[tab:Match report]
Phil McGhee at Fir Park
Motherwell crashed out the League Cup after losing 0-2 to Aberdeen in a frustrating night at Fir Park.
Aberdeen were reduced to ten men after just twelve minutes but they held off Motherwell’s domination,to grab two goals in the last seven minutes and take their place in the semi-final draw tomorrow.
The Fir Park side used the extra man advantage fairly well in terms of possession but although they bombarded the Dons’ goal with a series of crosses, Jamie Langfield was well very well protected by a stubborn Dons defence.
Motherwell will feel hard done to though after the match officials ruled out a perfectly good John Sutton goal after just three minutes. Television replays would show it was an extremely poor decision by John Beaton; the Motherwell striker at least a yard onside.
As the game progressed into the latter stages there was a sense, certainly amongst the huge and noisy travelling support, that having absorbed all the pressure that ‘Well would be dealt the sucker punch.
And yet it started so promisingly for the home side. With two changes to the side which lost at Perth, Zaine Francis-Angol taking the wide left berth in place of Iain Vigurs and Henri Anier coming in to partner John Sutton in attack, the home side pressed from the start.
And the Estonian striker almost made an immediate impact sending a shot skidding narrowly past the post within the first two minutes.
A minute later ‘Well looked to have opened the scoring after Ryan Jack rattled a clearance off Stuart Carswell. As the ball rebounded back into the box Sutton lifted it over Langfield and under the ‘keeper’s bar. But as the ‘Well players ran away to celebrate referee John Beaton noticed his assistant’s belated raised flag indicating that Sutton was offside.
The referee was again the centre of attention after 12 minutes. Joe Shaughnessy’s challenge on Francis-Angol was high and, after consulting his other assistant, the Dons’ full back was shown a straight red card.
As Motherwell continued to probe for the opening goal Aberdeen reinforced their defence bringing on Andy Considine for striker Calvin Zola.
That gave the home almost total control from the middle of the park but apart from a couple of Lawson shots which were drilled wide of goal, Langfield was untested.
Having been under the cosh for 40 minutes Dons made their first threat on the home goal when Jonny Hayes’ cross into the 6 yard box forced Gunnar Nielsen into his first save palming the ball out for Shaun Hutchison to boot clear. Then on the stroke of half time, a terrific block from Stephen McManus deflected Niall McGinn’s drive wide of the post.
The second half resumed with ‘Well again pressing towards Langfield’s goal and the Dons were lucky to survive strong appeals for a penalty after Mark Reynolds tripped Anier at the corner of the box.
With Lionel Ainsworth on for Lawson the Dons goalmouth was peppered with crosses from both wings but Langfield remained untested until the hour mark.
Francis-Angol elected for a low cut back in front of the in-rushing Stuart Carswell and his low drive was brilliantly blocked by the ‘keeper.
The Dons though looked content to soak up the pressure and hope for a goal on the break and after 68 minutes Stuart McCall changed his attacking options bringing on Bob McHugh for Anier.
Three minutes later ‘Well came within inches of the opener when Ainsworth’s outswinging corner perfectly met the incoming Hutchison only to see his powerful header thump back off the crossbar.
However, despite watching their side have all the possession, ‘Well fans were rather subdued as the game moved into the final stages while the Dons fans optimistically roared on their players.
And 7 minutes from time the large travelling support was rewarded when Aberdeen grabbed the all important first goal.
McGinn’s low drive forced Neilsen into his first save of the half diving to block low at his post with Vernon’s follow up turned behind for a corner. As the Dons’ rearguard moved up for Hayes’ corner you sensed danger and as the ball curled into a packed 6 yard box Considine leapt highest to nod the ball home.
In injury time, with all bar one ‘Well player in the visitors box for yet another corner, Dons raced to the other end of the park where Hayes rifled a shot high past Nielsen to make sure of their semi-final place.
[tab:As it happened]
Ally Reilly at Fir Park
FT: Motherwell 0 – 2 Aberdeen
92mins: Aberdeen break and make it 2-0
90mins: Corner Motherwell…. Only 2 minutes added on
85mins: Aberdeen change, Robson on for Pawlett
83mins: GOAL! A sickener as Aberdeen go 1 up. Considine the scorer
82mins:: Excellent stop by Nielsen who denies Jack at his front post
80mins: Anderson booked for clattering into Lasley
78mins: Corner to Aberdeen….. McManus clears the danger.
71mins: Hutchy heads off the bar from Ainsworth’s corner!!
67mins: Motherwell sub, Anier off for McHugh
60mins; Great chance! Francis-Angol cuts it back to Carswell who on his left foot can only fire straight at Langfield from 16 yards
58mins: Good spell of pressure. Aberdeen defending well though and clearing each cross as it comes in.
54mins: Corner to ‘Well…..Ainsworth’s delivery headed out for a Motherwell throw
48mins: Carswell booked. Looked frustrated at the penalty shout and hacked down McGinn
47mins: Strong cause for a penalty there as Anier is barged to the ground in the box. Not given!
46mins: And there’s been a change, Ainsworth on for Lawson
46mins: Second half underway!
HT: A largely frustrating first half. ‘Well with the bulk of the ball but no cutting edge against a well organised 10 men
HT: Motherwell 0 – 0 Aberdeen
45mins: Sub just before the whistle for Aberdeen. Vernon on for the injured Robertson.
45mins: Almost a disaster there but McManus gets across to slide clear from McGinn after he dispossessed Hutchinson
45mins: Aberdeen sitting in deep. Difficult to find a way through so Hutchinson drives forward and tries his luck. Well over.
40mins: Third corner of the game for Motherwell….Aberdeen break and Hammell has to scoop McGinn’s cross to safety
36mins: Half chance there for Sutton. Just couldn’t get enough on his header from Ramsden’s ball in and it floats over the bar
32mins: Another corner to ‘Well…..punched away by Langfield
30mins: It’s a set-piece, which saw the ball laid off to Lawson who scuffs his shot harmlessly wide
30mins: First corner of the game goes Motherwelll’s way….
26mins: Hutchinson booked for a crunching tackle, much to Aberdeen’s disgust
20mins: Early change for The Dons, Considine on for Zola
13mins: RED CARD: Shaughnessy walks for a terrible tackle on Francis- Angol!!!!
10mins: Decent start for ‘Well. Had the bulk of the ball, and playing some OK stuff.
4mins: Controversy! Sutton has the ball in the net but while celebrating, ref chalks it off for offside
2mins: Anier hits a shot on the turn from 20 yards which flashes just wide
1min: Quarter final is now underway. #COYW
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:
“I can’t remember being this low and then to go into the dressing room and see the laptop and John Sutton’s goal, which was onside, has just absolutely topped the night off.
“Full credit to Aberdeen, the way they defended with 10 men, they were outstanding.
“I was going to say the difference was we hit the bar from a set play and they scored from a set play but it’s even more galling. Sutton is a foot onside.
“The linesman didn’t put his flag up (initially), the delay was the fourth official telling him it hit (Keith) Lasley but it doesn’t matter who it hits because it’s onside.”
“But St Johnstone deserved their victory.”
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes:
“They have really answered up when the odds were stacked against them. We said to the players at half-time that they needed organisation, guts, character, everything you need to win the game, but the biggest thing was having a belief.
“To go so long with 10 men was always going to be a concern and with Clark going off as well, we only had one defender on the bench.
“It was gutsy, real guts and determination and a bunch of boys determined not to accept anything other than us getting into a semi-final.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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