Motherwell turned in their best performance of the campaign so far, beating an experienced Ross County 3-0 on their own turf.
The young Steelmen side were excellent throughout and thoroughly merited the three points, which lifts them into second in the table, two points behind leaders Rangers.
All the goals came in the second half with Dom Thomas, Craig Moore and Dylan Mackin getting their names on the scoresheet.
Jonatan Johansson made just one change from the side that edged out Dunfermline at the Excelsior Stadium last week. Paul Lawson was drafted in, with young Craig McCall forced to accept a place amongst the substitutes.
Barry Smith’s County named the likes of Mark Brown, Scott Boyd, Rocco Quinn and Kevin Luckassen in their starting eleven.
The hosts almost made the perfect start when right midfielder Kyle MacLeod got on the end of a cross from the left, but his header flew a yard over Ross Stewart’s crossbar.
It took the Fir Parkers ten minutes to register their first chance when Steven Higgins fired a low shot at Brown, after clever build-up from Thomas.
Tony Dingwall and Thomas traded long range efforts before Moore headed over for ‘Well and Luckassen fired a stinging shot straight at Stewart.
As the half wore on, ‘Well’s attacking play became more cute and more frequent. A lovely move on the left between Moore and Ferguson presented a chance for Higgins, but it was straight at Brown who saved.
Four minutes later, the same player would again be denied after excellent play between Leitch and Thomas cut the Staggies wide open.
It looked as if it was only a matter of time before Johansson’s men opened the scoring, and they came within inches of doing just that, five minutes before the interval. Thomas collected a loose ball in the middle of the park – striding forward, he cannoned a thirty-yard shot off Brown’s left-hand upright.
‘Well will have felt a little aggrieved at going in at the break level, and it could have been much worse had Scott Boyd’s powerful shot not hit Morgyn Neill and spun away four minutes into the second half.
That would be the last time the Staggies would threaten for some time as a rampant Steelmen ran riot.
Just before that Boyd effort, full-back David Ferguson had got up well at the back post to meet a McCafferty cross from the right, but his header hit the side netting.
Motherwell eventually got the goal their play deserved, and it was a clever piece of football that opened up the home defence.
Moore’s short corner gave Lawson time on the edge of the area. He slid a nice ball towards Neill, who helped it on Thomas who was prodded home from close range. Simple but attractive stuff!
The visitor’s tails were up and Moore had two quick-fire chances to make it two, shortly after. The first was a shot deflected wide, the second a header from a Lawson cross, which flew over.
Motherwell’s attacks had become relentless by this point; Higgins again screwed over and Moore almost got on the end of a Thomas cross but it was just behind ‘Well’s top scorer adn the chance was gone.
‘Well introduced Dylan Mackin in place of Steven Higgins for the last quarter and the big striker would be involved almost straight away as ‘Well finally doubled their lead.
Lawson knocked it forward to the substitute, who wasted no time helping it on to McCafferty. The winger used the pace on the ball to prod it through for Moore who sent the ball looping over the out-rushing Brown and into the net.
Incredibly, after failing to test Ross Stewart in the ‘Well goal for the majority of the match, County striker Luckassen came within an inch of pulling his side back into things, only for his curling shot to rebound back off the post.
It would prove a vital miss as ‘Well would seal the game just two minutes later, and Mackin would grab his first ever goal for the Under 20s. A quick-thinking Leitch free-kick played in Moore who turned it across the face of goal for the 17-year old who slammed home off a County defender.
It was the last real action of a thoroughly entertaining evening. Johansson’s men now face a massive double-header against Hibs and Rangers in the next fortnight which will go a long way to defining their season.
Motherwell: Stewart, Ferguson, Cadden, Murray, Neill, Leitch, Lawson (McCall – 85mins), McCafferty (Anderson – 85mins), Thomas, Higgins (Mackin – 75mins), Moore
Subs Not Used: Currie, Johnstone
