Motherwell cruised into the fourth round of the SFA Youth Cup with a 9-0 victory over Burntisland Shipyard.
The Steelmen were comfortably 4-0 ahead at the break against a Burntisland team who were full of endeavour and effort throughout. As they tired, ‘Well added a further five during the second half to complete the scoring.
Stephen Craigan’s side listed two changes to the team that beat Kilmarnock last midweek. Ross MacLean and Luke Watt dropped out, too old to play in the competition, and were replaced by Dylan Falconer and the returning Liam Brown.
‘Well played Cumbernauld Colts at the same stage of the competition last season and struggled to break down the Lowland League side for large spells. Key to that was the failure to grab an early goal, something that Craigan and McManus would’ve drilled in prior to kick off.
There was delight then when after just eight minutes when the Claret and Amber men went ahead, James Scott doing well down the left before sending in a low, whipped cross that the unfortunate Kyle Walls could only turn into his own net.
That gave the Steelmen confidence and they doubled their advantage fourteen minutes later when David Turnbull’s low shot from distance was parried by Craig Richardson, only for Alfredo Agyeman to slot home the rebound.
It was soon three and Turnbull was again the creator, this time sliding in a neat through ball for James Scott on the left channel and he confidently swept the ball past Richardson into the far corner.
Then, just before the interval, Dylan Falconer got in on the act, turning his marker on the edge of the box before sending a stinging low shot through Richardson and into the net.
There was no rest bite for the Shipyard in the second half as within two minutes, ‘Well had made it five.
Ageyman was fouled on the edge of the area, allowing Liam Brown the opportunity to take the kick. He nonchalantly slotted a side-footer past the wall and into the far corner to mark his return with a goal.
It wasn’t long before ‘Well had the ball in the net again, James Scott rising well at the back post to nod in a header despite the best efforts of Richardson in the visitor’s goal to keep it out.
Agyeman bagged his brace after 69 minutes, good work on the left flank by Falconer was rewarded when his pin-point cross found the Italian-Ghanaian striker in acres of space to bullet home a header to make it 7-0.
The roof threaten to cave in for Burntisland when Turnbull got himself a goal just three minutes later to make it eight. Again a free-kick caused all the damage, and the Scotland U19 International was able to take a touch inside the box before flicking a neat header over Richardson.
To their credit, Burntisland regrouped and had a couple of half chances of their own before substitute Cole Starrs rounded off the scoring five minutes from time, the sixteen-year old heading home from close range to grab his first goal for the Under 20s.
Motherwell: Morrison, Bowers, Livingstone, Maguire, Armstrong, MacDonald (Brown – 69mins), Brown (Kettings – 55mins), Turnbull, Falconer, Agyeman, Scott (Starrs – 60mins)
Subs Not Used: Hemfrey, Hastie, King