Motherwell Under 20s returned to winning ways with a fine 0-3 win over Falkirk this afternoon.
After what was a fairly even first half, Ross MacLean broke the deadlock with a neat low volley.
It stayed that way until the 82nd minute when Jack Hastie headed home a McMillan cross from the right. Hastie then added a third in stoppage time to ensure the Steelmen were back to winning ways.
With Stephen Craigan away with the Northern Ireland U19s, Keith Lasley and Stevie Hammell were on the touchline. They made four changes to the side that lost to St Johnstone two weeks ago, with Long, Livingstone, Hastie and the trialist striker all replaced in the starting eleven by Morrison, Chalmers, Campbell and Thomas.
Falkirk started the match on the front foot and Reis Peggie had the game’s first shot, but his effort from 20-yards was deflected on route, over the bar for a corner kick.
It took until the eleventh minute for the Steelmen to register a shot at goal and it came when Luke Watt, whose low free kick forced Lewis McMinn to dive and hold on.
It was a fairly low-key affair with lots of possession for both sides, but nothing by way of real chances. Indeed, a further twenty minutes came and went before either goalkeeper had to get involved.
Falkirk’s Langton had a shot from distance comfortably saved by Morrison before, at the other end, Mackin could only head Chalmers’ cross from the left high over the bar.
The deadlock was finally broke seven minutes before the interval when midfielder Ross MacLean scored his fourth of the campaign.
Watt’s cross from the right was only half cleared by the home defence, allowing MacLean to control before lashing a half volley into the bottom corner.
The Bairns responded with another long-range effort, this time from David Smith, but the 23-year old midfielder dragged it well wide of target.
The Steelmen made a solid start to the second half and MacLean thought he was in for a second after getting on the end of a Thomas shot-cum-cross, but he was rightly flagged offside.
‘Well were dealt a blow when influential midfielder Allan Campbell was forced off with a cut to the head, Jake Hastie would be his replacement.
It didn’t deter the visitors thought and they almost doubled their advantage just after the hour when Mackin got on the end of a Watt free kick, only to head it wide before being wiped out by keeper McMinn.
The Bairns continued to see a lot of the ball, but rarely forced Morrison into action. Kevin McCann did hit a thirty-yard free kick, but Morrison was happy to watch it fizz a yard or so over the bar.
‘Well almost made it two with eleven minutes left on the clock when substitutes Dylan Falconer and Hastie combined, but the latter fluffed his shot after a good cut back.
However, three minutes later the winger would make no mistake. Mackin played in McMillan down the right hand side and the fullback sent over a terrific cross for Hastie, who had got in front of Mark Finlayson to head home from close range.
‘Well added further salt into Falkirk wounds with a third in stoppage time, Thomas’ through pass had Hastie racing clear of a knackered Falkirk defence, and he kept his composure to slot under McMinn to round off a good afternoon’s work.
Motherwell: Morrison, McMillan, Chalmers, Maguire, Watt, Campbell (Hastie – 56mins), McLean (Moore – 85mins), Turnbull (Falconer – 78mins), Mackin, Thomas, R. Leitch
Subs Not Used: Potts, Livingstone
