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    Halloween Disco this Friday

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    TV: Highlights from Fir Park

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    Aberdeen defeat in pictures

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    TV: McCall devastated at Dons defeat

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    Motherwell 0 – 2 Aberdeen

  • Archive

    Celtic & Inverness games picked for TV

  • Archive

    TV: Lasley desperate for Dons reaction

  • Archive

    TV: McCall looks ahead to Dons clash

  • Archive

    Beaton to officiate Quarter Final clash

  • Archive

    Sponsor the Quarter Final clash

  • Archive

    Halloween Disco this Friday

    Get set for a spook-tacular night at our fang-tastic Halloween Disco tomorrow night (Friday 1st November) in the Davie Cooper Suite.

    We start at 7.30pm and don’t close to 1am – Fancy dress is a necessity!

    Whether you dress as a Zombie, Ghost, Frankenstein or Superman make sure to put in the extra effort as we have great prizes on offer for the first, second and third best dressed. Drinks promotion available.

    • Fancy dress
    • Drinks Promotion
    • Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd best dressed
    • Over 18s only

    £2 entry! Over 18s only. Pay at the door also available.

  • Archive

    TV: Highlights from Fir Park

    Extended highlights from Fir Park as Motherwell crash out the SPFL League Cup at the hands of 10-man Aberdeen.

    -WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    Aberdeen defeat in pictures

    Pictures from the 2-0 defeat by Aberdeen in the SPFL League Cup Quarter Final at Fir Park.

    Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

    [svgallery name=”aberdeen301013″]

  • Archive

    TV: McCall devastated at Dons defeat

    A downbeat Stuart McCall admitted he was at his lowest ebb as the Motherwell manager after his team crashed out the League Cup tonight.

    The hosts started brightly and should have taken the lead in the third minute, only for John Sutton to have a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside, despite replays showing he was at least a yard on.

    Aberdeen were then reduced to ten men when Joe Shaughnessy was sent off for a lunging tackle on Zaine Francis-Angol.

    Motherwell picked and probed for the next seventy minutes but came up against a stubborn, resolute and organized Aberdeen rearguard.

    There was almost a sense of inevitability when Dons substitute Andy Considine headed home the opening goal with eight minutes left on the clock.

    Jonny Hayes added a second deep into injury time as ‘Well pushed for a leveler to compile a miserable night in Lanarkshire.

    [pullquote]I am so disappointed to lose but we will need to pick ourselves up quickly for our match here on Sunday against Hibs[/pullquote]

    McCall, who looked visibly deflated, told MFC TV: “It’s the lowest I’ve ever felt since I’ve been at the club.

    “Obviously we were very poor at Ibrox last term, we’ve lost a couple of poor ones to Aberdeen, Inverness and St Johnstone but I can’t remember feeling this sick after a match. We had a great chance to get into a Semi Final.

    “I am beginning to sound like a broken record but another huge decision has gone against us [Sutton ‘offside’ goal]. From my position, it looked offside but if the assistant is looking along that line, I can’t understand how he can get it wrong. It’s not a difficult call for him; it is basic. He’s not even raised his flag until the referee has buzzed him?

    “Full credit to Aberdeen though, they defended brilliantly with ten men. We haven’t created enough although we’ve had countless balls into the box but just couldn’t’ get anything from it.

    “The difference in the match comes down to we’ve crashed the bar with a header, they’ve put it under the bar and into the net. I am so disappointed to lose but we will need to pick ourselves up quickly for our match here on Sunday against Hibs.”

    -WATCH HIS INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    Motherwell 0 – 2 Aberdeen

    [tab:Match report]

     Phil McGhee at Fir Park

    Motherwell crashed out the League Cup after losing 0-2 to Aberdeen in a frustrating night at Fir Park.

    Aberdeen were reduced to ten men after just twelve minutes but they held off Motherwell’s domination,to grab two goals in the last seven minutes and take their place in the semi-final draw tomorrow.

    The Fir Park side used the extra man advantage fairly well in terms of possession but although they bombarded the Dons’ goal with a series of crosses, Jamie Langfield was well very well protected by a stubborn Dons defence.

    Motherwell will feel hard done to though after the match officials ruled out a perfectly good John Sutton goal after just three minutes. Television replays would show it was an extremely poor decision by John Beaton; the Motherwell striker at least a yard onside.

    As the game progressed into the latter stages there was a sense, certainly amongst the huge and noisy travelling support, that having absorbed all the pressure that ‘Well would be dealt the sucker punch.

    And yet it started so promisingly for the home side. With two changes to the side which lost at Perth, Zaine Francis-Angol taking the wide left berth in place of Iain Vigurs and Henri Anier coming in to partner John Sutton in attack, the home side pressed from the start.

    And the Estonian striker almost made an immediate impact sending a shot skidding narrowly past the post within the first two minutes.

    A minute later ‘Well looked to have opened the scoring after Ryan Jack rattled a clearance off Stuart Carswell. As the ball rebounded back into the box Sutton lifted it over Langfield and under the ‘keeper’s bar. But as the ‘Well players ran away to celebrate referee John Beaton noticed his assistant’s belated raised flag indicating that Sutton was offside.

    The referee was again the centre of attention after 12 minutes. Joe Shaughnessy’s challenge on Francis-Angol was high and, after consulting his other assistant, the Dons’ full back was shown a straight red card.

    As Motherwell continued to probe for the opening goal Aberdeen reinforced their defence bringing on Andy Considine for striker Calvin Zola.

    That gave the home almost total control from the middle of the park but apart from a couple of Lawson shots which were drilled wide of goal, Langfield was untested.

    Having been under the cosh for 40 minutes Dons made their first threat on the home goal when Jonny Hayes’ cross into the 6 yard box forced Gunnar Nielsen into his first save palming the ball out for Shaun Hutchison to boot clear. Then on the stroke of half time, a terrific block from Stephen McManus deflected Niall McGinn’s drive wide of the post.

    The second half resumed with ‘Well again pressing towards Langfield’s goal and the Dons were lucky to survive strong appeals for a penalty after Mark Reynolds tripped Anier at the corner of the box.

    With Lionel Ainsworth on for Lawson the Dons goalmouth was peppered with crosses from both wings but Langfield remained untested until the hour mark.

    Francis-Angol elected for a low cut back in front of the in-rushing Stuart Carswell and his low drive was brilliantly blocked by the ‘keeper.

    The Dons though looked content to soak up the pressure and hope for a goal on the break and after 68 minutes Stuart McCall changed his attacking options bringing on Bob McHugh for Anier.

    Three minutes later ‘Well came within inches of the opener when Ainsworth’s outswinging corner perfectly met the incoming Hutchison only to see his powerful header thump back off the crossbar.

    However, despite watching their side have all the possession, ‘Well fans were rather subdued as the game moved into the final stages while the Dons fans optimistically roared on their players.

    And 7 minutes from time the large travelling support was rewarded when Aberdeen grabbed the all important first goal.

    McGinn’s low drive forced Neilsen into his first save of the half diving to block low at his post with Vernon’s follow up turned behind for a corner. As the Dons’ rearguard moved up for Hayes’ corner you sensed danger and as the ball curled into a packed 6 yard box Considine leapt highest to nod the ball home.

    In injury time, with all bar one ‘Well player in the visitors box for yet another corner, Dons raced to the other end of the park where Hayes rifled a shot high past Nielsen to make sure of their semi-final place.

    [tab:As it happened]

     Ally Reilly at Fir Park

    FT: Motherwell 0 – 2 Aberdeen

    92mins: Aberdeen break and make it 2-0

    90mins: Corner Motherwell…. Only 2 minutes added on

    85mins: Aberdeen change, Robson on for Pawlett

    83mins: GOAL! A sickener as Aberdeen go 1 up. Considine the scorer

    82mins:: Excellent stop by Nielsen who denies Jack at his front post

    80mins: Anderson booked for clattering into Lasley

    78mins: Corner to Aberdeen….. McManus clears the danger.

    71mins: Hutchy heads off the bar from Ainsworth’s corner!!

    67mins: Motherwell sub, Anier off for McHugh

    60mins; Great chance! Francis-Angol cuts it back to Carswell who on his left foot can only fire straight at Langfield from 16 yards

    58mins: Good spell of pressure. Aberdeen defending well though and clearing each cross as it comes in.

    54mins: Corner to ‘Well…..Ainsworth’s delivery headed out for a Motherwell throw

    48mins: Carswell booked. Looked frustrated at the penalty shout and hacked down McGinn

    47mins: Strong cause for a penalty there as Anier is barged to the ground in the box. Not given!

    46mins: And there’s been a change, Ainsworth on for Lawson

    46mins: Second half underway!

    HT: A largely frustrating first half. ‘Well with the bulk of the ball but no cutting edge against a well organised 10 men

    HT: Motherwell 0 – 0 Aberdeen

    45mins: Sub just before the whistle for Aberdeen. Vernon on for the injured Robertson.

    45mins: Almost a disaster there but McManus gets across to slide clear from McGinn after he dispossessed Hutchinson

    45mins: Aberdeen sitting in deep. Difficult to find a way through so Hutchinson drives forward and tries his luck. Well over.

    40mins: Third corner of the game for Motherwell….Aberdeen break and Hammell has to scoop McGinn’s cross to safety

    36mins: Half chance there for Sutton. Just couldn’t get enough on his header from Ramsden’s ball in and it floats over the bar

    32mins: Another corner to ‘Well…..punched away by Langfield

    30mins: It’s a set-piece, which saw the ball laid off to Lawson who scuffs his shot harmlessly wide

    30mins: First corner of the game goes Motherwelll’s way….

    26mins: Hutchinson booked for a crunching tackle, much to Aberdeen’s disgust

    20mins: Early change for The Dons, Considine on for Zola

    13mins: RED CARD: Shaughnessy walks for a terrible tackle on Francis- Angol!!!!

    10mins: Decent start for ‘Well. Had the bulk of the ball, and playing some OK stuff.

    4mins: Controversy! Sutton has the ball in the net but while celebrating, ref chalks it off for offside

    2mins: Anier hits a shot on the turn from 20 yards which flashes just wide

    1min: Quarter final is now underway. #COYW

    [tab:Reaction]

    Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

    “I can’t remember being this low and then to go into the dressing room and see the laptop and John Sutton’s goal, which was onside, has just absolutely topped the night off.

    “Full credit to Aberdeen, the way they defended with 10 men, they were outstanding.

    “I was going to say the difference was we hit the bar from a set play and they scored from a set play but it’s even more galling. Sutton is a foot onside.

    “The linesman didn’t put his flag up (initially), the delay was the fourth official telling him it hit (Keith) Lasley but it doesn’t matter who it hits because it’s onside.”

    “But St Johnstone deserved their victory.”

    Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes:

    “They have really answered up when the odds were stacked against them. We said to the players at half-time that they needed organisation, guts, character, everything you need to win the game, but the biggest thing was having a belief.

    “To go so long with 10 men was always going to be a concern and with Clark going off as well, we only had one defender on the bench.

    “It was gutsy, real guts and determination and a bunch of boys determined not to accept anything other than us getting into a semi-final.”

    [tab:Man-of-the-match]

    [poll id=”165″]

  • Archive

    Celtic & Inverness games picked for TV

    Motherwell’s home match with Celtic has been moved to Friday 6th December (7.45pm KO) for live coverage on BT Sport.

    The match was originally scheduled for Saturday 7th December but has been moved back a day.

    Another match switched is our January 4th fixture against Inverness Caley Thistle at Fir Park. The game will take place on the same day, but it will now kick-off at 12.45pm live on Sky Sports.

    >> CLICK HERE FOR A FULL UPDATED FIXTURE LIST

  • Archive

    TV: Lasley desperate for Dons reaction

    Steelmen skipper Keith Lasley says the ‘Well squad are desperate to bounce back from their McDiarmid Park disappointment on Sunday.

    The Fir Parkers crashed to a 2-0 defeat in Perth, arguably their worst showing of the season so far.

    The veteran midfielder admitted the players were quick to acknowledge they had fallen below their usual stands and are keen to put it right in Wednesday’s League Cup Quarter Final against Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen.

    Speaking to MFC TV, he said: “The match gives us a good opportunity to put right some of the wrongs from Sunday.

    “It was not an acceptable performance from our point of view and we’ve got to hold our hands up and admit it just wasn’t good enough.

    [pullquote]One bad performance certainly doesn’t make us a bad team overnight and it’s now a case of refocusing on what we’ve been doing well[/pullquote]

    “There was a realisation in the dressing room that it will take a much better performance on Wednesday to try and bounce back from that defeat. We’ve had a good run of performances and results and we feel it was a bit out of character.

    “We certainly have no divine right to turn up at games and get the three points. We knew it would be a tough game and we never got to the levels that has seen us lose just once in the last eight games.

    “One bad performance certainly doesn’t make us a bad team overnight and it’s now a case of refocusing on what we’ve been doing well.

    “We have three big home games in a row now so hopefully we can get back to winning ways in what is a massive game against Aberdeen tomorrow.”

    -WATCH HIS INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    TV: McCall looks ahead to Dons clash

    Stuart McCall has labeled tomorrow’s match a mini ‘Cup Final’ as ‘Well prepare to take on Aberdeen in the League Cup.

    The Dons are many people’s favourites to progress after their win at Easter Road at the weekend – a victory that propelled them into second place in the table.

    The Steelmen lost 2-0 at McDiarmid Park on Sunday but the Fir Park boss is pleased to have such a big game to try and bounce back.

    Speaking to MFC TV, McCall said: “It’s a fixture that everyone has been looking forward to for some time now.

    [pullquote]This is essentially a ‘Cup Final’ for us; it is winner takes all. Like Aberdeen, we are desperate to get through given how open the tournament is now.[/pullquote]

    “Aberdeen are playing well at the moment and are proving right most people’s pre-season predictions on how they would fare.

    “On the flip side, we can take encouragement from the recent run of home wins – four from four against Partick Thistle, Kilmarnock, Ross County and Hearts.

    “They will obviously point to their victory earlier in the season but I think there’s a different set of circumstances and I am not too sure how much that result will play a part.

    “This is essentially a ‘Cup Final’ for us; it is winner takes all. Like Aberdeen, we are desperate to get through given how open the tournament is now.

    “They will no doubt be backed by a large travelling support behind the goal – it’s the job of our lads in the home stands to match that with vocal and colorful backing.

    “Most out with will probably have Aberdeen as favourites not only tomorrow’s match, but also to finish second in the table. We will see. It should make for an interesting battle.”

    -WATCH HIS INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    Beaton to officiate Quarter Final clash

    Referee for Wednesday’s League Cup Quarter Final clash with Aberdeen is John Beaton.

    John will be handling his second Motherwell match of the campaign so far.

    Ironically, his other was when Aberdeen last travelled to Fir Park back in August; Derek McInnes side taking all three points in a 3-1 win.

    The game wasn’t without controversy with Beaton, a late replacement for Kevin Clancy, awarding the Dons two spot kicks, although it was certainly a win the visitors deserved for their second half showing.

    The 31-year old also took charge of two Motherwell matches last term too. The first was a 1-1 draw with Dundee at Fir Park; Michael Higdon rescuing a point after Nicky Reilly had given the Dark Blues a surprise lead midway through the first half.

    His other match that campaign was against Dundee United at Tannadice, the Steelmen running rampant in the City of Discovery, confirming second spot with a superb 3-1 win.

    Not only did Michael Higdon open the scoring with a peach from distance, the big striker surpassed Willie Pettigrew’s post-war record for most top-league goals in a single season when he netted the third midway through the second half.

    It has been a busy season already for Beaton both domestically and in European competition.

    This will be his second League Cup tie of the campaign having already handled St Johnstone’s 3-0 win at Hamilton Accies.

    He has officiated three Dons games this campaign and McInnes’ men have won all three (versus Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Partick Thistle).

    Abroad, he was the man in the middle for Poland U19s 1-0 home defeat by Armenia as well as Norway U21s’ 2-1 success over Macedonia.

    In European action, he looked after BATE Borisov against Celtic’s eventual Champions League opponents Shakhter Karagandy, as well as the UEFA Youth Champions League match between Arsenal and Napoli, the Gunners running out 4-1 winners.

    John will be ably assisted by Graham Chambers and Brian Templeton with Euan Anderson on Fourth Official duties.

  • Archive

    Sponsor the Quarter Final clash

    We still have match sponsorship opportunities available for Wednesday’s League Cup Quarter Final clash with Aberdeen.

    It’s set to be one of the biggest Cup matches at Fir Park in some time with the competition wide open.

    Our premier package, with the high profile and level of service you would expect as the primary corporate sponsor on the day.

    You and your guests will be welcomed and shown to your private dining area, the Joe Wark Lounge, for a drinks reception with a fantastic five-course meal to follow.

    At kick-off time, use the private staircase to emerge at your prime centre-stand seats, where you will enjoy the match with the advantage of complimentary team lines and match programmes for all.

    Half-time is time to refuel, with teas, coffees, pies and pastries in the Joe Wark Lounge, whilst acknowledgement of your sponsorship will be announced via the scoreboard, public-address system and a prominent advertisement in the match programme.

    After the match, retire to your private lounge for the last time where you can debate the man-of-the-match for real over complimentary drinks. Once you’ve chosen him, he will be invited to the lounge to receive his award, a photograph of which will appear in a future matchday programme.

    Your guests will leave with a lasting memento of their day in the form of a corporate gift courtesy of the club.

    Package highlights:

    • Available for a party of 20
    • Private dining in the Joe Wark Lounge
    • Complimentary Bar pre and post match
    • Prime seating in the centre of the Phil O’Donnell Stand
    • Complimentary programmes and team-sheets
    • Half-time refreshments
    • Man-of-the-match presentation
    • Corporate gifts for each of your guests
    • Your company logo on the front of the matchday programme
    • A prominent advert inside the matchday programme
    • Scoreboard and public-address system annoucements
    • Priority parking

    If you would like more information or to book our Match Sponsor package, contact our commercial team now on 01698 333333 or email commercial@motherwellfc.co.uk.