[tab:Match report]
Andy Ross at Fir Park
Motherwell booked their place in the last eight of the William Hill Scottish Cup with an emphatic 6-0 win over Morton at Fir Park.
The home stunned their Scottish First Division opponents as they raced into a 5-0 half-time advantage.
Tom Hateley netted directly from a corner before Jamie Murphy, Shaun Hutchinson, Henrik Ojamaa and Nicky Law all netted for the hosts as the tie was all but decided before the interval.
Murphy then blasted home his second midway through the second half to add to Morton’s woes and complete a one-sided scoreline.
Michael Higdon came back in to the Motherwell side after serving his SFA imposed suspension, with Omar Daley dropping to the bench.
Morton manager Alan Moore made one change to his side, with peter McDonald resuming his place up front for the visitors. Having played one another in the Quarter Finals of the 1991 competition, the nostalgists amongst the Motherwell fans were hoping for a less arduous task 22 years later and we relooking to avoid replays and penalties if they were to progress.
‘Well had a glorious opportunity to take the lead after four minutes when Morton goalkeeper Colin Stewart failed to deal with a back-pass, the ball broke to Jamie Murphy but he could only find the side netting.
Stewart redeemed himself for his earlier three minutes later when he brilliantly denied Nicky Law after a neat through ball by Murphy.
The home side weren’t to be denied though and they took the lead after eight minutes. Tom Hateley’s corner somehow evaded all inside the penalty area and bounced into the corner of Stewart’s goal.
Morton were struggling to contain the home sides’ attacking threat and Henrik Ojamaa almost doubled their lead on ten minutes when he fired the ball against the post after being released by Michael Higdon.
The Steelmen grabbed the second goal their play deserved after 28 minutes. Stewart produced a fantastic point-blank save from Higdon but Murphy was on hand to bundle home the rebound.
Murphy was proving to be a constant threat to the visitors’ defence and he tested Williams before Motherwell moved 3-0 ahead.
Shaun Hutchinson rose to bullet Hateley’s corner beyond Williams and leave the visitors with a mountain to climb. The task facing Morton was made even greater on 34 minutes when the hosts stretched their lead to four.
Ojamaa twisted and turned inside the box and unleashed a low effort into the bottom right corner of the Morton goal.
Estonian striker, Ojamaa turned provider for Motherwell’s fifth goal, sliding a cute slide-rule pass to Nicky Law who coolly dispatched the ball beyond Williams.
Morton finally managed their first attempt on goal after 56 minutes, when Peter MacDonald did well to get his shot away, however Darren Randolph in the Motherwell goal gathered easily.
Michael Tidser was next to test Randolph as the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the match.
Stuart McCall introduced Stuart Carswell and Chris Humphrey in place of Law and Keith Lasley as the home side looked to rest some tired legs and the introduction of Humphrey paid off quickly.
The wingers lightening fast run ended with a cut-back to Ojamaa who fed Murphy to lash home the sixth goal.
With six minutes remaining Higdon passed up a good opportunity to net his first goal of the afternoon when he glanced a close-range header over the bar with six minutes remaining.
[tab:As it happened]
Alistair Reilly at Fir Park
FULL TIME: Motherwell 6 – 0 Morton
87mins – So nearly 7 as captain Hammell’s ball in finds Higdon. His header loops over the bar from close range.
85mins – 5 minutes to go of what has been a thoroughly entertaining game of football.
82mins – MORTON SUB: O’Brien off for Di Giacomo
67mins – Cool finish from Murphy 8 yards out after excellent wing play from Humphrey.
67mins – GOAL! 6-0 Murphy
64mins – Derek Young unlucky with a left footed drive from just inside the box. Whistles past the post. Goal coming perhaps?
63min – on the clock (it works now) and still 5 – 0. Morton have came out strong. Too late for a fightback?
60mins – ‘WELL SUBS: Lasley off for Carswell. Law off for Humphrey.
56mins – Bit of a let off there. Randolph picks up Hateley’s back pass but the referee judges it to be inadvertent and waves play on,
54mins – Unlucky there. A good run from Law down the left. his cut back found Higgy on the volley but was blocked by Evan’s face.
46mins – Derek young booked for diving in the box. That’s harsh..
45mins – And Las and Ojamaa kick-off
HT – ‘WELL SUB: Page on for Clancy.
HALF TIME – Motherwell 5 – 0 Morton. More of the same second half please? Any thoughts on the action?
43mins – Almost half time and I’m losing count…..of the Morton fans leaving the stadium. Can’t help but feel sorry for them. ‘Well are rampant.
41mins – GOAL! It’s 5. Law chips in after Ojamaa’s through ball.
37mins – Incredible stuff, really, I’ve even forgotten how cold my hands are as the goals just flood in, Brilliant!
35mins – It’s 4! Quickly becoming a hero here. He picks the ball up outside the box, drives in, slips, trips, then somehow slips it past Stewart.
35mins – GOAL! Ojammmmmaaaa time!
33mins – GOAL! It’s 3!! Hutchy rising in the box to power home a header.
29mins – It was a Hateley corner which found Higgy. His header was well saved by Stewart but Murph was on hand to nod it in. Boy loves a header.
29mins – GOOOAALLL! 2-0 motherwell! Murphy header from close range.
25mins – Darren Randolph dancing around in his box trying to keep warm. The Steelmen are absolutely dominating this.
18mins – This is brilliant so far. The early goal will have settled any nerves. Playing some lovely possession football through Las and Jenno
10mins – Ojamaa strikes the post! Great through ball from Higdon and the wee man is unlucky on the angle!
9mins – GOAL! Hateley curls in a corner straight into the net
6mins – Bad sign….Lasley limping after a lovely slide challenge. He’s struggling.
3mins – Chance for Motherwell as the ball breaks to Murphy 6 yards out on the angle,. his shot only finds the side netting. ‘Well on top!
1min – And we’re on. No interesting facts other than Jamie Murphy sporting a fetching pair of luminous yellow and orange boots….
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:
“It was a professional job, we asked at the beginning of the game for a high tempo as we couldn’t afford to go out and take liberties or we would be in for a rude awakening,” said McCall.
“We started well and got the goal directly from a corner which was quite unusual.
“I asked the lads not to take their foot off the gas and psychologically that sometimes happens. Credit to Morton, they stuck to the task.”
Morton manager Allan Moore:
“In the first half we didn’t do our job correctly. The guys weren’t picking up and they lost four goals from dead-ball situations,” said Moore.
“At half-time I was worried and worried for the players, but in the second half we knocked the ball about a bit better and had a few shots on target.
“It’s a sore one to take, the fans have spent money in coming to watch us. At half-time I was pleased that some of them had stayed as it was a painful day for everyone.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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