Motherwell v Ayr 26.02.00
Motherwell 3, Ayr Utd 4
Match date : Saturday, February 26 2000Competition : Scottish Cup 4th RoundAttendance : 5,222
Motherwell Team:
Goram, Doesburg, McGowan, Denham (Davies), McMillan, Townsley (Nevin), Valakari, Brannan, Twaddle (Nicholas), Goodman, McCulloch.
Motherwell scorers: McCulloch (22), Goodman (25), Brannan (35 pen).
GLOOM CONTINUES AS WELL CRASH OUT OF CUP
Motherwell 3 Ayr United 4
MOTHERWELL CONCEEDED THEIR EIGTH Goal in two successive home games and crashed out of the Scottish Cup to First Division Ayr United. Once more it was the defence which let the Fir Parkers down when there was so much lying in wait.
It was Motherwell who showed first, Craig having to look sharp to cut out McMillan’s long ball for McCulloch, knocking the ball back to Nelson in goals. Ayr themselves then pushed up forcing McGowan to knock downfield as Reynolds threatened. McMillan was then again involved, sending Townsley wide and as he made the bye-line the cross for Brannan was met with a wayward shot. A minute later Shepherd put his own team in danger with a poor clearance allowing McCulloch to make the bye-line, however the cross was poor and went wide. From the kick-out Brannan was lucky not to be booked for a late challenge on Shepherd in the midfield area. A terrific tackle from Ayr defender Duffy stopped a certain goal when Twaddle had latched onto a loose ball in the area. Twaddle required treatment but recovered. A good Motherwell move involving Doesburg, McCulloch, Brannan and Townsley had ripped the Ayr defence apart but a mishit by Townsley gave Ayr time to reorganise and the second attempt was well blocked. Ayr the stunned the home crowd by taking the lead against the run of play. Reynolds beat Denham for pace on the wing and his cross was met on the drop by the isolated Teale whom Doesburg had allowed to drift away. Motherwell tried to hit back and Twaddle made a darting run which carried him into the box, though there waiting was Craig who cleared. Goodman and Townsley then combined to win a corner forcing McMillan to concede. The ball came out to McMillan on the left but a poor touch allowed the ball to run out of play. A collision between Robertson and Reynolds appeared to have given Townsley the chance to run clear but amazingly Referee Clark awarded a free-kick to Ayr inside the box. Nelson had to go off injured after receiving a knock forcing Robertson to go in goals for a spell. However, Motherwell huffed and puffed but could not seriously test the rookie Keeper. The closest came when Twaddle’s shot was dropped by Robertson. The ball broke to McCulloch but he was blocked. Brannan’s follow-up from Goodman went well over the bar. Duffy then fouled McCulloch out o the right and a quickly taken free-kick saw McMillan knock off Duffy for an apparent corner, though a goal-kick was given. Motherwell won a corner when Craig had to clear desperately from Goodman. Nelson returned to take the Goalkeeping jersey but could do little to stop Motherwell equalising. Twaddle’s corner was nodded towards goal by Townsley and there was McCulloch to flick the ball over the line despite the attempts of McMillan. If anything, the ball had not crossed the line until McMillan knocked his attempt at a clearance of the back of Nelson. Motherwell pushed forward again and forced another corner. Twaddle swung the ball out for Goodman but his header was cleared by Wilson. Don Goodman then made a run to the box, slipped the ball for Townsely but he chose to supply Goodman who was crowded out when a shot was on. Motherwell then were sloppy in midfield and lost possession to Wilson sprinted clear but a delay in support forced him to hold the ball up and was forced back. The ball eventually came to Reynolds but his weak shot was easily saved by Goram. A red card should have been produced when Brannan’s brilliant ball sent Twaddle racing clear. He was pulled back by McMillan though despite being last man only a yellow was given, with Denham joining him in the book for complaining. Brannan played a one-two with McMillan but saw his curling shot saved. The second goal was merely delayed, and it came on the 29th. Minute. McCulloch got the break of the ball in midfield and supplied Twaddle who made distance to the edge of the box. The cross in was nodded on by Duffy towards his own goal where Don Goodman slid in to knock the ball beyond Nelson to put Motherwell ahead. However, the advantage didn’t last long though the decision to award a penalty to Ayr was questionable to say the least. Duffy’s header found Reynolds on the right and as he made way into the box Denham challenged, with Reynolds falling all too easily. It was soft, but given none the less, and it was Teale who scored from the spot. A certain section of the home support then began to boo Denham which could have done little to help his shattered confidence. A long ball then almost caught Goram out but what looked to have been a good clearance turned into a corner for Ayr, though it came to nothing. As Motherwell attacked Twaddle turned the ball round McMillan and as he looked to run into the area he was pushed by the Ayr full-back but play was waved on. With 10 minutes of the see-saw half to go Motherwell went ahead again. McCulloch’s flick was deftly lobbed on by Townsley for Goodman, and as he rounded Nelson the keeper brought the striker down. No doubts about this penalty, though the keeper escaped without any card. Ged Brannan made no mistake from the spot. A minute later Wilson was booked for a late challenge on Valakari though curiously Ayr were given the free-kick. As play continued Robertson then made a two-footed challenge on McCulloch but once again Referee Clark ignored. Ayr were determined not to lie down and Tarrant’s shot was deflected by McGowan for a corner. Townsley’s header out found Wilson but he drove wide. With six minutes to go to the break Ayr levelled. Nelson made a good take under pressure from Townsley’s cross and booted downfield. Hirst collected on the edge of the Motherwell box, laid the ball off to the unmarked Tarrant on the D, and he was given time and room by Denham to score from 22 yards. Motherwell almost regained the lead when Ged Brannan, running onto McMillan’s pass, fired in a shot from 30 yards which dipped just over the bar. Tarrant then crudely brought down McMillan out wide though only a free-kick was given. Despite the four-and-a-half minutes treatment time given earlier Referee Clark chose to add only 1 1/2 minutes and blew for half-time.
Half-time Motherwell 3 Ayr United 3
After such a whirlwind first-half it was questionable if both sides, especially First Division Ayr, could keep the action going for another forty-five minutes. Shepherd was alert to cut-out Valakari’s long ball as he looked to send Goodman away, though the resultant throw was wasted. Ayr pushed forward and with Doesburg caught upfield Hirst raced towards the Motherwell box. His cross from the bye-line was met by Tarrant and he cracked a shot off the outside of the post. Ayr then came close again when Tarrant and Hirst combined with the latter curling a shot inches past from 20 yards. Motherwell were struggling to get out of their own half, with Ayr again having an opportunity when Reynolds saw a deflected low shot saved by Goram. There was a flashpoint six minutes in when Wilson lashed out at Valakari after the Finnish International had fought fiercely to win a loose ball. A talking-to was all Referee Clark felt both players deserved, though a minute later McMillan and Reynolds were booked for a set-to. Reynolds was lucky to stay on the park, though that didn’t last too long. Motherwell at last got a shot on target some 10 minutes into the second half when Twaddle saw a weak shot saved easily with Nelson, though the Motherwell winger should have looked up to supply McCulloch and Townsley who were in support. Ayr broke upfield with Reynolds and his cross was headed towards goal where McGowan knocked away. Motherwell then attacked, Townsely and McCulloch exchanged passes though Nelson held the eventual shot. The visiting keeper had to race from his line to clear as McCulloch looked likely to connect with Brannan’s pass after robbing Reynolds. Fourteen minutes into the second half saw Ayr take the lead for the second time in the match. Twaddle’s pass inside was cleared upfield by McMillan and met by Tarrant. He headed downwards for Wilson inside the centre circle though Doesburg’s attempt at a tackle merely helped the ball back for Tarrant. Connecting with Teale, the latter’s cross was deflected to Tarrant and his shot deflected behind Goram. It was a bad goal for Motherwell to lose and a minute later it could have been worse. Teale was allowed to stroll upfield and he picked out Reynolds, though fortunately for Motherwell Brannan was able to dis-possess. Motherwell then hauled off Townsley for Nevin. The Fir Parkers, visibly shaken by Ayr’s refusal to buckle, tried again to level matters. Robbing Craig, McCulloch crossed for Brannan but the header was well past. Ayr were reduced to ten men when Reynolds was sent off for a nasty tackle on Nevin. The Free-kick from 26 yards by Nevin was headed out by Craig, with Denham’s attempt at a hook back in wide. It took a crucial tackle by McGowan to then stop Shepherd running in one-on-one with Goram, the ball being cleared well downfield. A good combination between Goodman and Nevin saw the latter race to the bye-line but Shepherd deflected for a corner, though both that and the subsequent second corner came to nothing. Some great defending by Duffy prevented a sure goal when Goodman looked to shoot. Ayr broke though Brannan with a similar well-timed interception stooped Teale. Both teams then made changes, Ayr swapping Crilly for Tarrant with Motherwell taking off Twaddle, who had to leave on a stretcher after a defensive scramble, and replacing him with Nicholas. The young winger was instantly involved and his terrific pass send Goodman into the box but a crucial delay gave Ayr the time to defend and block. A minute later Nicholas fired in a great 22-yard shot from the angle of the box which drifted just inches past. Ayr had an opportunity when Valakari brought down Shepherd some 30 yards out, but Shepherd took the kick himself and sent the ball well over. Lee McCulloch had a chance from 25 yards but the save was easy from a weak shot, and with four players in support McCulloch would have been better served passing. A poor back-pass by McGowan then put Goram under pressure but he managed to clear just in time. With 8 minutes to go Denham left to be replaced by Davies, the defender racing straight off and right up the tunnel Six minutes from time McMillan supplied Nicholas and his delicate lob fell only inches the wrong side of the post. Brannan then saw a 25-yard shot saved well. Two minutes from time Goodman forced a corner which Brannan headed feebily past, but it was Ayr who almost scored again when Goram was forced to make a stunning block from Hirst. However, that was that and the final whistle signalled the end of one of the blackest weeks in the history of Motherwell Football Club.
Full-Time Motherwell 3 Ayr United 4