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Motherwell U19s continued their pre-season preparations with a good 2-1win over Blackburn Rovers at Dalziel Park this afternoon.

The young Steelmen side, who drew 0-0 with Bathgate Thistle in Paul McGrillen’s Memorial Game just four days ago, played well throughout the match and probably just about deserved the win.

Rovers had the best of the opening exchanges and hit the post early on but it was the only time Willie Muir’s goal came under any real threat in the first forty-five.

Motherwell looked dangerous on the counter but it was all square at the interval. However, the home side did eventually break the deadlock early in the second courtesy of a close-range strike from Lee Erwin after good work by Adam Ashgar.

It remained that way until two minutes from time when Rovers equalised, the substitute striker curling home from what looked like an impossible angle.

However, Motherwell wouldn’t be denied and, deep into stoppage time, Josh Watt pounced on a lovely hanging cross to fire home to give ‘Well the victory.

Motherwell: Muir, Devlin, Francis-Angol, Cummins, Brownlie, Trialist, Hetherington, MacDonald, Ashgar, McGachie, Erwin

Subs On: McLean, Murray, Watt, Moore, Leitch

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Enter the Cash Converters “Convert for Cash” Challenge for a chance to win £100 against Hearts this coming Sunday.

It’s on STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELMEN!!

The Cash Converters “Convert for Cash” challenge is here ready to take the SPL by storm. The event that pits home fan against away fan, confronted by the site of our very own gaffa Stuart McCall, is sure to get Fir Park rocking.

Faced by a life-sized statue of Stuart McCall, fans must run round him 3 times, before composing themselves to score past our mascot, Claret, EITHER from the edge of the box (the £100 ball) or the penalty spot (the £50 ball).

Enter at the Cash Converters Motherwell Facebook page by CLICKING HERE.

In addition, Cash Converters will also be donating £150 per challenge to their official charity for the 2011/2012 season, Dreams Come True.

For your chance to win £100 in the “Convert for Cash” challenge, enter your details at the Cash Converters Motherwell Facebook page now: CLICK HERE.

The Facebook page will also give you the chance to win a whole host of other prizes, including tickets and exclusive, money-can’t-buy experiences. Simply “Like” the page, and get entering.

The draw will close at 10.00am on Friday August 5th.

*Please note: You must be aged over 18 to take part, and proof of age will be required on the day. You must also already possess a match ticket.

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For the second successive season, Motherwell FC are delighted to announce another healthy increase in Season Ticket numbers.

The club recorded a fantastic 13% growth in 2010-2011 and, once again, figures this year (2011-12) show another 10% like-for-like increase on the previous season.

The figures justify some of the fantastic initiatives centred around families and youngsters with the Cooper Stand offer and the WELLevate deal in the East and O’Donnell Stands proving extremely popular.

[pullquote]It’s not rocket science; we know we have to get more families and youngsters through the gate to ensure the long term stability and growth of our football club.[/pullquote]

These long-term polices have seen the club increase season ticket holders from 2650 in 2009-10 to 3,500 this year although it has come with a £10,000 drop in revenue as fans take up the free kids offer.

Chief Executive Leeann Dempster said, “Everyone at the club is absolutely delighted with these results and it is further evidence that our long-term family and community commitment policy is working.

“We’ve had a great few years on the park but we’ve also been working extremely hard off it to revaluate our position and start re-building the club from the bottom up.

“It’s not rocket science; we know we have to get more families and youngsters through the gate to ensure the long term stability and growth of our football club. The hard work is far from finished though – we will keep working as hard as we can to improve and invest in families, community and young people.”

Craig Levein has left the door open for Motherwell’s rising star Jamie Murphy after the youngster missed out on the recently announced Scotland squad.

Murphy, in sensational form of late, has been courting interest from Premiership clubs south of the border but hasn’t yet received full international recognition and missed out on the pool for the match against Denmark next week.

[pullquote]I can assure people who are out there thinking that players only get picked from bigger clubs, that isn’t the case. Everyone is monitored.[/pullquote]

However, the Scotland boss is adamant that the 21-year old is on the radar and could come into contention in the near future.

“I went to watch him on Saturday. He’s somebody that’s very much on the radar,” Levein admitted.

“But if you have a look at that group of players in the squad, it’s extremely difficult for people to break into. We have some extremely good players.

“People have their own feelings about who they believe should be in the squad. I have to go with what I see and hear and watching players who I believe have the consistency and ability.

“We spoke about Lee Wallace (being on the fringes) and Jamie falls into that same watch list and will be monitored very closely.

“And I can assure people who are out there thinking that players only get picked from bigger clubs, that isn’t the case. Everyone is monitored. We have a lot of people out watching matches all the time, I’m constantly getting feedback.

“For someone to get in the squad is extremely difficult – they have to be playing well, playing regularly with their club and impressing.”

Motherwell have been drawn away to Clyde in the Scottish Communities League Cup 2nd Round.

The draw took place today in Dingwall with the matches scheduled to take place on either Tuesday 23rd or Wednesday 24th August, 2011,

The Draw is as follows:-

• Hibernian v Berwick Rangers
• East Fife v Dunfermline Athletic
• St. Johnstone v Livingston
• Airdrie United v Raith Rovers
• Falkirk v Stenhousemuir
• Ayr United v Inverness Cal. Th.
• Queen of the South v Forfar Athletic
• Morton v St. Mirren
• Hamilton Academical v Ross County
• Clyde v Motherwell
• Aberdeen v Dundee

The Supporters Advisory Committee have been busy throughout the close season and are keen to give an update on a number of initiatives.

A new carpool system has been launched and although it is in its infancy, they plan to offer supporters the opportunity to combine their resources to help get them get along to games. If you live outside a 15-mile radius from Fir Park or in a remote location you are invited to post your details via carpool@motherwellfc.co.uk.

For more information – Click Here

The members of the Supporters Advisory Committee benefit from sitting just below the club board and also use the same facilities as frequently as the core support.

They are therefore in a unique position to act as advocates on behalf our fellow fans to champion and achieve satisfactory answers or solutions to issues raised by our peers.

If you have a particular issue relating to the stadium or facilities please read through the FAQ’s first to see if it has already been covered, if not email us on supporters.committee@motherwellfc.co.uk.

To check out the current FAQ and complaints list – Click Here

Finally, following the launch of the group in early 2011, the committee launched a survey designed to gather your opinions.

They wanted to know your big picture gripes and ideas, views on reconstruction, safe standing, television and the like.

In response the club promised to be transparent on their position and policies in whatever we identify and where possible and appropriate, use their influence to push forward change.

To read the results of the survey on PDF format – Click Here

Referee for this Sunday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Hearts at Fir Park will be Stevie O’Reilly.

O’Reilly will be a familiar face to Motherwell fans having overseen five games last term.

After previously handling the 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Fir Park back last September, the 1-2 home defeat by Hearts in December, the New Years Day 0-0 draw with Hamilton at New Douglas Park and the 1-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock in early February, his last Motherwell appointment came in early April as the Steelmen ran out 2-1 winners over Dundee United at Fir Park.

He also had the honour of being the fourth official at the Scottish Cup Final last May when McCall’s men took on Celtic.

It was a busy old season for the 44-year-old, who was promoted to the Category 1 list some five years ago. He has already seen SPL action this term when he was the man in the middle for Dumfermline’s return to the top league – a 0-0 draw with St Mirren at East End Park.

O’Reilly’s overall record in charge of the ‘Well is a bit of a mixed bag. Of the seven games has officiated, Motherwell have won two, drawn one and lost four.

Ten goals have been scored and ten conceded. Fourteen players have been cautioned in those six games; four were wearing Claret and Amber with just one sending off, Steve Jennings in the game against today’s opponents back in December of last year.

Stevie will be ably assisted by Derek Rose and Charlie Smith with Euan Anderson on fourth official duties.

Bathgate and Motherwell U19s drew a blank as the two teams came together for the second annual Paul McGrillen Memorial Cup.

Both sides traded half-chances throughout the ninety minutes but neither goalkeeper was really tested as the game finished all square.

Motherwell’s best efforts came through Lee Erwin, who pulled an early first-half shot wide of the target and Keiran McGachie; the big striker curling a shot from the edge of the area that was gobbled up by the home goalkeeper.

At the other end, Willie Muir had to look smart to turn away a couple of routine efforts from the plucky hosts but, in truth, the youngster never really looked like conceding.

The draw was a fair reflection of the game as Gordon Young’s men continue their preparation for the start of the SPL U19s season, which kicks-off in just under two weeks time.

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Stuart McCall was proud of his battling Motherwell side who battled through the heat to earn a well-deserved draw at Rugby Park.

Both teams shared periods of possession and although Kilmarnock created more chances, ‘Well could arguably claim the better of the opportunities with Nicky Law, Steve Jennings and Bob McHugh all going close.

McCall was delighted with his men and felt a share of the spoils was just about the correct score.

He said: “I thought they started better and on the front foot but once we got the ball down we started to make some good opportunities, but we just didn’t have that final pass or that finish.

“Cammy Bell did pull off a couple of great saves, one from Bob McHugh and the other from Jennings. We were sitting right behind that one and we thought it was going in and he just got a finger on it. Nicky Law had also been clean through but the boy came from nowhere and got a great tackle in.

“We had opportunities; we perhaps could have done better in the first half. I thought we got into good areas of the park without the finish. Second half it was more even, but the last fifteen minutes the players suffered in the heat.

Motherwell had an unusually high amount of corners, fourteen in total, but failed to convert them into goals.

McCall explained the difficulty ‘Well faced in trying to break the home defence and reckons that although both teams are renowned for trying to play good football, there are differences in how the sides set-up.

“We didn’t really want to put the ball into the box as they had the height advantage. Maybe if we had big Higdon there it might have made a difference,” McCall explained.

“We had no tall full backs and no big target man, we only had two big guys, Steven Craigan and Shaun Hutchinson, and we felt defensively we could be under the cosh. But if you look at the game as a whole, Darren only had a couple of saves from long range which were comfortable enough, while Bell had a couple of fantastic saves when we hit them on the break.

“We like to hit teams on the break with a bit of pace and I think Kilmarnock play a lot of passes and it would have been hard on either team if they had lost.

“The heat was a big telling factor and you need to work hard against Kilmarnock as they keep the ball so well. All in all, I am pleased with the result.”

Pictures from the 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at Rugby Park.

These action shots and more are available to buy online at www.motherwellpics.com.

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