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Motherwell ground out a 2-0 win over Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon at Fir Park to make it 11 games unbeaten on home turf. 

Elijah Just broke the deadlock in the first-half, but it would take until stoppage-time in the second-half before Motherwell made sure of the points when Tom McIntyre was the unfortunate Aberdeen defender as the ball hit off him before nestling in his own net.

There were two changes to the Motherwell side that drew with Rangers midweek. Tom Sparrow replaced Stephen O’Donnell in the starting 11. Lukas Fadinger served the first of his two-match suspension in the Premiership following his red card and was replaced by Oscar Priestman.

The Steelmen faced off against an Aberdeen side who hadn’t played a competitive match in 15 days due to three games being postponed consecutively and, as a result, were looking to catch the Dons cold early on.

In the fourth meeting between these sides already this season, Jens Berthel Askou’s men started brightly and controlled possession from the early stages as they looked to stamp their authority on the match.

A miserable afternoon and sodden pitch could have hindered Motherwell’s free-flowing football. However, the Steelmen were immediately into their stride, threatening the Dons three times in the opening minutes.

Emmanuel Longelo’s run and cutback found Priestman 15 yards from goal, and his thumping drive was repelled by Per Kristian Bratveit. The Dons goalkeeper was then relieved when Tawanda Maswanhise’s drive across goal was diverted behind as Just waited. Callum Slattery’s low-angled drive gave the ‘keeper a comfortable save before the visitors found their feet and provided some threat towards the Motherwell goal.

In the 17th minute it took a crucial touch from Calum Ward at full stretch to touch Kevin Nisbet’s 30-yard drive onto the outside of his left-hand post.

After that, though, the bulk of the action was around the Dons’ penalty area. Longelo had another low drive held by Kristian Bratveit before the keeper was beaten in the 28th minute.

Aberdeen failed to clear their lines from a packed box, and when the ball fell for Welsh, he superbly picked out Just who had time to turn and flash his left shot across the keeper and into the far corner of the goal.

It was almost two for Just minutes later when his touch from Longelo’s cross into the six-yard box brought a great reflex from the ‘keeper.

It really should have been two nil ten minutes from half time when a swift break presented Ibrahim Said with the easiest of chances. Maswanhise’s clever through ball sent Just racing towards the visitor’s box. But rather than having a pop at goal, he unselfishly rolled the ball across the six-yard box to the Nigerian, who only needed to tap the ball into an unguarded goal but instead scooped his effort wide.

The immediate thought was that Motherwell might regret letting Aberdeen off the hook. And the pattern of Motherwell passing up chances to kill the game continued in the second half.

However, it was Aberdeen who passed up the best after 50 minutes when Kyle Cameron’s free kick found the unmarked Liam Morrison, who could only guide his diving header wide of the helpless Ward.

Maswanhise, working tirelessly to keep the Dons’ defence busy, had a couple of attempts at Kristian Bratveit.

Motherwell’s failure to extend their lead gave Aberdeen encouragement, and suddenly it was Ward’s goal which was under threat.

And a rare fumble from the keeper gave Toyosi Olusanya a great chance from 10 yards, but he smashed his shot off the post much to Ward’s relief.

With 65 minutes played, Regan Charles-Cook and Eythor Bjorgolfsson replaced Just and Watt. And the subs almost combined immediately when Charles-Cook fired the ball across the goal face, with the Norwegian striker just unable to get a touch.

As Motherwell made further substitutions, it failed to alter the balance of the game as play became a bit frenetic.

With five minutes of additional time announced, the game was still in the balance, with both sides eager to grab the next goal.

Two minutes later, Motherwell finally got their second with a little help from the Dons and the Motherwell subs. Clever work on the right touchline by Charles-Cook let Sam Nicholson work his way along the byline. His ball to the near post was stabbed off by Tom McIntyre facing his own goal, and as the ball rebounded into the Aberdeen net.

Motherwell Team: Ward, Sparrow, McGinn, Welsh, Longelo, Watt, Priestman, Slattery, Maswanhise, Said, Just. 

Motherwell Subs: Connelly, O’Donnell, McGhee, Gordon, McAllister, McColm, Bjørgolfsson, Nicholson, Charles-Cook. 

Elliot Watt was delighted to get back to the action on Wednesday night following his short spell on the sidelines and is now looking for a strong finish to the season. 

The Motherwell midfielder is also questioned on his Scotland ambitions.

Jens Berthel Askou says although the progress has been exciting, he doesn’t want it to stop and expects his side to continue pushing in a forward direction. 

The Motherwell boss was delighted to welcome Elliot Watt back on Wednesday night, and Askou also explains the impact the supporters are having on his side.

It’s been 18 months of change at Motherwell FC. Tom Sparrow has been here through it all. The ups of scoring at Ibrox to secure back-to-back wins for the first time in the club’s history in the league. The lows of winning one game in 12 matches. 

A utility player who is appreciated by the support for his continual endeavour and tenacious attitude, the 23-year-old reflects with fondness on his journey as a Motherwell player so far and appreciates the development as a player he has experienced so far.

“There’s obviously been a lot of change,” Sparrow explained.

“I’ve had three managers here so far, and each of them has brought their own ideas and philosophies to the table. It’s helped me develop and understand different ways football can be played. I’ve played in various positions and roles within the team.

“Jordan [McGhee] and I have spoken at length about this because he’s played in a number of positions as well. He’s a bit older than me and has experienced a lot in football but I do think you just get used to it. Throughout the week you know you could be playing anywhere on a Saturday but I see that as a positive.

“It means I have more chance of playing if I can slot into anywhere in the side. I like the fact that I can help the team anywhere on the pitch and that they might need be suddenly somewhere. I’ve had managers or people in the past say to me that I need to nail down a position on the pitch. It’s almost an insinuation of ‘jack of all trades and master of none’ kind of thing. But I just think playing in different positions will help me in the long run.

“I like to think I’ve got a decent understanding of different positions. I know I’m just 23 and when I signed, it was to be a midfielder. But I’ve been doing this for a whole now. When I came through the Academy, I played different positions too. It’s just attributes I have that can be placed at different spots on the park and you know I’ll do ok there. It’s natural at this point for me but maybe not centre-back, I’m not so sure about that one!”

Sparrow had a brilliant first season at Fir Park. Joining from Stoke City in the summer of 2024, Sparrow impressed from the start and worked his way into a regular starter for the team in the early parts of the season. His appearances would largely be from the bench from October until January but when new manager Michael Wimmer arrived, the Welshmen really began to motor forward.

Deployed as a right-wing back in the system, Sparrow’s attacking nature saw him double his goalscoring tally from March until the end of the season, finishing on six goals and as the joint top scorer for the team. His regular run in the team earned him a new deal at Fir Park and his footballing career really was thriving.

But the sudden departure of then manager Wimmer through an air of uncertainty towards Sparrow initially. But having got over the surprise of the event, Sparrow applied himself immediately so he could impress whoever the new boss would be.

“You always know in football that a manager can come and go at any stage,” Sparrow stated.

“But I’d just signed a new deal and everything was going really well for me. I was bit like ‘oh, this could be a problem’ as everything was kind of taking off for me. But as soon as the new manager came in, all the players were impressed with his demeanour and approach. Everything has came to fruition now with the way we’ve been playing.

“The big thing for me was that I got held back a bit because I got injured quite early in the season. I missed eight weeks which with this style and the way the manager wants us to play, is a lot and you need time to work on your game. The time on the training pitch is so important because it’s how you learn the style, the scenarios and the plan.

“When I was out, the boys were brilliant which you’re buzzing about because you want the club to do well. But you are sat in the stand wondering if you’re going to play. Not because of me but more because the boys are doing so well and deserve to stay in the team.

“You just have to keep working hard and I tried to make sure I still went to all the team meetings and asking what was going on while I was injured so I had a good understanding of what was needed once I got fit. I think Stephen [O’Donnell] has spoken about this already but when you’re injured and watching the game in the stand, you’re sat above it and it is a good watch. We were going out and dominating games and it was sort of what is going on here?

“But when I’m watching those games, the full game I’m thinking about what I’d do in that position, or in different scenarios that are occurring in the game. That probably helped me to be honest because once I got fit and had watched so many games, I was dying to play in the system and I knew exactly what I needed to do.”

He may have been dying to play in the system, but that system has been constantly evolving and changing. Sometimes four at the back, sometimes five. Sometimes more midfielders, sometimes a front three. Sometimes four changes to the personnel, sometimes six.

And that approach has allowed Sparrow to display those attributes he has mentioned at right-back, right-wing back, left-back, centre-mid and even as part of the attacking front three. And as long as he’s on the pitch playing, he’ll feel comfortable carrying out his instructions.

“I think my favourite position changes depending on the formation and how we’re playing,” he laughed.

“I’d say with the way we’re playing at the minute, and I think the manager would agree, that right-back is my preferred spot but I’m more than comfortable in any of the positions but I think my preference can change depending. But that’s where the manager is brilliant. We’ve got different players with different attributes for every position depending on who we’re playing. I’m a bit more of an attacking right-back so in games we think we can get into attacking areas, I really enjoy being out there.

“The manager didn’t sit down at the start of the season and chat through how I may be used in the team. Things can change with injuries, suspension or form. He explained where he thought I’d mainly be playing, but to be honest, I just come in on a Monday morning and find out where I’ll be playing that week and get on with it.”

“I’ve been saying to a couple of the lads recently that I think if you watch Motherwell, you’d think the way we play and the style would be dead difficult but the manager makes it that easy that you know what’s going on at all times on the pitch. It then becomes easier than other ways we’ve played in the past. Wherever I play, I know exactly what he wants me to do and we’re working so well as a team that it’s just enjoyable.”

Despite the sudden change during summer, the project at Motherwell has been going from strength to strength under Jens Berthel Askou. When Sparrow casts his mind back to those early days under Askou, he could never have envisaged what would have followed.

A thin squad, new faces required and brand new daring style that had to be implemented, the road ahead looked like it would be a long one, with various and inevitable bumps along the way. But now in February and sitting pretty going into the remaining games before the split, Sparrow and his teammates can be proud of what they have achieved to this stage.

“He was a new manager, and we didn’t have much of a squad going into the start of the season,” Sparrow recalls.

“We were all kind of sitting there waiting to see who was going to come in, and now we can see that all those new faces have been amazing. Hats off to the club and the manager because the process can’t have been easy. The players are playing well, and it comes from the repetition we do on the training pitch.

“Most weeks look the exact same. It just becomes second nature to you and we’ve done it that much now you just know what’s going to happen during the phases of play on the park. The lads will probably agree with me when I say, sometimes training can be harder than matches because it’s much tighter games during training. It just makes it that bit more difficult when it’s those small-sided games in tight spaces.

“I’ve said to the manager already that I can feel myself getting better and even when I was just back from injury and not playing that often, I wasn’t too frustrated because I could feel myself getting better every day through the training and analysis.”

With the run into the split firmly under way, some of Motherwell’s upcoming opponents have ambitions of lifting the league title. But with more crucial matches coming up, Sparrow and the team are focused on picking up more headline results.

“We’ve said against all the so-called bigger teams in the league, we’ve been right in the match,” Sparrow added.

“Sometimes I’d say we’ve been the better team, but we’ve not got the results to show for that. I think that was one of the big messages going into the match against Celtic here in December. The performance that night was top-notch, and it’ll kind of be the same mindset going into this one. If we really want to push on, these are the games that we need to go to win.

“There was some chat before that Celtic game about us needing that statement win. The manager dealt with that brilliantly by saying every win is a statement win. We know we can compete, but we know we can also beat anyone in the league. That’s that stuff of the chest now and we can press on.

“I think back to that night and Fir Park was bouncing. It’s been like that so many times this season at home. I don’t think fans realise how big a difference they can make. They’re enjoying what they’re seeing but their support has been amazing, and that includes on the road too. It’s all going well just now but one of the things that was drilled into me when I was younger was never get too high and never get too low.

“Football can change really quickly so it’s important we enjoy this but we do need to keep our heads so this progress can continue. In house or in the team, we don’t have a target of we want to finish here or there. It’s just every game is important and we want to win every match we go into. There’s confidence that we’re a good team but, we need to keep going and the games are going to get harder, and there is more at stake.”

It was an eventful night down at Fir Park, as title challengers Rangers arrived in North Lanarkshire looking to keep the momentum driving forward in their charge to lift the league title. 

Motherwell, however, had their own targets as they looked to stretch their unbeaten run at Fir Park to ten matches.

With over 11,000 supporters inside the stadium under the lights, the visitors got off to the perfect start in the opening stages through Nicolas Raskin, who opened the scoring. The Belgian became the first opposition player to net at Fir Park since Scott Arfield for Falkirk back in October.

But that early setback didn’t knock the Steelmen’s confidence, and they continued to push forward and threaten in front of goal. Emmanuel Longelo, Tawanda Maswanhise and Elijah Just all had major chances in the match, but when Lukas Fadinger was shown red for his challenge, the game looked like it could get away from Motherwell.

With ten players, Motherwell became even stronger in the game, and in the final minute, Celtic loanee Stephen Welsh popped up with a wonderful moment of composure to score his first Motherwell goal on his first appearance since returning to the club.

Fir Park was standing up and singing as Motherwell continued to seriously impress.

Our postponed match against Dundee will be played in the first week of March. 

The match that was originally to be played on Wednesday 4 February, will now take place on either Wednesday 4 March, or Saturday 7 March.

If Motherwell progress to the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup, the match will take place on Wednesday 4 March at Dens Park.

However, if Motherwell are knocked out of the Scottish Cup, due to Dundee also being eliminated from the competition, the fixture can take place on Saturday 7 March.

All relevant ticketing information will be communicated in due course.

Tawanda Maswanhise has been named the William Hill Premiership Player of the Month for January. 

For the third month in a row, a Motherwell player has lifted the William Hill Premiership player of the month trophy, with Maswanhise winning his second trophy of the season following his success in November.

“Tawanda is in great form and has developed into a very sharp forward who can score goals in many different ways,” Jens Berthel Askou said.

“I’m positive that getting more recognition for his performances will spark further motivation to strive for more success for the team.”

Maswanhise has been in red-hot form. Over the last five games, the forward has scored six goals for Motherwell following his strike at the Africa Cup of Nations with Zimbabwe at the end of December.

Having scored in six consecutive games in all competitions, the 23-year-old is on 18 club goals this season and is top of the Scottish Premiership goalscoring charts with 13 goals in 21 games.

“January was such a good month for the team,” Tawanda Maswanhise stated.

“I missed games due to representing my country, and I was eager to hit the ground running when I got back. We managed to have another unbeaten run and win four of our five matches.

“My teammates work so hard to get me chances in front of goal. It’s my job to keep finding the back of the net, and I’ll keep working hard to do so. I want to keep the fire burning in February until the end of the season. We’ve got some huge matches coming up and lots of opportunities.

“We’ll keep working to get positive results.”

Motherwell are back home again on Sunday 15 February taking on Aberdeen in the William Hill Premiership.

Kick off is 2:30pm.

How to follow the game

You can buy tickets online here.

• Young Adults tickets would ages 13-17.
•  Concessions are classed as, Over 65, Full Time Students, 18-21 Year olds.
• Juveniles would be 12 and under

On Match days, the Ticket Office is open from 11am – the ticket office is open until kick-off with no pay gate facility.

If you are outside the UK, you can watch the game via Motherwell TV.

Should you be in the UK, it will be live commentary only.

What else is happening?

Sense Scotland are collecting money via bucket collection.

The Cooper Bar is open from 12pm for home and away fans and will be open for one hour post-match for anyone looking to avoid the traffic.

Mrs Baillie’s Fanzone will be open from 12pm for home fans only.

Please note, there is three way traffic control in operation at the access to the Orbiston St car park which may cause a delays.

Motherwell’s Fortunes

Motherwell made it ten games unbeaten at Fir Park with Stephen Welsh’s late equaliser against Rangers on Wednesday night. It’s just been three goals conceded in the last 14 matches for the Steelmen as they look to rubber-stamp their spot in the top-six as soon as possible.

This is the fourth meeting between Motherwell and Aberdeen this season, with the fifth taking place next Wednesday. Motherwell produced a late win at Fir Park in September when Johnny Koutroumbis and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos found the back of the net in stoppage-time.

Regan Charles-Cook’s wonder strike was enough to send the Steelmen through to the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup in the first meeting of the season, with Elijah Just securing a precious point in the second meeting in the Granite City.

Opposition Report

This will be Aberdeen’s first match since their 3-0 defeat to Kilmarnock on the 31st of January. The Dons have had three matches postponed since that fixture against Celtic, Motherwell and Dundee United.

Their hunt for a new manager continues, but that hasn’t stopped the Dons from being active in the January transfer window.

Seven new signings arrived at Pittodrie during the window, with nine players departing. Peter Leven looks set to continue in the dugout for the time being.

It’s two wins in Aberdeen’s last ten matches, and with current top goalscorer Jesper Karlsson’s loan ending, the likes of Marko Lazetić and Kevin Nisbet will be looking to step up in his absence.

Jens gives his verdict as Motherwell earn a point thanks to a late Stephen Welsh goal.

Ten-man Motherwell grabbed a late equaliser for a point, which was the least they deserved after dominating Rangers for most of the game.

The Ibrox men had a goal advantage after Nico Raskin’s fifth-minute opener and a man advantage for the final 13 minutes after Lukas Fadinger was shown a red card after VAR’s intervention.

In between, though, Danny Rohl’s men were second best for large parts of the game as Butland pulled off a string of saves to keep his side ahead.

In his first game since returning from Celtic, it was perhaps appropriate that Stephen Welsh grabbed the late equaliser with his first goal for the club to earn them a point and extend their unbeaten run at Fir Park to nine games.

Motherwell were boosted by the return of Elliot Watt, who returned to the starting 11 for the first time since the 3rd of January. There was also a spot on the bench for Regan Charles-Cook, who returned, having been missing since the 20th of December.

Stephen O’Donnell was placed at right-back to replace the injured Johnny Koutroumbis, with Stephen Welsh making his second debut, having returned to the club for a second loan spell on Deadline Day.

Emmanuel Longelo was also restored to the 11, with Tom Sparrow dropping to the bench, as did Oscar Priestman.

After two postponed games due to unplayable pitches at Dundee and Aberdeen, Motherwell finally got their first match in February, although the Fir Park playing surface had also deteriorated due to the inclement weather.

Jens Berthel Askou immediately inserted Stephen Welsh into his back four after the defender returned to extend his loan period from Celtic. That allowed Stephen O’Donnell to move to right full-back, with Emmanuel Longelo starting on the opposite side.

There was also a return from injury for playmaker Elliot Watt, as the Well line-up had a familiar look about it.

And the Steelmen could have been ahead after only five minutes when the full backs combined at the opposite end. O’Donnell’s deep cross found Longelo beyond the back post, and his drive at goal was blocked by Jack Butland, only for Longelo to see his second attempt go wide.

From Butland’s goal kick, Mo Diomande carried the ball towards the home box before playing the ball through to Raskin, who calmly slotted it past Calum Ward and ended his impressive shutout record.

The Fir Park side responded terrifically to that setback as they set about pressing the Ibrox side deep into their own half. That resulted in Gers conceding numerous free kicks around their penalty area.

After Callum Slattery had one effort blocked, Elliot Watt bent his free kick around the wall and left Butland scrambling across his goal to push it round his post.

The pressure on the keeper’s goal continued. O’Donnell’s superb pass over John Souttar allowed Tawanda Maswanhise his first opening, but after dragging the ball away from goal, from a very tight angle, he rattled the ball off Butland’s post.

O’Donnell had a great spell down the right and then diverted Elijah Just’s free kick back across goal where Paul McGinn and Welsh, from under the crossbar, couldn’t force the ball into the net.

Despite commanding the bulk of the play around the Rangers’ box, the visitors nearly sneaked a second goal 10 minutes from the break. Youssef Chermiti found himself free 16 yards from goal, but Ward stood firm to push the striker’s fierce shot away.

Watt, after a hectic and hard-working first half, remained in the dressing room at the interval, with Oscar Priestman taking his place in front of the back four.

While Rangers looked content to defend their slender lead, Motherwell continued to be patient in possession and build up towards the visitor’s goal.

After 62 minutes, Slattery tried to force his way through a packed box before being blocked, but appeals for a penalty only earned him just a yellow card.

Four minutes later Just worked his way into the box on the right before his drive forced Butland into a smart save at his near post.

Having put in a superb shift for 68 minutes, Said and O’Donnell made way for Tom Sparrow and Eythor Bjorgolfsson.

That should have set up the home side for a grandstand finish, but 13 minutes from time, after reviewing Lukas Fadinger’s tackle on Mickey Moore, referee Steven McLean upgraded his yellow card to a red, leaving the home side with 10 men for the remainder of the game.

The ‘Well boss made his final change of the evening, bringing on Sam Nicholson and Regan Charles-Cook to keep pressing for an equaliser.

It almost arrived when McGinn’s deep cross found Bjorgolfsson in the six-yard box, and his downward header sent the ball high towards goal, forcing Butland to palm it behind for a corner.

Rangers failed to clear the danger, and Nicholson’s raking long ball found Bjorgolfsson, who nodded the ball back into the six-yard box, where Welsh knocked the ball beyond the ‘keeper and into the far corner for a richly deserved point.

Motherwell Team: Ward, O’Donnell, McGinn, Welsh, Longelo, Fadinger, Watt, Slattery, Said, Maswanhise, Just. 

Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Sparrow, Priestman, Ross, Nicholson, Charles-Cook, Bjørgolfsson.