[tab:Match report]
A historic quadruple from Louis Moult helped ‘Well to a 4-2 Lanarkshire Derby win over Hamilton Accies.
A hat-trick in 12 minutes put the game beyond visitors Hamilton, despite their attempts to come back in to the game with goals in either half.
From a commanding position the Fir Park side allowed Accies two decent spells, when Ali Crawford scored a couple of cracking goals and gave the home side a few anxious moments late on.
Overall, though, Motherwell’s play, especially in the first 35 minutes, earned them three points to stretch ahead of their county rivals.
It was last season’s prolific scorer Moult, eager to make up for lost time, alongside Ryan Bowman making his home debut, that proved to be a handful for the Accies rearguard from the kick-off.
The former Wrexham man had the ball in the net after six minutes nodding Chris Cadden’s cross firmly beyond Remi Matthews only to be flagged offside.
The ‘Well striker was not to be denied and two minutes later bagged the opening goal. Craig Samson banged the ball down the middle, Bowman climbed to nod it into the path of Moult who continued into the box before stabbing the ball past the advancing ‘keeper.
Accies on loan ‘keeper was then caught out as Richard Tait’s diagonal cross floated over his head to find Moult unmarked to nod the ball into the empty goal to make it 2-0.
Remarkably after only 21 minutes Hamilton found themselves three down. Cadden’s burst down the right ended with an accurate cross to Scott McDonald who fluffed his shot. And although Bowman did better forcing a block from Matthews, Moult made no mistake, lashing a half volley down the middle of the goal to complete an incredible hat-trick.
However, having been completely outplayed for half an hour Accies dragged themselves back into the game after 36 minutes when Ali Crawford curled a shot beyond Samson and in off the ‘keeper’s left hand post.
That lifted the visitors and five minutes from the break they could have narrowed the deficit to one goal when Crawford whipped a 22 yard free kick beyond the ‘Well wall and off the foot of the same post, only for Georgis Sarris to whack the rebound high and wide from four yards.
The Steelmen should have learned from that amazing let off but had to thank Samson for a solid save two minutes after the break to deny Eamonn Brophy.
That proved decisive as a couple of minutes later Darren Lyon tripped Bowman just inside the Accies box. And although the former Gateshead striker was given first option to take the resultant spot kick, he handed the ball to Moult who swept the penalty home and claimed his fourth goal of the game.
That signalled the end of the action for Moult who after an exhausting and memorable hour on his comeback was replaced by Lionel Ainsworth.
However, within five minutes the momentum of the game changed again as Ali Crawford hammered home a cut back from Rakish Bingham high past Samsom to renew Accies’ belief that the game was not over.
That was underlined when Samson produced a fabulous double save to prevent Bingham and then Longridge from reducing the leeway.
Minutes later as the home defence was put under some sustained pressure Bingham’s header was destined for the back of the net until Ben Heneghan popped up on the goal line to head clear.
While Accies chased the next goal, the surging runs and crosses from Cadden and Richard Tait on the right, should have produced a fifth goal which would have finally ended the visitor’s brave hopes of detracting from Moult’s and Motherwell’s overall performance.
[tab:As it happened]
Lewis Irons at Fir Park
FT | 4-2
Yet another thrilling Lanarkshire Derby. Mark McGhee’s side deservedly take all three points. Match report and reaction to follow
FULL TIME!!!!!
’90 | 4-2
2 minutes added on here at Fir Park
’89 | 4-2
Yet another booking, this time it’s Clay after a collision with Redmond
’87 | 4-2
Lasley now gets booked for a late tackle.
’80 | 4-2
Hamilton sub: Gillespie makes way for Kurtaj.
MATCH ATTAX | Young ‘Well fans can vote for their Man of the Match. Tweet your choice, name, age with #MatchAttaxMOTM now.
’80 | 4-2
Devlin picks up a yellow card for a foul in his own half.
’79 | 4-2
Crawford’s attempt from the resulting free-kick goes high over the bar.
’78 | 4-2
McManus goes in to the book for a foul on the edge of the ‘Well box.
’75 | 4-2
Dougie Imrie is a mile away from getting the ball and he hacks down Cadden, rightly being shown the yellow card by Collum
’73 | 4-2
Hamilton sub: MacKinnon is replaced by Redmond
’72 | 4-2
The ball falls kindly to Crawford on the edge of the area. The Accies goalscorer snatches at it and it’s well over the bar
’68 | 4-2
Bingham’s header is cleared off the line by Ben Heneghan. Brilliant defending from the big centre-back!
’66 | 4-2
Samson pulls off two great saves in quick succession to keep the Steelmen two goals ahead.
’63 | 4-2
Goal for Hamilton. Ali Crawford smashes past Samson from inside the box to pull one back for the visitors.
’60 | 4-1
Motherwell sub: Louis Moult leaves the field to an incredible response from the crowd inside Fir Park, Lionel Ainsworth is on.
’58 | 4-1
Brophy has a pop at goal but it soars well over the bar.
’55 | 4-1
He’s hungry today! Moult picks the ball up on the left, cuts in and puts his laces through it, but it’s just wide of the far post
’54 | 4-1
Gillespie goes in the book for a terrible late challenge on Moult.
’52 | 4-1
Hamilton sub – Lyon leaves the field for Bingham
’50 | 4-1
Lyon hacks down Bowman in the box, Moult steps up, sends the keeper the wrong way. 4 goals for the forward today!!!
Penalty to Motherwell!!!
’48 | 3-1
Hamilton work the ball in to the Motherwell box, but Brophy’s attempted cut-back is saved by Samson.
The ‘Well get the second half underway at Fir Park #COYW
Louis Moult fires home a 12-minute hat-trick to give the ‘Well a deserved 3-1 lead at half-time. What a game here at Fir Park! #MFCvHAFC
HT: Motherwell 3 – 1 Hamilton Accies #MFCvHAFC
’40 | 3-1
Crawford curls a freekick round the Motherwell wall – it crashes off the post and Sarris has a tap in but somehow he misses
’38 | 3-1
Sarris heads goalward from the corner, and it’s just wide of Samson’s left post.
’35 | 3-1
Goal. Hamilton pull one back, Ali Crawford curls a very neat finish into the far corner.
’26 | 3-0
Sarris rises up to head towards goal from the free-kick, but Samson remains untested.
’25 | 3-0
McDonald strikes the free-kick but it hits the top of the wall – Matthews is fouled in the box and Hamilton get the free-kick.
’23 | 3-0
It’s all Motherwell. Moult jinks past Sarris who sticks a leg out and brings the striker down just outside the box.
’20 | 3-0
Unbelievable stuff here – Moult has a 12 minute hat-trick! He volleys home with venom from inside the area. Welcome back Louis!
’17 | 2-0
Crawford has a great chance from eight yards, but his side footed effort sails over Samson’s goal.
’13 | 2-0
He’s at it again!!! Louis Moult gets on the end of Tait’s cross to head past Matthews who was stranded. 3 in 2 now for Moult!!!
GOOOOOAAAAALLL!!!!
’11 | 1-0
Cadden again delivers a good low cross from the right, Bowman rushes towards the front post but gets too much on it and it’s wide
’10 | 1-0
Moult looks to turn provider as he receives the ball from Cadden then whips in a good cross, but Matthews collects.
‘8 | 1-0
It’s Louis Moult with his second goal in two games, he latches on to a flick on and slots it under Matthews. #COYW
GGOOAALLL!
‘6 | 0-0
Fir Park erupts as Moult heads past Matthews, but the linesman flags for offside. Must have been tight!
‘4 | 0-0
Gillespie has an attempt from extremely far out, but it’s well off target.
‘2 | 0-0
Fast start from the ‘Well, Moult this time down the right crosses for McDonald, who tries the half volley but it’s over the bar
‘1 | 0-0
Straight away Cadden does well down the right, fires a low cross into the box but Matthews gathers.
The Lanarkshire derby is underway! Hamilton kick-off.
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:
“It’s remarkable really that for 35 minutes we produced football that you work towards, but then it all got nervous with Hamilton’s goal and it changed.
“Hamilton changed their shape, worked ever so hard, put us under pressure and could have got more than two.
“Moult’s saying he’s feeling better than he’s felt for years and he’s moving more freely. It’s great to have him back. We’ll see if he can get 20 goals by Christmas.
“Bragging rights is for the supporters but the three points is more important.”
Hamilton manager Martin Canning:
“The damage was done – it’s a difficult game to come back from three goals down. We didn’t compete well enough, it’s as simple as that.
“A derby game starts from minute one and we’ve got to go and compete yet we didn’t do that for the first 20 minutes. You’ve got to defend and play better than that.
“We had a wee slight change in shape and and from there on we were excellent. We had lots of opportunities and how we’ve only managed to score two goals in that game, I don’t know.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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