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    Aberdeen defeat in Pictures

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    Aberdeen 4 – 1 Motherwell

  • Archive

    Pearson – Fit and ready to return

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    Ticket Office: Additional hours

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    Additional matchday parking

  • Archive

    Youth Cup win in Pictures

  • Archive

    TV: Highlights from Hampden

  • Archive

    Craigan – This was our ‘World Cup Final’

  • Archive

    Hearts U20s 2 – 5 Motherwell U20s

  • Archive

    Vacancy | Community Trust General Manager

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    Aberdeen defeat in Pictures

    Action images from this afternoon’s 4-1 defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

    Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

    [svgallery name=”aberdeen300416″]

  • Archive

    Aberdeen 4 – 1 Motherwell

    [tab:Match report]

     Phil McGhee at Pittodrie

    An off-colour Motherwell were soundly beaten 4-1 by Aberdeen at Pittodrie this afternoon.

    The Steelmen were second best for the majority of the game, lost frustratingly poor goals and to compound the misery, captain Keith Lasley was harshly red carded late in the match.

    The game was long gone by then though, with McLean, McGinn, Rooney and Hayes giving the hosts a commanding lead, Chris Cadden scored Motherwell’s only goal to give some hope when it was 3-1, but it failed to materialise despite one or two decent chances.

    Mark McGhee made three changes to the side that beat Hearts last weekend.

    Connor Ripley was back between the sticks in place of Craig Samson. Josh Law missed out injured, replaced by the returning Louis Laing and another returnee, Stephen Pearson, was preferred to Cadden who had a gruelling ninety-minute during the midweek.

    The Dons were quick out of the traps, and the Hayes picked up on the left flank, twisted and turned his way past Laing before the defender bundled the Irishman over.

    Kenny McLean took the resulting spot kick, sending Ripley the wrong way. 1-0 Aberdeen after just five minutes.

    The Fir Parkers enjoyed a good chunk of the ball in the early stages of the match, forced a great deal of corner kicks, but failed to seriously test debutant keeper Adam Collin.

    However, with only their second shot on target, Aberdeen doubled their lead. Shay Logan got himself into an advanced position on the right, and his cross towards the penalty spot was perfect for Nial McGinn, who nipped in ahead of Keith Lasley to slot home.

    Motherwell’s only response of note during a fairly lacklustre first half was long-distance shots from both Ainsworth and Johnson, but neither proved any trouble for Collin.

    The hosts had earlier replaced striker Simon Church with the returning Adam Rooney, and the striker made an immediate impact.

    He angled a header from a Logan cross narrowly wide of goal after 52 minutes. It was a warning the Claret and Amber men failed to heed though as he did net two minutes later.

    McGinn’s free kick had been flicked on by Andrew Considine,forcing Ripley to make a brilliant stop, pushing the ball onto the bar. However, the rebound would fall kindly for the unmarked Rooney to prod home from close range.

    Motherwell introduced Chris Cadden and looked a different team for it. The youngster dragged his side kicking and screaming back into the match, getting on the end of Johnson’s low cross to fire off, albeit his effort taking a fortuitous hit off Ash Taylor.

    Boosted by their goal, Motherwell pressed on and Louis Moult came close to further reducing the deficit. The striker got on the end of a Scott McDonald pass, racing clear of the home defence. With only Collin to beat, his angled shot agonisingly wide of Collin’s left-hand upright.

    Most of the play was going towards the Dons goal, but Hayes put the seal on things, confirming a win for his side, with a solo strike with 12 minutes remaining.

    He outstripped both Pearson and Hall on the left flank before bursting into the penalty area and lifted the ball over Ripley to make it 4-1.

    That wasn’t the end of the drama though as ‘Well were reduced to ten men. Keith Lasley caught Kenny McLean late as the midfielder was bursting clear. It looked no more than a mistimed challenge, similar to a Graeme Shinnie tackle on Marvin Johnson earlier in the match, which resulted in a caution.

    However, despite initially having the yellow card in his hand, referee Bobby Madden changed his mind and after pulling several players apart, including an angry Shinnie, flashed a red card at the Motherwell skipper.

    Assistant boss Stephen Robinson was also sent to the stand for his protests with fourth official Nick Walsh.

    [tab:As it happened]

     Ally Reilly at Pittodrie

    FT: Aberdeen 4 – 1 Motherwell

    88′ | 4-1
    Red card for Lasley! Initially booked but changed to a red. Bizarre stuff.

    83′ | 4-1
    Aberdeen sub, McGinn off for Wright

    80′ | 4-1
    Aberdeen sub, Robson on for Rooney.

    78′ | 4-1
    Goal – Hayes bursts clear and knocks it past Ripley. Frustrating as it had been a decent spell for Motherwell

    76′ | 3-1
    McLean booked for a foul on Johnson. Marv has been in the wars today!

    74′ | 3-1
    Johnson is fouled by Shinnie in a decent area on the right…whipped into the box and almost lands for Moult but Taylor clears.

    71′ | 3-1
    What a chance for Moult! Played in well by McDonald and his shot from inside the box goes inches past!

    69′ | 3-1
    Johnson is set clear but the linesman’s flag goes up. Looked tight!

    65′ | 3-1
    Cadden pulls a goal back, after a great ball in from Johnson.

    GOAL!

    61′ | 2-0
    Motherwell sub, Ainsworth off for Cadden.

    54′ | 3-0
    Goal – Rooney makes it 3. Great save from Ripley puts it onto the bar but the striker is there to poke in from close.

    53′ | 2-0
    Deep ball in from Logan finds Rooney. His header back across Ripley flies just wide of the post.

    49′ | 2-0
    Decent build up play between Johnson and McDonald but the Aussie’s cross is too deep and goes out for a goal kick.

    47′ | 2-0
    McGinn’s cross is put out for a corner……cleared by ‘Well, fed back in to Rooney but the sub is offside.

    Aberdeen get the second 45 underway.

    Half time change for ‘Well, Hall on for Laing.

    HT: Aberdeen 2 – 0 Motherwell

    45′ | 2-0
    McGinn fires across a low ball which thankfully neither Rooney nor Hayes can get on the end of. A let off.

    44′ | 2-0
    Aberdeen sub, Church limps off and is replaced by Rooney.

    36′ | 2-0
    Moult’s free-kick from 30 yards deflects over the bar for a corner. Again, though, Motherwell can’t capitalise.

    35′ | 2-0
    Hayes drives into the box and from a narrow angle, his cross/shot lands on the roof of the net.

    25′ | 2-0
    Goal – Logan crosses to McGinn who gets in ahead of Lasley and volleys into the net. 2-0.

    22′ | 1-0
    Hayes gets a great ball into the box which McManus manages to get to ahead of Church. Corner to Aberdeen.

    21′ | 1-0
    Laing and Johnson combine down the right to win a corner…..ball in finds Johnson who is hacked down by Shinnie. Booking.

    14′ | 1-0
    Johnson tries his luck from distance but can’t get it on target. Well wide and high.

    9′ | 1-0
    Hammell’s free-kick lands at the feet of Ainsworth on the edge of the box. Curls straight at Collin.

    5′ | 1-0
    Goal – McLean sends Ripley the wrong way to put Aberdeen 1 up.

    5′ | 0-0
    Penalty to Aberdeen! Hayes gets past Laing and the big defender barges him down.

    3′ | 0-0
    Long range shot from McLean takes a touch off Hammell and goes wide for an Aberdeen corner.

    …….From Hammell’s delivery the ball falls to Moult but his volley is well blocked

    1′ | 0-0
    Early corner for Motherwell, won by Moult on the right flank.

    Pre-match formalities over, it’s time for kick-off. COYW!!!!

    [tab:Reaction]

    Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:

    “We didn’t play as well as can. We were less joined up, lacked a little cohesion and weren’t aggressive as we have been, certainly not as much as last week.

    “But even that game at Fir Park last weekend, and the shift the players have put in over recent months, takes it toll. They’ve given us a fantastic return, and almost every game since the turn of the year we’ve been flat out. Yes, there have been disappointment along the way, but we’ve put a fantastic effort.”

    Aberdeen Manager Derek McInnes

    “Last week as a team I felt we lost out in every department, and today I thought we got on top of our opponents and won every battle.

    “We’ve got five points to get over the final three games to beat our points total from last season, and again beat the record for points accumulated for a non-Old Firm club, and we’ll try to do that.”

    [tab:Man-of-the-match]

    [poll id=”271″]

  • Archive

    Pearson – Fit and ready to return

    Influential midfielder Stephen Pearson is back fit and is desperate to feature against Aberdeen later today.

    The midfielder fell awkwardly against Dundee United last month, breaking a rib and puncturing his lung, forcing him to spend four days in the Southern General in Glasgow.

    He has now fully recovered though, and wants to help Mark McGhee’s side finish the season with a flourish, starting against second-placed Aberdeen at Pittodrie today.

    “I punctured a lung against Dundee United out there on the Friday night,” he said. “I couldn’t get a lot of breath.

    “I went up to the hospital initially but it was rammed. I’d have been waiting for about four hours for an x-ray, so I left it then I waited to see how I was in the morning.

    [pullquote]I’m glad it’s behind me now I can move on. I feel good and I’m ready to go again, starting with Aberdeen this weekend[/pullquote]

    “There wasn’t any improvement so the physio and I went along to the Southern General and it got sorted out there. They gave me an x-ray and it showed I’d got a punctured lung and a cracked rib.

    “I had to stay in hospital and get oxygen for four days. It wasn’t great. I didn’t think I’d done that to be honest.

    “Initially I thought I was just winded and I’d try to run it off. Buy my breath shortened up, and I went to hospital.

    “I wasn’t expecting it to be as bad as it was. I’d broken a rib before, the same rib. I thought it was maybe just a follow-up of that.

    “A punctured lung was a bit worrying but it was only minor. If it’s a more serious case I think they have to drain it but it wasn’t that.

    “They just put me on the oxygen to get it back into my lungs. It healed pretty quickly and I’m glad it’s behind me now I can move on. I feel good and I’m ready to go again, starting with Aberdeen this weekend.”

  • Archive

    Ticket Office: Additional hours

    Following the release of 2016/17 Season Tickets on Thursday, the Ticket Office is open today (Saturday) from 10am to 1pm.

    From more information and prices, click below:

    Season Tickets

  • Archive

    Additional matchday parking

    North Lanarkshire Council will trial opening its Members’ Car Park on to ease parking pressures during home matchdays.

    The car park, situated in front of the Civic Centre adjacent to Windmillhill Street, which has a capacity for approximately 60 cars, is not used in the evenings or at weekends.

    The move is to be trialled at Motherwell’s final home game of the season against St Johnstone on Saturday 7th May. If successful it will be implemented on a permanent basis from next season.

    The move was suggested by North Lanarkshire’s new Education Convener, Cllr Frank McNally.

    [pullquote]The club would like to thank Cllr McNally, along with the Leader and the Chief Executive for opening up the Member’s Car Park for public use on matchdays.[/pullquote]

    Frank said: “I have been going to Fir Park for over 20 years and there have always been issues with parking. I am pleased that the new Leader and the new Chief Executive agreed to trial the plans on the final game against St Johnstone.

    “Hopefully this increase in parking capacity will become a permanent fixture for all home games next season.

    “I am also pleased that the car park will be opened for those attending events at Motherwell Concert Hall outwith council working hours.

    “Although this will not resolve all the problems, it will make life easier for local residents and drivers.”

    The move was welcomed by Motherwell FC’s General Manager Alan Burrows who added: “The club would like to thank Cllr McNally, along with the Leader and the Chief Executive for opening up the Member’s Car Park for public use on matchdays.

    “Parking in and around Fir Park Stadium, which is built surrounded by mostly residential properties, has always been a challenge, and this addition of these spaces no more than a few minutes from the Stadium will be a huge boost and will hopefully ease congestion.”

  • Archive

    Youth Cup win in Pictures

    Action images from this evening’s 2-5 win over Hearts in the Youth Cup Final.

    Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

    [svgallery name=”hearts280416″]

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    TV: Highlights from Hampden

    Highlights from Hampden Park as the young Steelmen beat Hearts 5-2 to win the Scottish FA Youth Cup for the very first time.

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    Craigan – This was our ‘World Cup Final’

    Stephen Craigan has heaped praise on his young side after their impressive 5-2 win over Hearts in the Youth Cup Final.

    The historic victory meant the Steelmen lifted the trophy for the first time in their history, 25-years after the club were last at Hampden to win a national final.

    Goals from Dylan Mackin, Chris Cadden, David Ferguson, Robbie Leitch and Dylan Falconer contributed to the superb victory.

    And Craigan wasn’t playing down the significance of the win saying: “For the players, this was their World Cup Final.

    “I know that sounds as if I am exaggerating, but this means absolutely everything to them. There have been better players who have never had a chance to win a Youth Cup, and I was anxious to ensure that didn’t pass for them and it didn’t.

    [pullquote]I thought to a man they were terrific including the guys who came off the bench who made a huge impact. Overall, I am absolutely delighted for everyone at the club and for the supporters who came through to back the boys tonight.[/pullquote]

    The 54-times capped Northern Irish International felt it was his side’s ability to stay solid at the back that was key to victory.

    “We made less mistakes defensively than they did; which certainly isn’t to take away from any of the good attacking play we had,” he continued.

    “We had a threat, particularly when we got Cadden and Thomas on the ball. We can hurt teams.

    “However, defensively, I thought we were solid. Allan Campbell got through a power of work protecting the back four; he was immense. Stephen McManus said to me afterwards that he does the job of two players, and it was like that tonight.

    “His protecting, along with the organisation of the lads at the back provided us the best possible platform for our attacking players to do their stuff, so the game plan really worked.”

  • Archive

    Hearts U20s 2 – 5 Motherwell U20s

    Motherwell clinched the Youth Cup for the first time in the club’s history with a convincing 5-2 victory over Hearts at Hampden.

    It was only the second time the Fir Park outfit had made it to the final, the previous occasion coming in a 2-1 defeat to Celtic back in 1987.

    They may have made it difficult for themselves at time at the National Stadium, but they always looked more likely to lift the silverware that commemorates the 25th anniversary of the last time Motherwell won a trophy in the Scottish Cup back in 1991.

    The Steelmen, managed by former captain Stephen Craigan, had several first-team players in their ranks such as Chris Cadden, Ben Hall and Dom Thomas and it was this experience that ultimately made the difference.

    The game started slow but the deadlock was broken midway through the first half.

    A Dom Thomas free kick caused problems for Hearts keeper Kelby Mason who dropped the cross at the feet of Dylan Mackin for the striker to hook the ball home.

    Seven minutes later it was two with Chris Cadden getting the crucial strike. The hugely impressive Allan Campbell picked the ball up in midfield, jinked into the box before a stray leg sent the ball to the Well captain, and his low shot deflected off Daniel Baur and by his own keeper.

    Motherwell were cruising at this point but Jon Daly’s Hearts would get a lifeline on the stroke of half-time. A soft free-kick on the edge of the area allowed Jordan McGhee the chance to bend a low shot that flew into the bottom corner, reducing the arrears as the teams headed for the dressing room.

    It was a one-goal deficit that only lasted to the hour mark when the Fir Parkers stretched their lead again. A Thomas corner was flicked on at the near post with the Hearts defence flapping only for David Ferguson to slam the loose ball home at the back post.

    While Motherwell looked commanding, they would again leave the door open for the Tynecastle club to get another lifeline. It was centre-half Ben Hall who slipped on the edge of his own box. It allowed Dario Zanatta to ghost in, round Brett Long and squeeze the ball in past the recovering Ferguson, who was almost hooked it off the line.

    However, The team from Lanarkshire would not be denied their first piece of silverware since the days of Phil O’Donnell, Davie Cooper and Stevie Kirk.

    It was the two late substitutes that clinched the famous win. Robbie Leitch, only on the park several minutes, collected a pass from Ferguson before dancing around two Hearts markers and curling a delicious effort in off the far post the put the Claret and Amber men in the driving seat.

    Then, it the last minute, Leitch was the creator this time, nipping around a challenge before dinking a ball over the defence for fellow sub Dylan Falconer. The 16-year old took a fabulous touch, before coolly lifting it over the outrushing Mason to secure the emphatic win.

    Motherwell: Long, Watt, McMillan, Hall, Ferguson, Turnbull (R.Leitch – 71mins), Campbell, Cadden, MacLean (Hastie – 90mins), Thomas, Mackin (Falconer – 77mins)

    Subs Not Used: Morrison, Livingstone

  • Archive

    Vacancy | Community Trust General Manager

    Motherwell Football Club was founded in 1886 and throughout its history has enjoyed a close relationship with local people and communities. The club has a strong community and family focus and a genuine commitment to help support those most in need.

    In 2011 the Club established the Motherwell Football Club Community Trust now  a multi award-winning charity which harnesses the power of sport and the brand name of Motherwell Football Club to deliver community benefit across the key themes of lifelong learning, health and wellbeing, regeneration, and inclusion.

    The Trust engages with people of all ages across the whole of Lanarkshire working with a wide range of partners to meet the needs of local communities.

    We are now looking to appoint a General Manager who will work with our Trustees and Motherwell Football Club to expand the exciting work of the charity including the development of new community based facilities.

    You will have the skills, knowledge, and energy, required to deliver our vision, and ideally you will have experience of working in the voluntary or statutory sector with a sound business approach and a key understanding of both project management and financial planning. You will also have a sound knowledge of sports development at grassroots and community level.

    In addition to offering you the challenge of improving our already excellent track record we will also reward you with a salary of between £30,000 and £37,000 depending upon experience.

    You can read a full job description by clicking here.

    To apply please send your CV and covering letter to alan.burrows@motherwellfc.co.uk

    Closing Date: Friday May 6th, 2016