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Motherwell Under 20s got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Falkirk at a rain-soaked Excelsior Stadium this afternoon.

Dylan Mackin put the Fir Parkers in the driving seat with a goal either side of half time, before Dom Thomas confirmed the win with a 70th minute header.

Falkirk did pull one back shortly after, but it wasn’t enough as the Keith Lasley-led Motherwell comfortably saw out the remainder of the match.

Both teams traded early chances with Kevin O’Hara firing high and wide for the Bairns then, at the other end, Ross MacLean did well to get in behind the visitor’s defence, but his low cross-cum-shot narrowly evaded Mackin and dropped inches wide of the far post.

Dan Twardzik returned to goalkeeping duties for ‘Well and had to look smart to deny Scott Shepperd at his near post after the big striker had fired off a low shot from just inside the box.

Grant fired over before Twardzik had to again make a decent save, getting down low to his right to save well from O’Hara’s header.

With the rain lashing down, both teams struggled to get their foot on the ball.

However, some neat play down the right presented a chance for the Steelmen and when fullback Jack McMillan cut the ball back for Chris Cadden, he scooped a shot high over the bar.

Then, shortly before the interval, the Steelmen got their noses in front and it was a goal of some quality. Cadden did well to win the ball on the right flank, flicking it to Mackin who in turn played in Robbie Leitch who burst clear on the counter.

With Thomas offering on the left, Leitch sent a lovely reverse ball back for Mackin who kept his composure to tuck under Alex Tokarczyk from just inside the box.

That goal came four minutes before the break and four minutes after, the same player doubled his and Motherwell’s tally.

Luke Watt’s pass out to Adam Livingstone allowed the fullback to channel a ball down the left wing. Leitch stepped over it, allowing Livingston to follow his own ball. He put pressure on Ryan Sinnamon who left his back pass short, allowing Mackin to nip in and slot under Tokarczyk for 2-0.

It was almost three just seven minutes later. Thomas watched on as Tokarczyk saved brilliantly from his half volley. When the ball was cleared, ‘Well went immediately on the attack. Allan Campbell eventually slipped in MacLean who finished with aplomb, only for the assistant to rule it out for offside.

Sinnamon had a shot deflected over and ‘Well had to scramble the resulting corner clear, but that was a rare attack for the visitors as Motherwell continued to set the pace before eventually making it 3-0 on the 70th minute.

Cadden capitalised on some slack play and after driving at goal, Tokarczyk saved his low shot with his feet. The ball rebounded out and Dom Thomas gobbled it up, heading the ball into an empty net.

Incredibly, Falkirk scored to pull one back just a minute later. A corner from the right found Tony Gallacher in the box and his downward header was prodded home by O’Hara from almost under the crossbar. With Twardzik off his line and just one defender behind him, the striker looked offside when Gallacher first headed the ball, but there was no salvation from the stand side assistant.

That was the end of the scoring but not the chances. MacLean had a low bouncing shot well held by Tokarczyk and at the other end, the impressive Kyle Johnson went close with a header, but Twardzik did well to catch on the greasy surface.

Then, in the closing seconds, Thomas had another header but sadly, this one drifted wide of target.

Motherwell: Twardzik, McMillan, Maguire, Watt, Livingstone (Hastie – 75mins), Cadden (J.Moore – 85mins), R. Leitch (Scott – 83mins), Campbell, MacLean, Thomas, Mackin

Subs Not Used: Morrison, Turnbull

If you’re looking for ideas, Motherwell FC have the perfect Christmas present for any ‘Well fan in your life.

In the final few moments before a crucial game, footballers face a tense wait as they psyche themselves up for the 90 minutes of battle ahead.

Now the Steelmen have some extra help achieving a winning frame of mind – with a wall of support and memory to inspire players set to be unveiled in the tunnel at Fir Park Stadium.

Amongst other improvements, the plan has seen the drab walls of the current passage leading from the dressing room to the pitch transformed in to a motivational tile mosaic featuring messages of support or memories of fans past and present.

Each white tile is 25x20cm in size and will carry your own personal message or memory (A maximum of four rows, with a 16 character limit per row) and the Motherwell logo, carved in claret for all time.

You’ll also receive your official certificate of authenticity at the point of sale, followed by a letter offering a choice of dates for you to come along and visit the tunnel to see your special message in place.

The price for this memento is just £25.

Contact us on 01698 333333, commercial@motherwellfc.co.uk or buy online now by clicking the link below.

The Under 20s return to SPFL Development League action when they take on Falkirk at the Excelsior Stadium this afternoon (Tuesday).

Stephen Craigan’s men were originally scheduled to play at Forthbank Stadium at 7pm but the pitch has succumbed to the heavy rain and the match has been switched to Excelsior stadium with a 3pm kick-off.

After last week’s free-week, the Steelmen face a side who are in good form, unbeaten in their last four games, drawing the last three.

The Steelmen have ten points, trailing today’s opponents by four points and sit in twelfth position,

Entry to the match is free of charge.

Motherwell FC and the ‘Well Society will host a unique two-part “Q&A night” at Fir Park next week.

The fan forum will give supporters the unique opportunity to engage with representatives from both the football club and the ‘Well Society, including manager Mark McGhee.

The evening, which will take place in the Centenary Suite on Monday 16th November (7pm start), will split into two halves with the first to re-introduce fans to the new boss as our host Tam Cowan, along with help from the audience, quiz the returning gaffer on how he plans to help bring on-field success back to Fir Park.

The second part will give fans and Society members the opportunity to put forward their questions to members of both the football club, via Jim McMahon and Well Society boards about their vision of community ownership at Motherwell FC.

We’ll also have free pies to give away at ‘half-time’ and there will be a special drinks promotion at the bar. Entry to the event is free of charge, admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

To submit any questions you would like to hear answered from either the manager or the ‘Well Society Board, please email us on well.society@motherwellfc.co.uk.

The Well Society is delighted to announce that, in the lead up to our game against Hearts on 28th November at Fir Park, it is working with the Foundation of Hearts to bring you a fan-ownership themed week.

The joint campaign is aimed at promoting the benefits of fan-ownership, encouraging more supporters from each club to get behind their fan groups, helping them drive on towards their targets.

The Well Society Chairman, Brian McCafferty said “The Well Society is delighted to team up with the Foundation of Hearts for a fan-ownership week. We both have similar goals and it makes sense to collaborate with each other on ways to achieve them. Hopefully, sooner rather than later both clubs will be owned and run by the fans and the joint campaign will help in some way to achieve that.”

We are looking for a total of 15 mascots (aged 12 and under), 11 to accompany the Motherwell starting line-up and another four to hold a Well Society banner before the match. The mascots and parent/carer of each child will receive free entry to the game.

To be in with a chance of being involved, just email well.society@motherwellfc.co.uk with your name, age and the name of your favourite player with Mascot Competition in the subject heading.

You also need to be an existing Well Society Junior Steel member to be eligible, for more details on how to join or renew memberships please have your parents/guardian visit www.thewellsociety.co.uk/junior-members/

Entries must be in by Wednesday 18th November.

If we receive more than 15 entries we will randomly draw the names from all entries and announce the winners on our website and social media as well as notifying all winners directly.

Stay tuned on the lead up to the match as we announce more events and promotions that you can get involved in!

Highlights from Fir Park as Louis Moult strikes again but ‘Well lose 1-3 to Inverness CT .

‘Well boss Mark McGhee was left frustrated as his side crashed to a 1-3 home defeat against Inverness Caley Thistle.

It was a hugely exacerbating afternoon with nothing going Motherwell’s way in terms of breaks, chances or even refereeing decisions.

Caley took the lead from the penalty spot through Greg Tansey, who had missed his original kick but was allowed to retake for encroachment.

Miles Storey doubled the lead before the break with a huge deflection wrong-footing goalkeeper Connor Ripley.

Motherwell hit the bar before Iain Vigurs crashed home a stunning third, with the Steelmen scratching their head at how they were trailing by three.

Louis Moult netted his seventh of the campaign to bring Motherwell back in it, but despite creating a raft of chances, most of which ended up in the Cooper Stand, it ended 1-3.

To make matters worse, Stephen McManus picked up a second yellow in the last second, which means he will now be suspended for the trip to Ross County.

[pullquote]“The result is obviously hugely disappointing, it’s not the result I expected or wanted. The game got away from us.[/pullquote]

“I came out of it still finding a lot of good in it,” McGhee said afterwards.

“The result is obviously hugely disappointing, it’s not the result I expected or wanted. The game got away from us.

“I thought the referee had a poor game too, but the referee is our best referee. At some point he is going to have his worst game. We have our worst game sometimes and today I thought he had his.

“You can argue all you like about the penalty, it hit his arm but he’s not looking at the ball. I don’t know, maybe it is a penalty?

“As far as following into the box, if you watch any penalty tonight on the TV, every single one would look the same. People will be following in.

“I imagine I’ve seen it before but I’ve not seen it for a long, long time that I can remember where the referee made them take it again because somebody stepped in. People do it.”

Action images from today’s 1-3 defeat to Inverness CT in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix.

[svgallery name=”ICT0711115″]

[tab:Match report]

 Phil McGhee Fir Park

Motherwell slipped to a hugely frustrating 1-3 defeat at the hands of Inverness Caley Thistle at Fir Park this afternoon.

Despite the eventual scoreline, there was little between the teams. However, a twice taken penalty from Greg Tansey and a deflected shot from Miles Storey just before the interval, gave John Hughes’ men a fortunate two goal lead which ‘Well never recovered from.

When Iain Vigurs volleyed home a superb third soon after the break, the home side might have given it up as a bad day. But after Louis Moult pulled one back ‘Well pushed on for the final 30 minutes without adding to their score.

After coming off the bench to snatch the late winner last week, Moult was given a start, partnering Scott McDonald up front, in an otherwise unchanged Motherwell side.
After Ryan Christie had curled an effort beyond Connor Ripley’s goal the Motherwell front two combined. But after Moult’s head-flick had sent McDonald racing through he failed to find his partner at the edge of the box and the early chance was gone.

The open start to the game turned Caley Thistle’s way after eleven minutes with a couple of interventions from Craig Thomson. Firstly the referee harshly adjudged Stephen McManus to handle a high ball in the penalty box, despite the defender facing the other way and appearing to be pushed in the back.

However, after the ‘Well captain protested that it wasn’t deliberate, Ripley brilliantly saved Greg Tansey’s low struck penalty. As Josh Law raced in to clear the rebound the referee awarded a retake for encroachment. Despite the boos from the home crowd, Tansey kept his composure to slam home his second attempt and give the visitors a fortunate lead.

Fuelled by a sense of injustice, ‘Well pressed towards the Inverness goal for the remainder of the half.

Moult was first to force a save from Owain Fon Williams but his header from Lionel Ainsworth’s free kick was straight at the ‘keeper.

Marvin Johnson then latched onto McDonald’s through ball only to sweep the ball over the bar before Joe Chalmers’ deflected effort was held by the ‘keeper.

Midway through the half, and with most of the action in and around the Caley box, Ainworth’s attempt rebounded to Josh Law but his sweetly struck shot was just too high. Moult, from just beyond the back post. also failed to hit the target from Johnson’s in-swinging cross.

Having pushed hard for the equaliser, the home side was hit by a sucker punch just before the break.

There appeared little danger at the corner of the box when Miles Storey curled a shot towards goal but a big deflection carried the ball the other way, wrong-footed Ripley and give Inverness a 2-0 lead.

The Highlander’s luck continued moments later when Liam Grimshaw’s 20-yard drive smacked off the face of the cross bar.

If Thistle’s first half goals carried an element of fortune, the third eight minutes into the second was sensational.

There was a touch of irony, though, as Vigurs who was brought to Fir Park on the strength of his cultured left foot, unleashed a stunning volley which raced high into the net from the edge of the box, to extend the lead over his former club.

To their credit the ‘Well players refused to buckle and five minutes later pulled a goal back. Ainsworth delivered another tempting cross beyond the back post and this time Moult slid in to squeeze the ball into the net off the ‘keeper to claim his fifth league goal of the season.

Motherwell patiently tried to build on that goal for the last 30 minutes and created a chances but without really testing Fon Williams.

An exchange of passes which started with Stephen Pearson and ended with the midfielder’s powerful drive over the bar raised hopes of a dramatic fightback but ‘Well couldn’t find a way past a solid and well drilled ICT defence.

In the final minute of injury time the referee compounded ‘Well’s miserable afternoon when he showed McManus a second yellow for an innocuous looking challenge on Caley sub Dani Lopez.

[tab:As it happened]

 Ally Reilly at Fir Park

 FT’ | 1-3

Motherwell 1 – 3 Inverness CT

94′ | 1-3
Red card: Lopez goes down clutching his face and gets McManus a second yellow

90′ | 1-3
Four minutes added on.

79′ | 1-3
ICT sub, Wedderburn on for Vigurs.

78′ | 1-3
Motherwell sub, Robinson on for Johnson

77′ | 1-3
Bit of ping pong in the ICT box which falls to Fletcher 12 yards out but he can’t make a clean connection and the chance is gone.

71′ | 1-3
ICT sub, Warren on for Storey

69′ | 1-3
Motherwell sub, Fletcher on for McDonald

67′ | 1-3
Great play by Pearson as he drives forward and gets into the box but can’t keep his shot under the bar!

64′ | 1-3
McManus booked for a heavy but fair challenge.

60′ | 1-3
Very nearly 2 there as Ainsworth gets a shot away at the back post but it is knocked wide for a corner!

58′ | 1-3
GOAL! Moult pulls one back, sneaking in at the back post to poke home Ainsworth’s cross

55′ | 0-3
Kennedy booked for a clumsy looking foul on Lopez

53′ | 0-3
Goal – Iain Vigurs volleys home a corner kick in spectacular fashion.

51′ | 0-2
Booking for Devine as he clatters into Moult on the half way line.

47′ | 0-2
Meekings hauls down Moult in the box. Strong penalty claims but ref not interested!!

Second half is underway. COYW!!!

HT: Motherwell 0 – 2 Inverness CT

45+ 2′ | 0-2
4 minutes added on

45′ | 0-2
Goal – Storey’s shot from the edge of the box is deflected past Ripley to give ICT a two goal lead

42′ | 0-1
ICT go close as Lopez heads Storey’s cross wide of the post.

39′ | 0-1
ICT sub, Christie limps off for Lopez

36′ | 0-1
Pause in play as Christie lands awkwardly. Looks a sore one.

25′ | 0-0
McDonald absolutely clattered by Devine as he rose to head but ref gives nothing. Not even a check on the Aussie….

23′ | 0-1
Ainsworth gets into the box but his shot is blocked and falls to Law who drills inches over the bar from 18 yards!

22′ | 0-1
Great ball in by Johnson finds Moult at the back stick but he can’t get his header on target. Great chance!

18′ | 0-1
Vigurs booked for a foul on Moult as he broke away.

16′ | 0-1
Free-kick is floated into the box by Johnson to the head of Moult but his header is straight at Fon Williams

12′ | 0-1
Goal – This time Tansey sticks it away. 1-0 to Caley.

11′ | 0-0
Penalty is saved but referee orders a retake!!

11′ | 0-0
ICT penalty as the ball is cannoned off McManus’ hand with him looking in the opposite direction. Deliberate?

8′ | 0-0
Loose ball is collected by Pearson about 25 yards out. He shoots but it flies well wide and over.

6′ | 0-0
ICT looking dangerous as Christie twists and turns past the defence and gets a shot away. Not a bad effort but goes wide.

Storey and Christie get the action underway. COYW!!

Out come the teams at an overcast Fir Park. Flood lights are already on….

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:

Coming Soon…

Inverness CT manager John Hughes:

Coming Soon…

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

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Defender Stephen McManus says there’s an air of familiarity about working with new boss Mark McGhee.

The 33-year-old enjoyed some of the best years of his career under current Scotland boss Gordon Strachan when he was at Parkhead and Middlesbrough.

He now finds himself working with Strachan’s national team assistant after McGhee took the Fir Park hot seat several weeks ago.

And McManus sees major parallels between the two close friends in the way they manage.

He said: “There are similarities in a lot of drills. The manager puts his own slant on them but for some of us it’s like putting the clock back seven years.

[pullquote]I can totally see the similarities between Gordon and Mark. They are very humble. They work extremely hard. They put a lot of trust and belief in the players and it’s up to the players to maintain that trust by working as hard as they possibly can and doing whatever they are asking you to do.[/pullquote]

“It has been great. The reason Gordon brought Stuart McCall and Mark McGhee in as his backroom staff is because they are very good at what they do but they also are good people. Good people surround themselves with good people.

“I can totally see the similarities between Gordon and Mark. They are very humble.

“They work extremely hard. They put a lot of trust and belief in the players and it’s up to the players to maintain that trust by working as hard as they possibly can and doing whatever they are asking you to do.”