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Despite dominating the match for long spells, Motherwell’s reserves were held to a 1-1 draw away to Dunfermline Athletic.

Jordan Armstrong’s first of the season cancelled out Lewis McCann’s opener in a competitive first half.

And although ‘Well went on to control almost all of the second 45, they could not get a crucial second goal as the game ended all square.

Manager Stephen Craigan made four changes to the side that beat Hearts 2-0 last midweek. Barry Maguire, Christian Mbulu, Jamie Semple and David Turnbull dropped out, replaced by Liam Brown, debutant Akeal Rehman, Broque Watson and Ryan Bowman.

Motherwell made a positive start and had the first chance of the match after just four minutes, Pars ‘keeper Cammy Gill saving Ryan Bowman’s attempted bicycle kick.

That was the only real action of an otherwise quite opening to the match, that was until Dunfermline took the lead after 24 minutes.

A Kallum Higginbotham free-kick was only partially cleared, landing at the feet of former Dundee United winger Aidan Connolly. His curling shot was brilliantly palmed away by Peter Morrison, only for Lewis McCann to react first to the rebound, heading home from close distance.

‘Well went immediately on the search for a leveller and within a minute, Broque Watson brought out a good save from Gill who turned his low effort around the post.

Half chances came and went via Neil McLaughin and Kyle MacDonald, before Craigan’s men grabbed a deserved equaliser.

Liam Brown’s corner to the back post found Bowman in acres of space. His header was somehow blocked on the line, only for Armstrong to smash home from a few yards out.

‘Well almost got themselves ahead less than 60 seconds later. Watson’s lung-busting run and cross finding Newell in the box, but his header was straight at Gill who held on.

The visitors started the second half on the front foot and Liam Brown went close to putting the visitors in front. The midfielder arrived late at the back post to connect to a Rehman corner, but his shot went a yard or so wide.

MacDonald had a low shot off target, Jason Krones had a powerful header from a corner drop just wide and McLaughlin saw a close-range shot blocked over for a corner, as the Steelmen went in search of a second goal.

The game had a long pause for the unfortunate Kieran Swanson, the Pars defender falling awkwardly after getting back to block a Watson cross from the right. He was stretchered off and looking in considerable pain – everyone at Motherwell wishes him well.

When the game restarted, Pars had their only real chance of the half.

‘Well shot themselves in the foot, giving it away cheaply in midfield, allowing the hosts to break. When the ball fell was worked out to the right, Connolly cut inside and fired towards goal, but Morrison was equal to it, getting down low and his left hand post to save.

The final chance to win the match came in the dying stages of added on time. A cross from the right looked to be falling perfectly for Jamie Semple, only for the faintest of touches from a Pars defender to knock it off his toe and out for a corner.

Motherwell Football Club have introduced two new para-football teams.

The new teams will provide opportunities for both physical disability and learning disability athletes.

They will play in the PAN Para-Football National League, which is open to individuals aged 16-60.

“This is another part of what Motherwell means to its local community,” Motherwell’s community trust general manager Dawn Middleton said.

“We want to see that every person feels part of this club. Introducing these new teams shows that they too are part of Motherwell Football Club.”

The community trust was initially approached in May this year by James Lawrie who, along with two colleagues from Locality Support Services, had set up a disability football team.

The team has been supported by North Lanarkshire Council and has grown into a large squad of 20 to 25 regular players.

“It’s brilliant to see developments like, especially from a big club like Motherwell,” North Lanarkshire Provost, Councillor Jean Jones, added.

“Working so closely with the local community and the council shows it is a real community team.”

All administration and support will come from Motherwell FC’s community trust, which will provide a coach, strips, access to the minibus and training facilities for the players.

First team players Charles Dunne and Craig Tanner were present at the launch of the two new teams, passing on tips and support to the squad.

“It’s positive for the community,” Dunne said. “If you have a disability, it doesn’t matter. Football is still open to you.”

Some games are just made for our Story of the Match feature.

Here is the tale of our pulsating 3-3 draw with Rangers for you to relive.

Motherwell fans will be located in the Bob Shankly stand at Dens Park on Saturday, 1 September.

Adult tickets are priced at £24, while over 65s and students can get in for £16. Tickets for Under 18s will cost £10.

Juveniles aged under 18 and under 12 who have pre-purchased and arrive unaccompanied will not be permitted to enter the stadium. Similarly, over 18s arriving without children will not be permitted access to the family area of the stand.

Supporters should be aware that if they have purchased a ticket at the concession price, the ticket holder may be required to show proof of age or student status at any time on request from Dundee staff.

Motherwell’s reserve side play their second league fixture of the 2018/19 campaign on Tuesday, as they travel to face Dunfermline Athletic.

Liam Brown, George Newell and Jordan Armstrong speak to preview the match, which comes after the opening day victory over Heart of Midlothian.

Kick off at New Central Park in Kelty is at 2pm.

Peter Hartley scored a last-gasp equaliser as a battling Motherwell took a deserved draw from their match with Rangers.

The Steelmen twice led in the first half but were pegged back, before the defender’s heroics in the final minute made it 3-3.

Motherwell are SWPL2 champions after defeating Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale 5-1 at Peffermill.

The women of steel sealed promotion to the top flight of Scottish women’s football with five games of the season remaining.

Victory over Hutchison Vale was rarely in doubt after from early in an encounter played out in driving rain.

Lauryn Reside replaced Megan Burns in the only change to the ‘Well starting team from last week’s victory over Kilmarnock and she blasted home a wonderful shot from range to put the visitors ahead after only two minutes.

Claire Johnstone in the Motherwell goal made a superb stop to keep the scores level as Hutchison Vale looked for a way back into the game. But they would find themselves 2-0 down on 17 minutes when Hayley Cunningham’s driving running ended with a shot that was parried only as far as Sammy Hare who tapped home from close range.

The hosts would reduce the deficit just before the half hour mark, when Nichola Sturrock’s free-kick was nodded on by Anna Hume and Lucy Brown calmly slotted the ball home.

Four minutes later it took another excellent stop by Johnstone to deny Sturrock an equaliser, but it would be Motherwell who regained their foothold on the match with a third goal.

Kerry Montgomery’s free kick caught the home defence cold and Cunningham slid the ball across the face of goal for Hare to slot the ball into the net.

Reside had a chance to add to her tally early in the second half before Motherwell made it 4-1. Cunningham again was the provider as she found Hare, who spun and unleashed a low drive beyond Charlotte Parker-Smith to complete her hat-trick.

Hare is enjoying a remarkable scoring run and has netted eight times in the last three games, taking her tally to 17 for the campaign.

There were chances for Kirsty McLaughlin and Caitlin Russell as the match drew to a close, before Cunningham completed a superb showing by converting Kaitlyn Canavan’s cut-back.

The final whistle brought scenes of delight among the players and staff, who have all played a huge part in an incredible season.

It was another magnificent display from ‘Well who have led the way in title race from a very early stage, racking up 14 wins and a draw in their last 15 matches and scoring 68 goals in the process.

Promotion to the SWPL presents the opportunity to come up against the top sides in Scotland including Glasgow City, Hibernian and Celtic.

Goal scorers Peter Hartley, Carl McHugh and Danny Johnson were delighted to claim a point against Rangers at Fir Park.

The hosts grabbed a last-minute equaliser and were more than a match for their opponents as they lifted themselves off the foot of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson was full of praise for his side and felt they could have won the match as they drew 3-3 with Rangers.

The Steelmen fought hard against a strong Ibrox side and took a share of the spoils through Peter Hartley’s last-minute equaliser.

An injury time equaliser from captain Peter Hartley earned Motherwell their first point in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

However, after twice taking the lead in the first half through Danny Johnson and Carl McHugh and pressing Rangers for most of the second half Stephen Robinson’s men might claim they deserved all three points.

In a pulsating first half, Steven Gerrard’s new look Gers twice came from behind with a double from Kyle Lafferty and Ovie Ejaria giving them a half time lead.

Allan Campbell and Chris Cadden returned to the midfield as ‘Well chased their first league points off the season.

Following his winner at Livingston last week, Danny Johnson kept his place alongside Curtis Main in the home attack. And it took the former Gateshead striker less than three minutes to open his league account.

Cadden’s long ball had Connor Goldson retreating and when the centre back slipped, Johnson latched on to the bouncing ball to calmly lob it over the advancing Allan McGregor for the perfect start.

Two minutes later it was almost a perfect start for Lafferty but his downward header was saved low in front of his right hand post by Trevor Carson.

Another great cross from Cadden whizzed across the six yard box with Andy Rose just failing to make contact. Minutes later Main’s glancing header sent Johnson in behind and having held off Goldson just failed to chip the ball over McGregor.

With ‘Well looking comfortable, Rangers equalised with a fortunate strike after 15 minutes. Borna Barisic’s cross was headed out of the box and although Lafferty’s drive might have been on target, it posed no real problem for Carson until a wicked deflection off Richard Tait sent the ball away from the ‘keeper and into the corner.

Amazingly it took the Fir Park men only two minutes to restore their lead. Gael Bigirimana, whose delivery from set pieces threatened throughout the game, whipped in terrific free kick. Carl McHugh at the corner of the six yard box then confidently steered his header across the keeper and into the far corner of the net to make it 2-1.

The game was hectic and end to for the next 20 minutes until Rangers and Lafferty produced another equaliser. James Tavernier sent over a tempting cross but the ex Hearts striker leapt unchallenged eight yards from goal to bury a header past Carson.

Three minutes from the end of a fast and entertaining half, the Ibrox side nicked another goal to take the lead. From Motherwell’s corner play raced to the other end where Ejaria collected the ball at the edge of the box. His curling shot appeared to bring out a great save from Carson but the ball spun from his left hand before creeping inside his right hand post.

Motherwell’s response to that set back was to press from the restart and dominate large spells of the second half. After early attempts from Johnson and Tait were blocked inside the six yard box the pressure on the visitor’s goal was incessant – especially after the introduction of Conor Sammon and Elliot Frear for the final 15 minutes.

A succession of corners from Bigirimana kept the pressure on the Rangers’ goal.

Nine minutes from time Hartley climbed high to meet a corner only to power his header narrrowly over the bar. As the clock ticked towards the final minutes another corner found Main and his header back across goal agonisingly raced a couple of inches outside the far post.

As three minutes additional time was signalled ‘Well continued to push for an equaliser and it duly arrived in the final minute. With Rangers desperately defending, yet another Bigirimana corner found Hartley a couple of yards out and he forced the ball over a crowded goal line for a richly deserved equaliser.