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  • Archive

    Bowman: I feel up to speed

  • Archive

    Craigan: We worked hard

  • Archive

    Motherwell U20s 1 – 0 Celtic U20s

  • Archive

    Birthday in a Box

  • Archive

    Made in Motherwell: Jamie Murphy

  • Archive

    U20s face Celtic

  • Archive

    TV: Highlights from Fir Park

  • Archive

    McGhee: I take responsibility

  • Archive

    Dundee defeat in pictures

  • Archive

    Motherwell 1 – 5 Dundee

  • Archive

    Bowman: I feel up to speed

    Striker Ryan Bowman said he feels “up to speed” after scoring the winning goal as Motherwell beat Celtic 1-0 in the Development League tonight.

    And MFC TV caught up with the Englishman, who bagged his first goal for McGhee’s side earlier this month.

    Bowman said: “I feel really good considering I haven’t played for a while. Fitness wise I felt up to speed and it’s always nice to get a goal.

    [pullquote]I feel really good considering I haven’t played for a while. Fitness wise I felt up to speed and it’s always nice to get a goal.[/pullquote]

    “I got my first goal for the first team away to Aberdeen, it wasn’t nice getting beat but a goal’s a goal and I’m just happy to get more minutes and more game time and obviously the goal too.”

    He added: “As a striker, obviously if you score goals it’s going to give you confidence and it was good for James McFadden the assistant manager and Stephen Robinson to be here.

    “The main thing is getting the minutes and the three points too.”

     

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    Craigan: We worked hard

    U20s boss Stephen Craigan hailed his sides work ethic as they beat Celtic under 20s 1-0 in the Development League tonight.

    A penalty from Ryan Bowman secured the points for the Steelmen, but Craigan admitted that the hard work of the team impressed him.

    Speaking to MFC TV at full time, the Northern Irishman said: “When you play against good sides you know it’s going to be tough work, they deal with the ball very well, they move the ball and they’re good in one-on-one situations.

    “Coming in to tonight’s game the message was ‘you’ll have to look after your own performance’.

    [pullquote]It was more about the work ethic first and foremost and because we only played Celtic three of four weeks ago it was fresh in our minds about how to go about it.[/pullquote]

    “It was more about the work ethic first and foremost and because we only played Celtic three of four weeks ago it was fresh in our minds about how to go about it.”

    He added: “The intensity was better, we squeezed the game better, particularly in the first half.

    “It also sets a little marker down that when you play against good sides you have to close the gap and it’s a little taster before the cup game in April too.”

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    Motherwell U20s 1 – 0 Celtic U20s

    Motherwell under 20s returned to winning ways tonight with a hard fought performance against Celtic at the Excelsior Stadium.

    A Ryan Bowman penalty and a sturdy defensive showing secured all three points for the Steelmen, who moved to within two points of league leaders Hibernian.

    Stephen Craigan called upon senior players Ryan Bowman, Elliott Frear and David Ferguson as the under 20s looked to end a poor run of form.

    However, an in form Celtic side presented a tough task for the Steelmen, who narrowly lost the last time to two sides met earlier this month.

    Celtic were the side perhaps just on top for the opening 30 minutes, edging possession and having more efforts on goal than their claret and amber opponents, but it remained goalless.

    Michael Johnston and Theodore Archibald looked lively down either flank, with January signing Kouassi Eboue in the middle of the park for the Hoops.

    Oliver Pain didn’t have many saves to make, but was nearly undone by a powerful low strike from Johnston, which thundered back off the stoppers near post.

    He was then saved by full back Adam Livingstone, who cleared centre back Sam Wardrop’s goal bound header off the line following a corner.

    Motherwell had a couple of half chances, perhaps the best of those arriving at the feet of Shea Gordon, who couldn’t quite escape his marker to break through one on one and was eventually closed down by the onrushing Conor Hazard in the Celtic goal.

    The second half got off to a better start for the onlooking ‘Well fans when Elliott Frear collected the ball on the right flank, cut inside and danced past Calvin Miller only to be tripped in the process. Referee Calum Haswell pointed to the spot immediately.

    Bowman stepped up and made no mistake, lifting his penalty high and hard down the middle past the helpless Hazard to give the Steelmen the lead.

    Frear looked lively and ten minutes later picked the ball up centrally, skipped past his man and couldn’t get his shot away thanks to a cynical trip. The referee somehow didn’t give the freekick, but Bowman rushed in to collect the loose ball, turned neatly and struck a ferocious strike at goal but it was right at Hazard who could only palm it away.

    With a yellow card to his name and the likelihood of him picking up a second increasing, Hastie was replaced by Jordan Armstrong in the 70th minute.

    Celtic substitute Josh Kerr nearly levelled from four yards when he got on the end of a cross. But Pain managed to produce an outstanding reaction save to deny the visitors a levelling goal.

    Midfielder Conor McManus got on the end of a corner in the 82nd minute, but his glancing effort flashed across the face of goal and out for a goalkick.

    The Steelmen held on though and secured all three points thanks to a strong defensive performance and a Ryan Bowman penalty.

     

    Motherwell U20s: Pain, Fry, Livingstone, Maguire, Ferguson, Campbell, Frear, Turnbull, Bowman (Mackin, ’80), Hastie (Armstrong, ’70), Gordon

    Unused subs: Pettigrew, Scott, Agyeman, Rintoul

  • Archive

    Birthday in a Box


    Everyone knows somebody who has a birthday coming up soon, so why not celebrate at Fir Park with friends, family or even your Sunday football team?

    Party packages have already proved popular and our recent guests even got to meet some of the ‘Well players!

    Match tickets are included in all our box packages so contact us now to celebrate a special day and ask us how we can tailor your Birthday in a Box.

    Email hospitality@motherwellfc.co.uk or call 01698 333 333

  • Archive

    Made in Motherwell: Jamie Murphy

    One of the more recent success stories to have come through the Motherwell youth set up is Jamie Murphy, now on the cusp of both top flight football in England with Brighton and Hove Albion and international football with Scotland.

    The former Knightswood Secondary School pupil was involved in Motherwell’s youth sides before he had even reached his teens and would go on to make the full journey to the Steelmen’s first team.

    Given  his debut by Maurice Malpas in April 2006 as a substitute against Celtic at Parkhead, by quirk of fate Jamie’s final game in claret and amber was also against Celtic at that very same venue.

    In the intervening period Jamie would make more than 200 appearances for ‘Well, represent his country up to U21 level and become the club’s record European goalscorer.

    Murphy’s first Motherwell goal came in the final game of the 2007’08 campaign, a penalty against Hibernian at Easter Road and would be the first of many memorable strikes.

    A hat-trick against Albanians Flamurtari in the Europa League continues to live long in the memory with one of his finest goals reserved for the National Stadium where his surging run and shot helped Motherwell comfortably see off St Johnstone to reach the 2011 Scottish Cup Final.

    Equally adept at playing as an attacking left-winger or more centrally Jamie moved to Sheffield Utd for a reported £100,000 fee (with add ons) taking his leave on an emotional afternoon at Celtic Park in early January 2013.

    Taking a little time to settle in Yorkshire Jamie would spend two-and-half years in League One with the Blades, before making the progression to the Championship.

    Signed by Brighton in August 2015 he has become an integral part of a Seagulls outfit pushing hard for promotion to the English Premier League.

    With Gordon Strachan shortly to announce his first Scotland squads of 2017 it seems only a matter of time before Murphy,who was a non-playing member of the squad for the 2016 friendly matches against Denmark and the Czech Republic, will earn that elusive first cap for Scotland.

  • Archive

    U20s face Celtic

    Motherwell U20s face Celtic tomorrow night in the Development League as they look to bounce back to winning ways.

    The Steelmen lost 3-2 away to Dunfermline last week, meaning the youngsters have now lost three of their last four matches.

    It leaves Stephen Craigan’s side five points adrift of leaders Hibernian, and joint on points with Hamilton Accies and tomorrow’s opponents Celtic.

    Craigan may have a few senior players to pick from, including the in-form Jacob Blyth, who has three goals in his last three under 20s games.

    The game kicks off tomorrow at 6pm at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie.

  • Archive

    TV: Highlights from Fir Park

    Highlights from Fir Park as Motherwell lose 1-5 to Dundee.

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    McGhee: I take responsibility

    ‘Well boss Mark McGhee took full responsibility as his side lost 5-1 against Dundee this afternoon.

    A disastrous first half left the Steelmen with a mountain to climb and McGhee feeling “disappointed and surprised” having prepared with his squad for such an important game.

    Speaking to MFC TV at full time, the manager expressed his feelings.

    [pullquote]It was a surprise and obviously a disappointment, but what can you say? These are the players we had available, I signed most of these players, so I do take responsibilty.[/pullquote]

    He said: “We put out a back four that was a little bit improvised obviously with Tait, McManus and Hammell out, our most experienced defenders, which, in the end, cost us.

    “The back four that started didn’t cope with their physicality – particularly Haber – who I felt every time the ball went in the box they were going to score and most of the time they did.”

    He added: “It was a surprise and obviously a disappointment, but what can you say? These are the players we had available, I signed most of these players, so I do take responsibilty.”

    MFC TV

  • Archive

    Dundee defeat in pictures

    Images from today’s 1-5 loss to Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership at Fir Park.

    Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

    [svgallery name=”dundee250217″]

  • Archive

    Motherwell 1 – 5 Dundee

    [tab:Match report]

    Phil McGhee at Fir Park

    Motherwell slumped to a painful defeat as they lost 5-1 to Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership this afternoon. 

    A young home defence was cruelly exposed by a clinical Dundee who netted five times from five shots on target in a horrendous first half for ‘Well fans. And although Louis Moult equalised midway through the half, slack defending had the points heading to Tayside before the half-time whistle.

    Without Richard Tait and the vastly experienced left sided defensive pairing of Stephen McManus and Stevie Hammell, Zak Jules lined up alongside Ben Heneghan. But it was an unfortunate home start for the Reading defender when within six minutes he back-headed a harmless looking ball over the advancing Craig Samson to give Dundee the lead.

    Motherwell’s response was a dipping drive from Scott McDonald and a Chris Cadden cross which just evaded Louis Moult.

    However, ‘Well’s leading scorer was on target in the 22nd minute to claim his 13th goal of the season. Joe Chalmer’s floated free kick towards the edge of the box was nodded on by Heneghan’s to Moult, and at the second attempt he steered the ball beyond Scott Bain for the equaliser.

    While ‘Well fans anticipated that the home side would build on that goal, a savage seven minutes presented Dundee with three goals and effectively killed the game.

    In the 27th minute Marcus Haber was given space to turn six yards from goal and drive the ball home. Three minutes later the ‘Well defence was again exposed on the  left as Mark O’Hara steered his angled drive beyond Samson to make it 1-3.

    Dundee quickly made it four, when Craig Wighton unmarked eight yards in front of goal, drilled the ball through a packed six yard box.

    As the half-time whistle loomed and the Fir Park faithful thought the first half couldn’t get any worse, the Dens men grabbed a fifth.

    Wighton’s free kick was aimed to the far post where Haber headed the ball back across Samson and make it 5-1.

    Not unexpectedly ‘Well made a determined start to the second half and a slick move played in Craig Clay but his powerful angled drive was forced away by Bain.

    Samson produced his first save of the game on the hour to deny former Fir Park favourite Henrik Ojamaa.

    Seven minutes later, Clay was denied at the other end, powering his way into the box only to see his parting shot blocked by Bain’s boot.

    ‘Well’s day was summed up in the 76th minute when Elliot Frear whipped in a low ball across goal  which Darren O’Dea sliced off his own post and behind for a corner.

    There was not even a consolation goal in the final minute for the hardworking Clay when his goal bound shot was booted off the line by Cammy Kerr.

     

    [tab:As it happened]

     Alastair Reilly at Fir Park

    FT: Motherwell 1 – 5 Dundee

    83′ | 1-5

    Dundee sub, Ojamaa off for Hateley

    MATCH ATTAX | Young ‘Well fans can vote now for their Man of the Match. Tweet your name, age, choice and #MatchAttaxMOTM.

    76′ | 1-5
    Frear’s low ball into the box is turned off the woodwork by O’Dea. Corner.

    67′ | 1-5
    Good chance for Clay as he gets on the end of a lay-off but Bain saves with his feet

    63′ | 1-5
    Dundee sub, Williams on for O’Hara

    61′ | 1-5
    Motherwell sub, Chalmers off for Frear

    59′ | 1-5
    Nice bit of play gets Clay in behind but Bain does well to beat his shot away.

    Dundee get the second 45 underway.

    HT: Motherwell 1 – 5 Dundee

    45′ | 1-5
    Goal – Haber rises highest at the back post to head in.

    35′ | 1-4
    Goal – It’s 1-4. Dundee looking dangerous with every attack and this time Wighton fires home a loose ball.

    32′ | 1-3
    Ball breaks to Pearson inside the box but his shot deflects to Clay whose shot is also deflected to safety.

    31′ | 1-3
    Goal – O’Hara makes it 3. Gets too much space down the right and makes no mistake with his finish. ‘Well with a mountain to climb

    26′ | 1-2
    Goal – Haber puts Dundee 1-2 up. Took the ball on his chest, turned his man and volleyed past Samson.

    21′ | 1-1
    Free-kick floated into the area which is nodded down by Heneghan to MOULT who fires it past Bain!!!

    GGOOOAAALL!!

    19′ | 0-1
    So close! McDonald plays in Cadden who flashes a great cross along the face of goal but Pearson can’t quite get on the end of it.

    6′ | 0-1
    Goal – Jules tries to get on the end of a long hopeful ball but ends up heading into his own net.

    1′ | 0-0
    Chance! Cadden gets down the right but his cross floats inches over the bar.

    McDonald gets the game underway. COYW!!

    [tab:Reaction]

    Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:

     

    Dundee manager Paul Hartley:

     

    [tab:Man-of-the-match]

    [poll id=”312″]