Goram was fouled at the corner and the chance for the visitors was gone. A second visiting player was booked for a crude challenge on McMillan, Webster then being joined in the book by McAulay for showing dissent. Some quick thinking by Spencer then set Goodman up but his 18-yard shot was well saved by Wight. Just before the break it was almost two, Doesburg and Goodman combining with Goodman curling a shot from 18 yards about a foot over the bar.
Half-Time Motherwell 1 Arbroath 0Motherwell tore forward from the kick-off with Spencer working space and sending Goodman wide, though the cross was poor. McCulloch then won a corner, though McMillan's inswinger was an easy take for Wight. The pressure continued and McCulloch fired close when he connecting with Brannan's low cross. Cooper was denied access to the box by good Valakari defensive work, and passing to McMillan, he picked out Brannan with a good ball though Peters was sharp to clear. McMillan was then fouled by Cooper wide left, but Wight was there to punch clear. More good defending by the visitors stopped Lee McCulloch from testing Wight, with Peters doing the needful for his team. A dangerous break by the Fir Parkers should have seen the lead doubled, McCulloch holding the ball up well to give Brannan a shot but his effort was, at best, woeful. It was non-stop Motherwell now with Wight forced to make a great save from Davies at the second attempt. Arbroath were sneaking the odd break, though Denham made excellent tracking to stop Cooper at the expense of a corner, Goram making a terrific pick as the ball came in. Goram's opposite number then made a great block to deny McCulloch, but a minute later could deny the striker no longer. Latching onto a loose ball after Goodman had blocked an attempted punt downfield he took a touch before slotting beyond Wight to all but end the contest. Don Goodman then made way for Kevin Twaddle as Motherwell attempted to get the ball out wide. Twaddle was instantly involved and he made a great run to the bye-line only to disappoint with the cross. Brannan and Spencer then exchanged passes to give Twaddle another opportunity and his cross skimmed the top of the cross-bar to be held as it dropped. A sloppy back-pass by Davies put Goram under some rare pressure but the Goalie responded with a clever header clear. However, Cooper picked up the loose ball and shot towards goal only for the Goalie to hold easily. Spencer had the chance to make it three when sent clear by McCulloch but his shot was weak. There was a shout for a penalty when Peters clearly body-checked Spencer inside the box but play was waved on. Spencer was then again fouled by Peters shortly afterwards on the edge of the box with only a free-kick being awarded. Twaddle fired in a shot but the wall did its job and the ball went downfield. Arbroath made a substitution when Cooper was replaced by Brownlie, Cooper leaving the field to a chorus of boos after a series of hefty challenges against Motherwell players. Derek Townsley replaced Davies with Motherwell now attacking down both wings. Brannan produced another piece of outstanding skill on the Main Stand side of the park to send Townsley towards the bye-line. His cross to McCulloch saw a header blocked by Peters. With 13 minutes to go Bryce made way for Crawford, with Motherwell taking off Spencer soon afterwards to give Steven Nicholas a run-out. Lee McCulloch then forced his way forward to shoot from 18 yards, the ball being turned round the post by Wight though with Twaddle to his side McCulloch might well have been better served turning the ball to the side. As the corner came in it was partially cleared to Valakari who fired in a shot, deflected over the bar again for another corner. Nicholas was lively, and he made a clever turn to get a shot in. Unfortunately for the winger he skewed it so wide Lee McCulloch was able to collect and give Nicholas a second chance, and this time although more accurate it went wide. That was the last real action of the game and Motherwell ran out easy winners.
Full-Time Motherwell 2 Arbroath 0