Motherwell opened their 25/26 Premier Sports Cup campaign with a penalty shootout win over Clyde at New Douglas Park.
A Tawanda Maswanhise double was cancelled out by goals from Hilton and Scullion to take the game to penalties for the bonus point. Motherwell were flawless from the spot, dispatching all five spot kicks, with Calum Ward saving former Motherwell academy player Logan Dunachie to secure the extra point.
Jens Berthel Askou named a strong starting 11 in his first competitive match in charge, handing first starts to summer signings Lukas Fadinger and Elliot Watt.
In over 30-degree heat and an ever-drying astro, the Steelmen settled into the game and started brightly. Apostolos Stamatelopoulos got on the end of a ball over the top early on, before dinking the on-rushing keeper to find the back of the net; however, the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.
But it was the hosts who took the lead after 16 minutes. A stray pass was intercepted and punished by James Hilton, who lobbed Ward from distance.
The Clyde advantage wouldn’t last long. Five minutes later, the game was level. Motherwell’s patient play on the edge of the Clyde penalty area paid off when Callum Slattery’s powerful volley came crashing off the bar and bounced to Tawanda Maswanhise, who leaped to head home.
For the rest of the half, there wasn’t anything in terms of clear-cut chances. But the second-half started with a bang. Motherwell’s number nine Stamatelopoulos pressed the goalkeeper who was in possession, won the ball back on the six-yard line before teeing up Maswanhise for his brace. Just three minutes into the second-half and Motherwell were in front for the first time.
Clyde didn’t give up and looked to respond. Scullion looked to get his side back on level terms, but his driven effort smacked off the post. Stamatelopoulos threatened again when he latched onto a ball over the top, but the Aussie fired high and wide in what turned out to be his final action of the match.
The hosts were level just before the hour mark. Scullion was left free at the back post to convert with his head from a chipped cross. 53 minutes gone, 2-2.
Jens Berthel Askou looked to get his side back in front, introducing Eseosa Sule, Elijah Just and Emmanuel Longelo for their debuts.
The Steelmen continued to push forward, and Slattery looked to have set up Maswanhise for his hat-trick, but his near-post effort was saved by the keeper and post to deny the Zimbabwean.
The final chance came in the latter stages. A well-taken corner wasn’t dealt with by Clyde, and the ball fell kind of to Slattery at the back post, but he couldn’t get his effort on target, so the match went to a shootout.
Flawless from the spot, Motherwell’s Andy Halliday, Tom Sparrow, Sule, Just and Slattery all converted. With the pivotal moment coming when Ward denied Dunachie to secure a 5-4 win in the shootout.
Motherwell Team: Ward, Koutroumbis (Just, 62), Gordon, Balmer, O’Donnell (Sparrow, 83), Halliday, Watt, Slattery, Fadinger (Longelo, 62), Maswanhise (L. Ross, 83), Stamatelopoulos (Sule, 54).
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Wilson, McGinn, Sparrow, Sule, Just, Whyte, Ross, Longelo.
