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  • First team

    Motherwell 1-2 Hibernian

  • First team

    Kaiyne Woolery: “A win would build momentum”

  • First team

    Graham Alexander previews quarter-final

  • Reserves & Under 18s

    Motherwell duo in Scotland’s Under 17s

  • Women

    Hibernian next in SWPL1

  • First team

    Next up: Hibernian

  • Club

    SRB: Make the most of this year’s tax allowances

  • Women

    Shaping Motherwell Women for the future

  • Women

    Positives to take in Glasgow City defeat in SWPL1

  • First team

    Manager reacts to draw with Dundee

  • First team

    Motherwell 1-2 Hibernian

    Motherwell 1-2 Hibernian

    Motherwell crashed out of the Scottish Cup at the quarter-final stage after failing to overcome a two-goal deficit against Hibernian.

    The home side’s odds of progressing to the semi-finals increased dramatically within the first minute after Bevis Mugabi’s wreckless lunge gave the Steelmen a challenge they fought hard to overcome.

    Then a first-half double from Norweigan striker Elias Melkersen’s looked certain to allow Hibs to comfortably claim a semi-final spot at ‘Well’s expense for the second consecutive season.

    However, Joe Efford’s opportunist goal just before half-time set the scene for a stirring second half from the Steelmen. But despite commanding most of the second period Motherwell failed to find a second goal as Hibs, despite having a one-man advantage for so long, desperately held on for the narrowest of wins.

    Graham Alexander once again made numerous changes to his starting line-up for this quarter-final tie.

    In came Mugabi at right-back, with Dean Cornelius and Nathan McGinley joining Liam Donnelly in midfield. Joe Efford and Kevin van Veen were partnered up front with Jordan Roberts taking Kaiyne Woolery’s place.

    With both teams finding goals and wins hard to come by in 2022, the lure of a Scottish Cup semi-final place was seen as an ideal opportunity to kick start their respective seasons.

    There was a terrific cup atmosphere with just over 8,000 fans inside Fir Park for this midday clash.

    Hibs had barely kicked off facing a massive travelling support when Motherwell were reduced to 10 men. Mugabi’s high tackle on Josh Doig left Willie Collum with no option but to reach for his red card with less than 60 seconds played.

    Five minutes later Roberts’ late challenge earned him a yellow card as tempers on both sides threatened to spill over.

    Hibs came close to using their extra man advantage after nine minutes when only a superb left-handed save from Liam Kelly prevented Drey Wright from opening the scoring.

    A minute later the referee was back in his top pocket again this time to show Melkerson a yellow card.

    Motherwell seemed undaunted by the loss of Mugabi and Van Veen forced two corners as the home support rallied behind their depleted team.

    And from the second corner into a packed box ‘Well almost snatched the lead. But after Juhani Ojala’s shot was parried by Matt Macey, Roberts failed to connect with the loose ball inside the six-yard box.

    However, it was the Easter Road mem who made the breakthrough after 15 minutes. Sylvester Jasper worked his way into the box on the right and his cross picked out Melkerson whose header from four yards flashed past Kelly. That gave Shaun Maloney’s men and the Hibs fans behind Kelly’s goal a huge boost.

    It took another good save from Kelly in the 31st minute when Jasper’s cross from the left eluded everyone forcing the ‘Well keeper to dive low to his left and smother the ball.

    The Fir Park ‘keeper was beaten five minutes later when Hibs doubled their lead and should have effectively killed the tie.

    On-loan Fulham midfielder Jasper was again the provider with a measured lofted pass over the struggling Ojala and into Melkersen’s path. The striker had time to chest the ball down and advance to the edge of the box before driving the ball low past the helpless Kelly and make it 2-0.

    Three minutes from the break and out of nothing ‘Well grabbed a lifeline.

    Roberts’ shot on the right found its way to Efford 10 yards out and he chested the ball towards goal. His quick reactions caught out Macey who watched the ball hit the foot of his right-hand post before rolling over the goal line to make it 2-1.

    Although Kelly had another fine save from Wright’s rising shot the end of an action-packed first half came with ‘Well chasing an equaliser.

    The break gave Alexander the chance to reorganise his side Stephen O’Donnell coming on for the injured Ojala, Lamie moving to the centre of the defence and McGinley returning to left back.

    Even minus a man that gave Motherwell a more balanced look. And O’Donnell almost made the most of his introduction when he worked his way to the byeline before drilling the ball low across the face of Macey’s goal and just begging a touch from two yards to send it into the net.

    After 62 minutes Donnelly latched onto a loose ball from Josh Campbell and his powerful drive from 25 yards had the Hibs ‘keeper racing to his right to see the ball narrowly past his post.

    ‘Well players then encouraged the referee to produce a red card when Jasper, previously booked for simulation, tripped McGinley wide on the right. Donnelly curled the resultant free-kick towards the six-yard box and Sondre Solholm’s glancing header had Macey gripping the ball on his goal line as Efford and Van Veen hovered for a slip.

    With 20 minutes remaining the Hibs players looked increasingly uncomfortable as ‘Well pressed the visitor’s goal in search of an equaliser.

    Donnelly again came close after 72 minutes when following O’Donnell’s long throw the ball came out to the ‘Well midfielder but his measured header sailed just over Macey’s crossbar as the 3,300 Hibs’ fans behind his goal became nervously quieter.

    That forced Maloney into a double substitution as the Hibs boss ensured that his men held on to their slender lead.

    With eight minutes remaining Alexander injected fresh and fast legs into the home attack when Woolery replaced Roberts.

    Then after Kelly held a Christian Doidge header, Woolery came close to forcing the game into extra-time.

    A great break from the middle of the park saw Cornelius and Van Veen combine to release the Well winger but cutting in from the corner of the box his drive screamed across and beyond Macey’s right hand post.

    In a final attempt to force an extra 30 minutes Conner Shields came on as ‘Well went four up front for the four added minutes.

    Macey was booked for time wasting as Hibs held on to deny the Fir Park men an equaliser their brave second half performance deserved.

  • First team

    Kaiyne Woolery: “A win would build momentum”

    Kaiyne Woolery thinks getting to a semi final would mean a great day out for supporters and that a win could put the team back on track.

  • First team

    Graham Alexander previews quarter-final

    The manager says his side can still achieve an excellent season and Sunday’s cup match could be a chance to gather some momentum going into the remaining fixtures in the league.

  • Reserves & Under 18s

    Motherwell duo in Scotland’s Under 17s

    Motherwell duo in Scotland’s Under 17s

    Motherwell pair Lennon Miller and Bailey Rice have been called up to the Scotland’s Under 17s squad. 

    Scotland are in group three along with Czech Republic, Germany and Georgia in the UEFA Under 17s Championship qualifiers.

    The Scots face Czech Republic on 23 March, before taking on Germany on 26 March.

    Scotland will round off their camp when they face Georgia on 29 March. All games will take place at the Falkirk Stadium.

  • Women

    Hibernian next in SWPL1

    Hibernian next in SWPL1

    Motherwell will look to bounce back from defeat against the champions Glasgow City when they take on Hibernian on Sunday at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

    Kick off is 4pm.

    Tale of the Tape

    Hibernian have the upper hand in this fixture this season.

    They have won both games, 1-0 and 4-0 respectively this campaign.

    Form Guide

    Hibernian come into the fixture off the back of two defeats. The most recent coming against Edinburgh rivals Spartans, when they fell to a 2-0 defeat on Sunday.

    The Hibees last league win came against Motherwell in January, when they won 1-0.

    Motherwell were beaten 6-0 by champions Glasgow City on Sunday.

    The women of steel have lost their last three games, with their last win coming against Spartans in January.

     

  • First team

    Next up: Hibernian

    Next up: Hibernian

    It’s Scottish Cup weekend at Fir Park, as Hibernian visit in the quarter-final on Sunday 13 March.

    Kick-off is at 12.30pm.

    Ticket information

    Tickets are now available to buy online or from the Fir Park ticket office.

    If you are a season ticket holder, your normal seat is being held for you until 5pm on Wednesday 9 March. To buy, visit our online ticketing service, log in and go to My Tickets.

    Our prices, agreed between both clubs, are:

    • Adults: £15
    • Over 60s / 16 and 17 year olds / Full-time students: £10
    • 15 and under: £5

    The ticket office will open at 10am on Sunday for sales and the Cooper Bar will open at 11am on Sunday to home and away fans selling food and drink.

    Hibernian fans are asked to buy tickets directly from their club.

    Covid restrictions

    Due to a change in legislation by the Scottish FA, Covid-19 certification checks will not be in place.

    Only venues with over 10,000 in attendance are required to carry out checks.

    We advise that all fans take a lateral flow test before travelling to the match, regardless of their vaccination status.

    Watch live online

    In the UK, the game is being broadcast live on BBC One Scotland.

    If you’re based abroad, you can watch via subscription at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

    Form guide

    Motherwell are in a challenging spell of league form going into the fixture. A draw with Dundee last weekend leaves the Steelmen with no league wins to their name in 2022. They have fared better in the cup though, securing wins over Greenock Morton and Aberdeen.

    The visitors have only won one of their last ten league games, although they are unbeaten in their last five, with four clean sheets in that spell. Hibernian progressed to the quarter-final with wins against Cove Rangers and Arbroath.

    Tale of the tape

    Hibernian have the upper hand between the two so far, having won the opening game of the season at Fir Park and drawn the two encounters since.

    The visitors have a good record at Fir Park but Motherwell will be looking for some revenge after the Easter Road side put them out the Scottish Cup at this stage last season.

    On that occasion the Steelmen clawed their way back from two goals down before eventually losing on penalties.

  • Club

    SRB: Make the most of this year’s tax allowances

    SRB: Make the most of this year’s tax allowances

    Whatever your financial goals, don’t miss this year’s use-by date for your tax allowances.

    · It’s important to understand your financial targets and how to achieve them. Making the best use of your tax allowances, exemptions and reliefs before their use-by date (the end of this tax year on 5 April) could help get you there sooner.

    · Tax-efficient pensions and Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) are important options when it comes to creating a more secure financial future.

    · If you’re thinking about how to pass your wealth to loved ones, look at ways to reduce the Inheritance Tax on your estate, such as gifting money to children or grandchildren.

    With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic making the future feel uncertain, you may feel torn between wanting to save for your long-term financial goals and shorter-term measures. You may be rebuilding your income and savings buffer after a challenging period, planning for a long-awaited holiday or wondering what to do with the extra money you’ve saved during lockdown.

    But where do you start?

    Depending on your situation, it will differ. But the best thing to look for is a balance between short-, mid- and long-term goals. An expert in financial planning can help you navigate the options and create a plan that meets your goals.

    Acting now, and making the most of your tax allowances could go a long way toward helping you reach your goals sooner.

    · If you’re starting to build a financial foundation…

    …you can consider taking on more risk with your investments. The longer your money is invested, the greater the potential rewards.

    · If you’re securing the financial future for you and your family…

    …don’t panic if you haven’t done much about this yet – you’re not alone. People often put off investing for the future as they manage today’s cash-flow needs, particularly during these difficult times. But it’s never too late to begin.

    · If you’re thinking about a comfortable retirement…

    …you should make the best, and most appropriate, use of all available tax-efficient savings options, particularly your pension and ISAs.

    When it comes to pensions, there is a lot to consider, and financial advice is critical to ensure you maximise the opportunities.

    · If you’re considering how to pass on your wealth…

    …look at the tax-efficient options available to support other people in your family, now and in the future.

    Whatever your goals, the time is ripe to ensure you’re making the most of this year’s tax-saving allowances and reliefs. Contact us before 5 April for expert guidance and let us help you plan your financial future. https://srbwm.co.uk/contact

    The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

    The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time. The value of any tax relief is generally dependent on individual circumstances.

  • Women

    Shaping Motherwell Women for the future

    Shaping Motherwell Women for the future

    While women’s football continues to grow and advance, combined with the announcement of the SPFL taking over the SWPL last month, big things are coming towards Motherwell FC’s new girls academy.

    The move to the SPFL aims to help clubs become more professional, give them better decision-making powers and greater revenue streams. The Scottish FA has also promised to give the SWPL clubs access to their commercial and broadcast resources to further promote and improve women’s football which the new academy will benefit from.

    It’s no secret that the game in Scotland has been under-appreciated at times, but the academy has every ability to become a blazing force in the expansion of the female game.

    Led by first team manager Paul Brownlie, the academy will provide young girls the opportunity to rise through the ranks from youth player to first-team player, and will help mould and build their talent.

    Brownlie has been coaching both youth and adult teams for the last 17 years, and after joining Motherwell as head coach, he has transformed the side with innovative singings and has earned more points in half of the season than the club garnered across 2020/21.

    The Women of Steel currently sit in sixth but have been in and out the top five all season as the rebuild continues to grow and improve.

    “When I started in June there had been talks of the SPFL making a pitch to become the new governing body, I was excited,” he said.

    “The new resources and opportunities that it brings will make a huge difference to both our first team and for the academy. We want to become a full-time club and show the girls coming through the ranks that they will have every opportunity to become a professional football player.

    “The tools that will now become available to us as a result is fantastic.”

    Motherwell’s academy is well known for creating exceptional players such as David Turnbull, Chris Cadden, James McFadden, Stephen Pearson, Stevie Hammell and also Allan Campbell. It will be hoping to produce female players of a similar if not even better calibre.

    Currently the women’s first team has talented youth players that originated from Motherwell youth squads. One of those being 17-year-old Jemma Hughes, who graduated from Motherwell’s original youth system, and who scored the final goal to seal Motherwell’s first ever Lanarkshire derby win in September while receiving a Scotland call up in January.

    She isn’t the only youth club talent in the squad as vice-captain Amy Anderson, who is a die-hard Well fan, started playing for Motherwell as a child and has worn the captain’s band when Gill Inglis has been unavailable to play.

    Previously there wasn’t a concrete system for girls to advance into senior playing roles at Motherwell, but the new academy aims to rectify that.

    With squads for under 11s, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s, the academy will revolutionise Motherwell, and will hopefully bring the same levels of success as the boy’s academy.

    “With my experience working alongside Steven Hammell, seeing what he has done with the boys and being involved at different clubs all around Europe, we really want to innovate and change the game,” said Brownlie.

    “For us, it’s all about who can be the next Amy Anderson in terms of attitude and success.

    “We will be asking a lot from our players, and we tell them that if you don’t perform in the classroom, you won’t perform on the pitch and instilling that into the girls from a young age is vital.

    “They may need to make sacrifices and put hours in training before and after school, but it will educate them and provide them with not just good footballing skills but also good life skills as well with time keeping and personal responsibility.

    “Their overall education is still hugely important and that is why we take this strict stance, we can’t have them excelling on the pitch but falling behind in their studies.

    “We have plans to hopefully bring new sports scientists into the fold. We want to educate the girls on things like proper nutrition, and most importantly educate them on how to work as a team and how to grow as a footballer.

    “We want to grow their minds and their talent to make them the best they can be.”

    As a child, it is majorly important to have as many opportunities as possible to take part in hobbies you enjoy. With scheduled training sessions and regular matches, the girls will be able to develop their hobby into a potential career.

    The Scottish FA performance schools have seen an influx of female football players applying and being accepted into the likes of Braidhurst High School in Motherwell. The academy aims to recruit girls from the local area by screening the potential of female footballers, while also being creative with their signings and trialists.

    Academy football is a step up from local boys and girls club levels, and academies with links to the SWPL are hugely important in the success of future generations of players, whether it be from watching the first team train or play competitively, or from competing against other SWPL academy teams such as Glasgow City, Rangers, Celtic, Hearts or Hibernian.

    “The academy is a long-term investment for the club,” added Brownlie. “What we’ve done at the first team level is crucial as now we have role models for the girls coming through that they can look up to. The goal is to try and bring the academy as close as possible with the first team.

    “The girls have aspirations of playing at a top level, and all the girls involved have got the ability and that’s why they are here. Standards are extremely important to me and how they act on and off the pitch as they represent this football club now.

    “The rewards of being connected to the club are higher than they have ever been, and we hope that being involved with the club will keep them on the right path, give them stability and a routine they actively want to follow.

    “Not every player may be able to graduate into the first team and that’s OK, because the training and tools we have given our players means that they could go on to play for clubs that aren’t Motherwell and still be successful. That is what matters most to me.

  • Women

    Positives to take in Glasgow City defeat in SWPL1

    Positives to take in Glasgow City defeat in SWPL1

    Despite a spirited and resolute Motherwell performance, Glasgow City came away with maximum points at Petershill Park on Sunday with a 6-0 victory.

    Lauren Davidson fired the hosts in front after nine minutes before Megan Foley doubled the hosts advantage minutes later.

    Davidson prodded home her second of the afternoon midway through the first half, before a Priscila Chinchilla double followed to give the hosts a comfortable advantage at half-time. Mairead Fulton netted a late sixth to complete a disappointing afternoon for Paul Brownlie’s side.

    Looking to continue their quest for silverware this season, City started on the front foot and deservedly netted the opener after some early exchanges.

    Chinchilla’s incisive through ball accurately picked out Tyler Dodds on the right, who rifled a low cross into the box which Davidson coolly slotted into the bottom left corner, beyond the reach of Duff.

    Minutes later, the hosts netted their second of the afternoon. Kerry Beattie’s floated short corner fell kindly to Foley at the edge of the box and her enticing low cross evaded everyone before nestling into the far corner.

    Glasgow continued to threaten the Motherwell goal and soon added a third in quick succession. Dodds’ perfectly weighted cross found Haley Lauder lurking at the back post and the captains intelligent pass was drilled into the bottom right corner by Davidson for her second of the afternoon.

    The hosts continued to flood the Motherwell penalty area and added their fourth in the latter stages of the first half. Beattie’s short corner found Chinchilla unmarked at the edge of the box, who composed herself before curling a spectacular effort into the top right corner.

    With the half time whistle looming, Glasgow added their fifth of the afternoon. Chinchilla skilfully latched on Fulton’s through ball before nutmegging Kate Rice and bending an exceptional effort into the top left corner.

    With the women of steel chasing the game in the second half, Paul Brownlie’s side pushed forward in search of a consolation.

    Finding space on the left, Kaela McDonald-Nguah burst forward before firing towards goal, but her low-driven strike was brilliantly parried away by Alexander to the feet of Rice who couldn’t convert at the back post.

    Minutes later, Lori Gardner showed magnificent skill to escape her marker with a clever nutmeg before curling an excellent effort towards goal, but Alexander again reacted superbly to make a comfortable save.

    Unable the capitalise on their string of chances in the second half, Motherwell were left to rue their squandered opportunities as Glasgow City sealed all three points with a sixth goal.

    Fulton’s dipping strike from distance sailed past Duff to complete a disappointing afternoon for Paul Brownlie’s side. The women of Steel will look to rectify this result when they travel to face Hibernian in the capital next week

  • First team

    Manager reacts to draw with Dundee

    “The game was there for us to win. But we didn’t force the issue enough.”