The Under 20s made it three wins on the bounce and went top of the Development League after beating Kilmarnock 1-0 tonight.
A second half goal from striker Dylan Mackin was enough for Stephen Craigan’s side on a night where they dominated the match for long spells but were holding on towards the end of the match and could have been punished for several missed chances.
Experienced James McFadden and Dean Brill were named in the starting eleven and youngster Jake Hastie was awarded a start too. The winger looked the most dangerous going forward too, terrorising Killie right-back Queen.
The youngsters got off to a bright start when Ross McLean found himself free down the right hand side, he looked up and played a dangerous low ball across goal into the path of McFadden, but the experienced star couldn’t quite get on the end of it.
Minutes later and McFadden had the ball in the back of the net, only for the linesman to chalk it off for offside. It came from a brilliant Dylan Mackin delivery towards the far post, with the former Scotland striker rising up to head towards goal, crashing off the post before ending up in the back of the Kilmarnock goalkeeper.
Despite all of the Steelmen’s chances and possession of the ball, the game was still goalless after 20 minutes when Craigan’s side won the first corner of the match.
Allan Campbell’s delivery went all the way to the back post where Hastie was lurking, but the young winger couldn’t make the right connection with it and scuffed it towards goal where it was cleared.
Just before the half hour mark, ‘Well were denied by a good save after Mackin turned one towards goal from a brilliant bit of play and cross from Hastie out on the left flank. Lyle save fell to the feet of McFadden who from a tight angle missed the target.
Brill’s first save to make arrived in the 30th minute, when a long range strike from Lewis Morrison was straight at the Englishman, who gathered with ease.
Jack McMillan did well to block an effort on goal but it came at the expense of a corner and from the following delivery, Morrison got on the end of the cross but his strike looped well over the bar and Brill remained untested.
Five minutes later, Ross MacLean dinked a brilliant ball over the Killie defence to Hastie who managed to find McFadden. The ex-Everton man juggled the ball as he worked his way through the defence towards goal. Despite being hacked at, the 33-year old stayed on his feet and got the shot away, but Lyle saved.
Just minutes later and the visitors survived again, this time Aidan Wilson did well to get his foot on MacLean’s effort to turn it over the bar and keep the score at 0-0 going in to the half time break.
As the second half got underway, Mackin was afforded a glorious chance to give Craigan’s side the lead, rising highest to head towards goal from a corner, but he missed the target.
McFadden went closer just a minute later when he got on the end of Tom Fry’s cross to head at goal, but Lyle did brilliantly well to tip it over the bar.
But just ten minutes in to the half, ‘Well took the lead and it was thanks top scorer Mackin who again netted. A great ball across the face of goal from Hastie allowed the striker the opportunity, and he made no mistake from six yards.
Just after the hour mark, Kilmarnock made two changes as Lidington and Queen made way for McLevy an d Wylie. And It wasn’t long after the substitutions that Killie tested Brill, forcing the Englishman’s first real save of the match. McLean cut on to his left and hit a good effort on goal, with the Motherwell stopper doing well to tip it over the crossbar.
James McFadden was replaced by Dylan Falconer on the 66th minute and the club legend received a good reception from the crowd as he left the field of play. With fifteen minute remaining, Craigan made another change, replacing Jake Hastie with Jordan Armstrong to allow Allan Campbell to move into the middle of the park as the manager looked to see out the remainder of the match by bringing the composed midfielder into his natural central role.
Kilmarnock responded immediately with a substitute of their own, replacing Dempsie with Cameron.
Motherwell looked to be hanging on to the lead with just over five minutes remaining and Kilmarnock failing to test Brill and it could have been two when Mackin picked up the ball from Falconer on the edge of the box, but the striker’s effort went wide of the mark.
Kilmarnock squandered a very good chance to equalise in the dying minutes of the game when substitute Cameron passed wide when he was through on goal and in truth he should have done much better.
But there were no complaints from Motherwell as the referee blew the final whistle and Craigan’s U20s recorded their third straight victory to move top of the Development league table.
Motherwell: Brill, Campbell, McMillan, Maguire, Ferguson, Turnbull, MacLean (Scott – 88mins), McFadden (Falconer – 67mins), Mackin, Hastie (Armstrong – 76mins), Fry
Subs Not Used: Morrison, Scott, Falconer, Armstrong, Livingstone