[tab:Match report]
Phil McGhee at Bayview Stadium
Motherwell came from behind to beat East Fife and progress into the third round of the League Cup.
The League Two Fifers took the lead on the hour through the impressive Nathan Austin and looked to be heading for a famous win.
However, the hard-working Louis Moult brought things level with a lovely curling effort to take the game into extra-time.
The Steelmen held their nerve and goals from Scott McDonald and Lionel Ainsworth in each half of time added on booked a spot in Thursday’s draw.
‘Well boss Ian Baraclough made several changes to his starting line-up with Keiran Kennedy and David Clarkson making their first stars of the season. Scott McDonald and Stephen McManus were amongst those rested to the bench.
It was a very quiet opening to the match and it took until the 18th minute for either team to register a chance; former ‘Well man Jonathan Page getting on the end of a corner for the hosts, but could only send it wide of target.
Motherwell’s first attempt of the evening fell to Lionel Ainsworth, who got on the end of a deep Marvin Johnson cross, but it fell comfortably for Ryan Goodfellow to gather.
Five minutes later, Ainsworth had a glorious chance to put his team ahead when after getting on the end of a lovely Clarkson reverse ball, his shot was partially saved by Goodfellow, before Declan O’Kane rescued a goal by hooking the trickling ball off the line.
The only other real chance of note during a fairly uneventful first-half came via a Ross Brown, who curled a long-distance shot just wide of target.
‘Well replaced Marvin Johnson at the interval with Dom Thomas and the little winger was arguably the visitor’s brightest spark.
His first involvement was a whipped corner that Louis Laing headed just over the crossbar.
However, as the clocked hit sixty minutes, East Fife took the lead. Kyle Wilkie got the better of Laing forty yards from goal and quickly played in Austin on the edge of the area. The big striker took a touch inside Kennedy onto his left foot, before coolly slotting past Ripley in off the post.
Incredibly, the Fifers had the ball in the net six minutes later when Austin tapped home a rebound, but the assistant was quick to flag him offside. It looked a marginal call to say the least.
The Fifers’ tails were up and they came close to extending their lead on the seventieth minute when Smith’s cross was volleyed just over by Brown.
Following the introduction of McDonald in place of Clarkson, the visitors managed to settle the ship though and Moult came close to levelling things up with a decent shot that was again blocked off the line.
However, the former Wrexham man, who worked tirelessly all evening, was rewarded with a superb equaliser ten minutes from time. Collecting the ball just inside the box, he quickly turned before digging the ball out from under his feet to curl past Goodfellow. The sense of relief amongst the 700 ‘Well fans inside Bayview was almost tangible.
Incredibly, Moult could have grabbed a second 90 seconds later but his flashed header just wide of target. Then, with two minutes left of the regulation ninety, the impressive Goodfellow once again denied him by racing off his line to make the block.
The ninety minutes came to an end and extra time kicked off with a superb Ripley save to deny Wilkie; the on-loan Boro stopper somehow tipping the former Hamilton winger’s strike over the bar.
Three minutes later, down the end, good play from Moult created a wonderful chance for McDonald but he scooped his shot over from seven yards out when a goal seemed certain.
However, the Aussie striker didn’t let it play on his mind and eight minutes later, he put his side in the lead. Driving forward, his first shot cannoned off Page before he lashed the rebound past Goodfellow.
Three minutes into the second period of extra time, Lionel Ainsworth secured the victory, getting on the end of a neat McDonald pass to slot past the keeper.
The Fifers looked out on their feet by that point and ‘Well could and probably should have extended their lead further. McDonald stung the palms of Goodfellow with a cracking shot that the former Dunfermline man did well to beat away.
Then, with virtually the last kick of the game, McDonald curled a smashing free-kick off the outside of the left hand upright with Goodfellow at full stretch.
It was a far from comfortable night for ‘Well and it looked grim at one point, but the team showed a real strength of character to come back from the dead to win.
[tab:As it happened]
Ally Reilly at Bayview Stadium
Full-time
AET East Fife 1 – 3 Motherwell
ET 29′ | 1-3
Naysmith booked for a clumsy foul on McDonald, free-kick in a good area. McDonald strikes the ball of the post!
ET 21′ | 1-3
Goodfellow is called into action, beating away McDonald’s powerful long range shot.
ET 20′ | 1-3
Moult is booked for a strikers challenge in Mercer as he went to clear.
ET 17′ | 1-3
McDonald slides in Ainsworth who beats Goodfellow to it and makes it 3-1 to ‘Well
GOAL!
Motherwell get the second half of extra-time underway.
Motherwell make change, Watt comes on for Law.
ET HT | 1-2
Half-time of extra-time and it’s East Fife 1 – 2 Motherwell
ET 15′ | 1-2
1 minute added on.
ET 14′ | 1-2
McDonald’s initial shot is blocked but he fires home the rebound from 18 yards.
GOOAALL!
ET 6′ | 1-1
Should have been 2-1 to ‘Well but McDonald scoops his shot over with all the goal to aim for from 12 yards.
ET 4′ | 1-1
East Fife sub, Brown off for Murray.
ET 3′ | 1-1
What a save from Ripley to somehow tip Wilkie’s shot over the bar!
ET 1′ | 1-1
East Fife get the first half of extra-time underway.
..but Moult fires into the.
That’s the end of normal time, extra-time looms.
93′ | 1-1
Last kick of the ball coming up. It’s a free-kick to ‘Well about 25 yards out.
90′ | 1-1
3 minutes added on
89′ | 1-1
East Fife sub, the impressive Austin off for Sutherland
88′ | 1-1
Moult races through and pokes a shot away but Goodfellow gets a foot to it!
87′ | 1-1
Thomas wins a free-kick wide on the left …
82′ | 1-1
East Fife sub, Naysmith on for MacGregor.
81′ | 1-1
Motherwell’s tail are finally up, Moult with another good chance but he heads just wide.
80′ | 1-1
It’s the equaliser! Louis Moult firing home from 15 yards!
GOALL!!
79′ | 1-0
A corner falls to Moult who blasts it goalwards but Goodfellow makes a good stop.
70′ | 1-0
Smith gets down the wing and whips it into Brown who volleys just over the bar from 15 yards.
66′ | 1-0
Austin has the ball in the net again but the linesman’s flag is up. Awful defending there.
62′ | 1-0
Motherwell sub, Clarkson off for McDonald
61′ | 1-0
Goal – East Fife take the lead! Austin breaks away and cooly slots it into the net.
59′ | 0-0
Moult battles hard and gets down the wing. Nobody manages to get on the end of his cross though.
51′ | 0-0
…they work a set-piece and set up MacGregor who blasts wide from distance.
51′ | 0-0
Lasley booked for bringing down Austin as East Fife broke. Free-kick in a good area….
49′ | 0-0
Thomas swings in a great corner which is headed just wide by Louis Laing.
46′ | 0-0
Motherwell get the second half underway. There’s one change, Thomas on for Johnson.
Half-time
East Fife 0 – 0 Motherwell
36′ | 0-0
Brown picks up a loose ball about 25 yards out and gets a shot away. Thankfully curls wide of the post.
30′ | 0-0
Great chance!! Clarkson slides in Ainsworth whose shot is partially saved by Goodfellow then cleared off the line by O’Kane!
25′ | 0-0
‘Well counter an East Fife corner and the ball is played into the backpost where Ainsworth’s header is deflected to the keeper.
22′ | 0-0
Good bit of play down the right wing free’s up Law who swings in a great ball. Goodfellow gathers it at the second attempt.
18′ | 0-0
Kennedy hooks the ball over his own bar to concede a corner. Walker heads the ball over the bar!
15′ | 0-0
Very, very quiet opening 15 minutes. Absolutely nothing to report on so far.
5′ | 0-0
Positive start for the Steelmen who have had the bulk of the ball. A few balls into channels and crosses but no real chances yet.
East Fife get the game underway. COYW!!!!
Out come the teams. ‘Well in full claret, East Fife in Yellow and black with white shorts.
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough:
East Fife manager Gary Naysmith:
“Our players gave me everything they had. I felt we were deservedly ahead and missed a few chances that turned out to be vital.
Then Motherwell brought on McDonald and you could just sense they were starting to put us under pressure a wee bit. I was desperate for our lads to settle down and Moult then scores a great goal.
We then have a couple of more chances at the start of extra time, miss them and when you do that, inevitably fitness is going to kick in and that’s what happened.
I am a little old school in that I don’t like the whole glorious failure stuff. We’ve lost tonight but in saying that, I am proud to be their manager.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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