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Motherwell Football Club can confirm that it has today (Tuesday) formally submitted an appeal to the Scottish FA in relation to Keith Lasley’s red card during Saturday’s SPFL Premiership match against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

The skipper was shown a straight red card by the match official in the closing stages after being accused of serious foul play in a clash with Dons player Kenny McLean.

Bobby Madden, who had a clear view from just yards away, appeared to initially deem the tackle a bookable offence and had the yellow card in his hand, but changed his mind, presumably on the advice of another official.

The club strongly believes this to be a case of wrongful dismissal and has therefore submitted an appeal this afternoon. The Scottish FA have notified the club the hearing will take place on Thursday 12th May 2016.

Manager Mark McGhee said: “Having watched it back several times, I thought it was more of a tired, miss-timed tackle, rather than one that was reckless, violent or with intent to hurt the opponent.

[pullquote]Having watched it back several times, I thought it was more of a tired, miss-timed tackle, rather than one that was reckless, violent or with intent to hurt the opponent.[/pullquote]

“There was another tackle earlier in the game that was fairly similar in many ways, that resulted in a booking, which is why I was surprised at the red card. Obviously Bobby, who I thought had a good game overall, had the yellow in his hand and he’s changed his mind, which he’s perfectly entitled to do, but I think his initial gut reaction to the challenge was the correct one.”

General Manager Alan Burrows added: “Our Football Administrator Karen Paterson has already submitted a Player Reference for Fast Tracking proceeding to the Compliance Officer, and will follow that with the relevant evidence tomorrow.

“We’ve only ever had fair and thorough experience when we’ve appealed Stephen McManus and Scott McDonald’s incorrect red cards and I expect the same again in this instance.”

Highlights from Pittodrie as ten man Motherwell are beaten 4-1 by Aberdeen.

Mark McGhee says his players will have to regroup after looking jaded during today’s defeat at Pittodrie.

The Steelmen went into the match on the back of six wins from seven games, a monumental effort and run that lifted the side from eleventh to fourth, securing a top-six spot along the way.

However, the Scotland Assistant admitted that push has taken it out the players, and he will have to regroup ahead of two vital matches against both St Johnstone and Ross County over the next eleven days.

The Fir Park boss told MFC TV after today’s 4-1 defeat: “We were poor and lost a couple of really bad goals.

[pullquote]We need to regroup, get the players as fresh as we can and go into the next two matches against St Johnstone and Ross County looking to win.[/pullquote]

“We improved a little after the break, and after getting a goal at 3-1, they appeared to be wobbling and we had a couple of good chances to make it 3-2 and really put some pressure on, but they scored again to kill the match.

“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.

“We need to regroup, get the players as fresh as we can and go into the next two matches against St Johnstone and Ross County looking to win.”

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

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

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[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]

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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.”

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:

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.”

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

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

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