The Under 20s followed in the footsteps of the first-team counterparts, recording a well-deserved win over Hamilton tonight.
A Ross MacLean brace either side of a goal from Ronan Hughes was enough for Stephen Craigan’s side, who claimed their second consecutive league win after overcoming Dundee United 3-0 last week and moved into second in the Development League table.
It was ultimately a moment of class from MacLean that secured the win, during a quiet encounter at the SuperSeal stadium.
Luka Belić made his first appearance in Claret and Amber since his summer loan switch from West Ham. Lee Lucas was also in the starting line-up for Stephen Craigan, who was looking to build consistency from his side’s victory over Dundee United last week.
The Welsh midfielder replaced David Turnbull who was one of the two changes from the side that won 3-0 at the Excelsior stadium six days ago.
In-form forward Dylan Mackin led the line and midway through the first half the game came alive thanks to the striker.
A long ball over the top looked certain to run through to Hamilton keeper Robbie Thomson, but he retreated back in to goal allowing Mackin the opportunity to rush on to collect. Keeping his composure, the big centre-forward looked up and fed a perfect ball across goal for MacLean to rush in and tap home.
Hamilton’s Sean McKirdy was forced to leave the field after suffering a painful knock, he was replaced by Jamie Boyd.
In an otherwise quiet half, the Fir Parkers went close to doubling their lead with a couple of minutes left in the opening 45. From a free-kick in a dangerous position, won after Accies trialist handled the ball, Dom Thomas curled an effort agonisingly wide of the far post.
The second half started brightly for the youngsters, with Lucas playing a brilliant through ball in to the path of Mackin, who looked to replicate his pass for the first goal, but it was just narrowly beyond Tom Fry at the back post.
Looking to add to his first, MacLean then cut in from the right flank and attempted to strike at goal from outside the box, but his left footed effort rose over the bar.
A few minutes later, Hamilton’s Lewis Ferguson struck narrowly over the bar from range and down the opposite end the Steelmen won a corner. From the resulting delivery, Mackin headed narrowly wide from eight yards. It was a great chance for the striker to double his sides lead.
The home side did eventually level through Ronan Hughes who got the faintest of touches on a delivery into the box to head bundle home from close range..
However, with just under fifteen minutes remaining, the game changed as the hosts were reduced to ten men. Lewis Ferguson was shown a straight red card for a lunging challenge on Fry, with the player having few complaints as he was given his marching orders.
Sub Turnbull tested Thomson in the 80th minute, curling a left-footed shot towards the bottom corner after being played in by MacLean, but the keeper gathered comfortably after the youngster couldn’t get quite enough behind it.
Craigan’s side could smell blood and thought they had the second when Mackin’s low shot was somehow blocked off the line before being gathered gratefully by Thomson.
However, with seven minutes left, Hamilton’s resistance was shattered thanks to some brilliant play from MacLean.
The number seven rushed down the right-wing, playing a neat one-two with Turnbull before curling a beautiful shot into the far corner; a real moment of brilliance which looked set to gift Craigan’s side with all three points.
The manager then made a couple of changes over the minutes that followed, with Mackin being replaced by Falconer and Hastie coming on for Lucas.
And it didn’t take long for young Falconer to get involved, beating two men down the left before being hacked to the ground to win a free-kick. The delivery from Fry was just over-hit and went out for a goal kick.
It was the last real action of the game, as the Steelmen Under 20s ran out victors for the second consecutive match in South Lanarkshire.
Motherwell: Morrison, Lucas (Hastie – 84mins), McMillan, Maguire, Ferguson, Campbell, MacLean, Belić (Turnbull – 46mins), Mackin (Falconer – 83mins), Thomas, Fry
Subs Not Used: Trialist, Scott, Livingstone