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The SPFL has today confirmed a recent Development League defeat to Dunfermline has been annulled with Motherwell awarded a 0-3 win.

The Pars mistakenly played fullback Conner Duthie against the Steelmen in a Development League match played on 21 February at New Central Park.

Duthie, who scored the ‘winning’ goal in a 3-2 success for Dunfermline, was due to be suspended following an accumulation of cautions.

And after a hearing, the SPFL today informed Motherwell that the result would be wiped and indeed, awarded as a 0-3 win to the Steelmen.

[pullquote]It’s a bit of good fortune and we’ll hopefully use it as a bounce ahead of the remaining games in both the League and Youth Cup over the next few months.[/pullquote]

That change in the table puts ‘Well top of the Development League on 44 points, one ahead of today’s opponents Ross County who are tied with Hibernian on 43, albeit with games in hand.

Under 20s boss Stephen Craigan said: “I feel for Dunfermline as these accidents can happen from time to time.

“To be fair, they were straight on the phone to us and the league after the match.

“It’s a bit of good fortune and we’ll hopefully use it as a bounce ahead of the remaining games in both the League and Youth Cup over the next few months.”

Motherwell under 20s manager Stephen Craigan looked ahead to his sides clash with Ross County tomorrow following a busy week around the club.

Speaking to MFC TV this afternoon, the Northern Irishman spoke about the 20s performance last week and, on the anniversary of their memorable 3-0 Youth Cup semi-final win over the Staggies, admitted his youngsters have fond memories of trips north.

Craigan said: “We’re looking forward to it, in our last game against Celtic the boys performed really well, they were doing parts of their game that they hadn’t done previously, they defended well, the tempo of the game was good.

[pullquote]We’re looking forward to it, in our last game against Celtic the boys performed really well, they were doing parts of their game that they hadn’t done previously, they defended well, the tempo of the game was good.[/pullquote]

“Ross County have been on a good run, Stuart Kettlewell has got them playing well and I think they normally play more experienced players.”

He added: “It will be difficult for us, we understand that, but it was a year ago today that we went up there in the Scottish Youth Cup semi-final and won 3-0.

“I’m not normally one for omens, but when someone told me that today it was nice so I think the boys have positive memories of heading up north and playing up there.”

You can see Craigan’s full interview at MFC TV’s official YouTube channel.

Motherwell under 20s travel to face Ross County in the Development League tomorrow afternoon, looking to extend their winning run to two matches.

The youngsters make the long trip to face the Northerners on the back of a 1-0 win over Celtic last week, and sit just two points behind the joint league leaders.

A penalty from Ryan Bowman against the Glaswegian outfit ensured the ‘Well vastly improved on their recent run of three losses in four matches and kept pace with table toppers Hibernian.

The Staggies, who also come in to the match on the back of a game against Celtic, will be keen to return to winning ways following their 1-1 draw on Friday.

Tomorrow’s encounter at the Highland Football Academy in Dingwall is the second meeting between the two sides following the 1-1 draw earlier this season at the Excelsior Stadium.

The hosts have a two point lead over the Steelmen and currently sit level on points with Hibs at the summit of the Development League.

You can follow all of the action from the 2pm kick off on twitter – @MotherwellFC

Don’t miss the match highlights, as well as post-match reaction, on MFC TV’s official YouTube channel.

When it comes to football the language used is often full of hyperbole, yet when it comes to Ally Maxwell there is no exaggeration.

Ally could quite literally have died for the cause such was the extent of the injuries he suffered in the 1991 Scottish Cup Final.

Thumped by John Clark, Maxwell soldiered on for the remainder of the match to ensure the Scottish Cup was wrapped in claret and amber ribbons.  It was only post-match that the severity of his injury was fully revealed when it was discovered he had ruptured his spleen.

Ally joined the club in 1981 from Fir Park Boys Club and, like many of his contemporaries, he was given his first taste of top team action by Bobby Watson, in April 1984.

Maxwell started season 1984’85 in the team under new manager Tommy McLean before becoming a long-term understudy to John Gardiner.

Ally would eventually see off challenges from both Gardiner and Cammy Duncan, making the most of the opportunity presented to him midway through season 1988’89. Keeping a clean sheet in his return to the side in a 1-0 win over Dundee in December 1988, he would never look back.

In his first full season as number one, ‘Maxi’ helped the club top the table for the first time in decades after a 1-0 midweek over Rangers in October 1989 and on to their highest league finish since the mid-seventies.

The following season saw him lift the Cup of course, playing every minute of every round in the run to the Scottish Cup Final victory.

A fallout with Tommy McLean over a new deal sadly saw Maxwell frozen out and replaced by Billy Thomson, and he briefly went on loan with Bolton during season 1991’92 and spent time with Liverpool without completing a transfer.

Eventually, Ally joined Rangers upon leaving Motherwell in 1992 having made over 130 appearances for the Steelmen where he would win a League Cup Winners Medal and face Dundee Utd once more in the Scottish Cup Final.

The Terrors would be his next port of call before signing off in Scottish football with a spell playing and then managing Greenock Morton.

Now coaching in the USA, it was a highlight for ‘Well fans to see him return for the 25^th Scottish Cup anniversary celebrations last year.

The best of the action from Rugby Park as the Steelmen come from behind to beat Kilmarnock 1-2 with goals from Carl McHugh and Zak Jules.

Carl McHugh admitted just how important it was for the Steelmen to bounce back from defeat last week as Motherwell won 2-1 away to Kilmarnock today.

The Irishman lined up in the heart of the Fir Parker’s back three, with Richard Tait and Stevie Hammell flanking the trio in wingback roles, and he played a key role in the victory.

Solid defensively, Carl popped up with his first goal in claret and amber too and spoke to MFC TV at full time.

He said: “It’s a big three points and it was very important that we bounce back from last week.

[pullquote]It’s only one win so it’s nothing to get carried away with and it will take a few more of them to make up for what happened last week, but it’s a start.[/pullquote]

“It’s only one win so it’s nothing to get carried away with and it will take a few more of them to make up for what happened last week, but it’s a start.”

He added: “There were eleven of us on the park today. The back three or back five and Sammy in goals, we all worked so hard throughout the week and we stuck together.

“Everyone makes mistakes throughout the game but we covered each other and had each others backs and we’re going to need plenty more of that for the rest of the season.”

You can watch Carl’s full post match interview and more exclusive content at MFC TV’s official YouTube channel.

Images from today’s 1-2 win over Kilmarnock in the Ladbrokes Premiership at Rugby Park.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

[svgallery name=”kilmarnock040317″]

Caretaker ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson said that he couldn’t have asked for more from the players as Motherwell won 2-1 away to Kilmarnock this afternoon in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

In a dramatic clash at Rugby Park, the Steelmen came from a goal down and survived a penalty miss in the final seconds of the game to pick up all three points.

Speaking to MFC TV at full time, Robinson hailed the work-rate of his players following a difficult week at the club.

He said: “I’m obviously delighted for the football club to get the three points today and get out of the bottom two.

[pullquote]It’s a start, it’s just a start but I couldn’t ask for any more from the players today because you could see they were playing for the club, they were putting their bodies on the line, they implemented a plan that we had worked on all week.[/pullquote]

“It’s a start, it’s just a start but I couldn’t ask for any more from the players today because you could see they were playing for the club, they were putting their bodies on the line, they implemented a plan that we had worked on all week and rightly so because there’s been a lot of criticism and they’ve responded really well.”

It makes it sweeter because it definitely wasn’t a penalty, and I’ve said to the press already that it’s difficult for the referee’s with the game going at 100 miles per hour, but it was justified that they didn’t score from the penalty.

I thought our performance for 60 minutes of the game was very good, when there’s a positivity around the place and they believed in what they were doing, and you can see the outcome.”

You can see Robinson’s full post match interview at MFC TV’s official YouTube channel.

[tab:Match report]

A dramatic encounter at Rugby Park resulted in a hugely important three points for Motherwell in the Ladbrokes Premiership this afternoon.

Carl McHugh and Zak Jules scored their first goals for the Steelmen, who rallied from behind to win 2-1.

The meeting was an important one for two sides led by two interim managers.

Stephen Robinson named three changes for the ‘Well to the side that lost heavily to Dundee by recalling skipper Keith Lasley and the more experienced full-back duo of Stevie Hammell and Richard Tait in place of Joe Chalmers and Jack McMillan.

Kilmarnock were unchanged from their 2-0 victory away to St Johnstone last weekend as Lee McCulloch’s men looked to continue their strong run of form.

The travelling Steelmen started positively when Richard Tait won a freekick in a dangerous area. The fullback swung in the set piece but Killie managed to clear the danger only as far as Lasley, who struck a sweet strike narrowly over the crossbar.

Killie grew in to the match, which became an exciting encounter for the on looking supporters, but neither side could find a breakthrough in the match in the opening 30 minutes.

The home side looked increasingly dangerous from set pieces as their unorthodox approaches proved quite difficult to pick up.

It was a free kick in the 29^th minute which was perhaps the hosts biggest chance, when an unmarked Kris Boyd headed wide of the mark from eight yards.

However, the forward did find the back of the net when he got in behind the ‘Well defence in the 34^th minute and turned the ball neatly beyond Samson and in to the back of the net.

Scott McDonald forced a very good reaction save from Freddie Woodman just minutes before the break, getting on the end of a Hammell cross to turn the ball on goal, but the stopper did well to get down and palm it away from danger.

Robinson acted swiftly at the break and made two changes – replacing Lasley with Ryan Bowman and Hammell for Elliott Frear.

Carl McHugh drew the Steelmen level just five minutes in to the second half when Killie failed to clear from a ‘Well corner. Moult got his head to the initial cross but it was blocked to McHugh eight yards out and the Irishman made no mistake as he thundered home his first goal in claret and amber.

Jordan Jones, who had been a threat down the left for most of the afternoon, nearly put Killie back in front when he side-footed towards goal from a cross from the right, but it was wide of the far post.

Gary Dicker went closer when he powered an unstoppable strike from 25 yards beyond Samson, but the keeper was let off by the crossbar as the ball thundered off the woodwork.

A terrific Motherwell move nearly led to the games third goal as the encounter at Rugby Park surged in to the final 15 minutes.

Zak Jules drove forward from the back before laying the ball off for Tait. The fullback played the ball forward and it was knocked down for Cadden, who played in Moult just outside the box. The forward cleverly let the ball run through his legs for Scott McDonald to step on to and curl a low shot towards goal, but Woodman saved low to his left.

Robinson removed Tait after the defender had a recent lay off through injury and replaced him with David Ferguson.

The Fir Parkers did find the lead though and it was courtesy of yet another player bagging his first goal for the club.

Jules got on the end of Elliott Frear’s freekick and headed past Woodman at the back post to send the travelling ‘Well fans into wild celebration.

Killie won a freekick in a dangerous position with just minutes left on the clock. From 20 yards, but substitute Callum Roberts curled his effort well over the bar.

Just as it seemed the Steelmen would hold on for all three points, Killie won a penalty in the dying seconds of the game when Roberts fell in the box after a clearly fair challenge by Frear.

Boyd stepped up, looking to fire in his 101st goal for Killie, but he smashed it off the post to see the Steelmen leave with all three points!

[tab:As it happened]

 Alastair Reilly at Rugby Park

FT: Kilmarnock 1 – 2 Motherwell
‘Well come from behind to take all three points, surviving a last minute penalty miss by Boyd!!

YESS!!!!!!!!

FULL TIME!!!

90+1′ | 1-2
OFF THE POST!!!!

91′ | 1-2
Penalty to Killie! ‘Well players not happy about that!

88′ | 1-2
Moult brings down Roberts on the edge of the box. Chance here for Killie……..well over the bar!

87′ | 1-2
Now Killie have a corner………headed away by Bowman!

85′ | 1-2
Bowman does excellently to win a free-kick on the byline….Moult tries to run down the clock with it…

77′ | 1-2
Kilmarnock sub, Roberts on for Longstaff

76′ | 1-2
Free-kick is whipped in superbly to the head of JULES who nods past Woodman!!!

GGGOOOAAALL!!!!!!

75′ | 1-1
Motherwell sub, Tait makes way for Ferguson

74′ | 1-1
McDonald forces a good save from Woodman after Moult dummied Cadden’s square ball. Unlucky!

72′ | 1-1
Dicker shoots from distance and clips the top of the bar. Ref gives the corner, unsure who got the touch on it.

68′ | 1-1
Heneghan booked for taking down Jones as he broke away just inside the ‘Well half.

63′ | 1-1
Tait recovers superbly to dispossess Boyd as he was about to pull the trigger

53′ | 1-1
‘Well have came out the traps flying here. Another corner…….this time Killie clear it. COYW!!

50′ | 1-1
It’s 1-1!!!! Moult wins the header and it falls nicely for McHugh who powers it past Woodman!!!!

50′ | 1-0
Frear does well down the left and wins a corner….GGGOOOAAAALLL!!!!

Two changes at half-time, Lasley off for Bowman, Frear on for Hammell

HT: Kilmarnock 1 – 0 Motherwell #KFCvMFC

42′ | 1-0
Chance! Hammell chases a lost cause and crosses to the front post where McDonald’s prodded effort is well saved by Woodman.

32′ | 1-0
Goal – Boyd has been threatening all afternoon and finally breaks the deadlock, getting on the end of a long ball and poking in.

28′ | 0-0
McDonald wins a corner off Ajer…..Woodman gathers Hammell’s delivery

28′ | 0-0
Good chance for Boyd as he comes from deep to meet Taylor’s cross but thankfully its inches wide of the post.

26′ | 0-0
Chance! Moult clips in a ball from the right towards Cadden but he can’t get over it to keep it down, flashes inches over!

23′ | 0-0
Sammon’s cross is headed out for a corner by Heneghan….Boyd’s shot comes crashing back off the bar!

21′ | 0-0
Longstaff breaks away avoiding tackles from Lasley and Pearson, eventually tripped by McHugh. Lasley gets booked.

19′ | 0-0
Ball pings around the Motherwell box and eventually falls to the head of Longstaff 6 yards out but McHugh is on hand to clear.

10′ | 0-0
Taylor whips in a great ball across goal which Jules does well to deal with an knock out for a corner, which comes to nothing

1′ | Tait wins a free-kick in a decent area wide on the right…..ball falls to Lasley on the edge of the box but he fires over the bar.

Lasley gets the game underway at a now sunny Rugby Park. COYW!!!

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell caretaker manager Stephen Robinson:

Kilmarnock caretaker manager Lee McCulloch:

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”313″]

Motherwell Football Club Community Trust, in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire’s Smoking Prevention team, is delivering a tobacco prevention and second hand smoke initiative within a number of primary schools across North Lanarkshire.  

Tobacco prevention sessions will be incorporated into the schools’ existing sports programmes, with a particular focus on Primary 6 and 7 pupils, delivered by MFC Community Trust coaches who have been trained in tobacco prevention and second-hand smoke key messages.

A pre-programme survey has been developed and will be circulated to test attitudes and knowledge of pupils in targeted schools prior to the onset of the initiative.

Each participating school will be given a brief regarding the programme’s overall aims and objectives and the commitment required by the school. The initiative will then be delivered by two experienced community coaches.

The key messages of the programme are:

• Keep Smoke Outdoors

• Smoke Damages Young Lungs

• Smoking Makes You Unfit

• Smokes Damages Pets’ Health

• Smoking is Expensive

• Smoking can affect your appearance and can cause premature wrinkles, makes your breath and hair smell. It can also cling to clothes.

• Smoking makes your teeth yellow

• To be healthy you need to be smoke free!

To find out more, visit www.protectyourkids.scot