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Motherwell moved to within a point of third place with a 2-0 win over Dundee United at Fir Park on Saturday afternoon. 

A Tawanda Maswanhise double, which took the Zimbabwean international to 21 goals for the Steelmen this season, made it one defeat in 20 league matches as the Steelmen closed the gap to Celtic.

Quite unusually for Jens Berthel Askou, there was only one change to his Motherwell team selection. Lukas Fadinger returned to the starting 11 following his two-match suspension, replacing Oscar Priestman in the midfield.

Fir Park was packed, with over 7000 Motherwell fans in attendance, and the Steelmen were the team quickest to settle into the match.

A condensed midfield saw Motherwell look to exploit balls in behind for Maswanhise and Elijah Just to chase, and it was the latter who almost got on the end of Elliot Watt’s through-ball, but Dundee United keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer came rushing out to clear.

Callum Slattery picked up the ball on the halfway line and drove forward. The Englishman slipped the ball into Maswanhise with his back to goal; he set up Ibrahim Said for a strike, but defender Iurie Iovu was able to get a block in to prevent the shot from going into the net.

The next opening came from the resulting corner. Slattery’s failed attempt at finding someone on the edge of the box from the delivery saw the ball come back to him. He played Just in the box, and the New Zealander returned to Slattery, who had darted into the six-yard box. He played across the face of the goal, but there were no takers.

Motherwell continued to probe, with the Steelmen having large amounts of possession in the first-half. Goalkeeper Calum Ward was finding the ball at his feet without pressure from the Dundee United frontline, as he looked to find balls over the top for his forwards.

Said got past Neil Farrugia with a clever piece of skill. He raced forward, and the ball into the box was just too far ahead of both Slattery and Maswanhise, but the deadlock looked like it would be broken.

Dundee United’s rare move forward in the first-half saw Luca Stephenson have a go from 25 yards, but his effort was never troubling Ward, who could gather with ease.

Motherwell went up a gear as they searched for the opener. Lukas Fadinger sent the ball forward in search of Stephen O’Donnell, who found himself on the edge of the box. His intention was to slip the ball wide to Said, but the ball deflected back into O’Donnell’s pass, and the defender came very close to finding the bottom corner with his strike.

And then on 35 minutes, there was big drama. Vicko Ševelj was tussling with Maswanhise off the ball in the area when the Dundee United man appeared to strike out towards Maswanhise’s lower stomach. Nick Walsh didn’t see the incident until VAR recommended an on-field review for a penalty kick.

Upon watching the incident, Walsh deemed Ševelj’s action to be reckless but not that of violent conduct and gave him a yellow card and pointed to the spot for a penalty.

Maswanhise stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to become the first Motherwell player to score 20 goals in a season since Kevin van Veen in 2023. 37 minutes, 1-0.

Motherwell did look for a second before the half was finished. Just won possession on the halfway line, and Maswanhise drove goalwards. Carrying the ball 20 yards, he found Slattery on the right-hand side, who picked out Said in the box, but both Said and Fadinger would enter each other’s path and the chance would go missing.

Having missed that chance at the end of the first half, Motherwell wanted to start the second half more clinically, and that’s exactly what happened. Seconds into the second period, Watt played a quick free-kick forward, Maswanhise picked up the ball and struck it into the ground and off the defender to deflect it past Maynard-Brewer for his 21st goal of the season.

It was almost a hat-trick for Maswanhise minutes later when Stephen Welsh’s long ball unleashed the pace of Maswanhise; he latched onto the ball and raced towards goal but couldn’t keep his effort on target.

Maswanhise was denied his third once again when Just slipped the ball into Maswanhise’s path on the right-hand side of the penalty box. The forward opted to strike towards the near post, but the keeper was a match for the effort.

Dundee United’s best chance of the afternoon came directly from a corner. Kristijan Trapanovski’s delivery was too high for everyone in the box and looped over Ward, but the Motherwell keeper will be grateful for his woodwork as the ball crashed off his left-hand post.

From there, Motherwell countered quickly. Emmanuel Longelo dropped the shoulder to give himself half a yard to pick out Eythor Bjørgolfsson in the box. The Norwegian connected sweetly with his head, but Maynard-Brewer got down to save.

Slattery was next to go close. He trapped the long ball from Ward expertly, cut inside onto his right foot and curled an effort just past the post; this time the keeper had no chance.

With the Motherwell fans in full voice singing their rendition of Stand Up and Sing for Motherwell, Captain Paul McGinn headed over the bar from a Just corner.

Motherwell closed out the rest of the game with ease as their domination of teams at Fir Park continued, as they went 12 games unbeaten in ML1. The clean sheet was their 21st of the season, making that a new club record.

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

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

16-year-old defender Aaron Thomson has received a call-up to the Scotland Under 17 squad.

The youngster will be in the squad for the UEFA Under-17 EURO 2026 Elite Round Qualifiers, which takes place at the Showground in Coleraine.

Scotland v Turkiye
Sunday, 15 March 2026

Scotland v Spain
Wednesday, 18 March 2026

Scotland v Northern Ireland
Saturday, 21 March 2026

Calum Ward speaks about his and team’s enjoyment of playing at home, and the importance the home form has been this season.

Ward kept another clean sheet against St Mirren last weekend, taking the count to 20 in all competitions for the team, matching the club record. Ward explains how they have managed to that and the importance of his teammates.

Manager Jens Berthel Askou says Dundee United will be giving it everything they’ve got this weekend, as Jim Goodwin’s side look to hunt down a spot in the top-six. 

The boss is quizzed on title race claims, staying humble, Callum Slattery’s involvement in the red card last weekend and team news ahead of Saturday’s match in the William Hill Premiership.

Jens Berthel Askou has provided an update on the fitness of two first-team players. 

Johnny Koutroumbis came off in the second-half during the 2-0 win over Livingston in January and hasn’t featured since. The Motherwell manager confirmed he would be missing for a couple of weeks initially but has provided a further update on his recovery timeline.

“Johnny has had some different examinations,” Jens Berthel Askou said.

“He will be out for a period of time. How long? We don’t know. He won’t be back in the next couple of weeks. He’ll be back at some point in the spring.”

Callum Hendry is yet to feature in 2026. The forward came on as a substitute during the 2-0 win over Celtic in December at Fir Park.

Having missed a few weeks of action, it’s expected Hendry will be fit to feature in the post-split fixtures at some point.

“Cal [Hendry] will also be back in the spring,” the Motherwell manager stated.

“He has undergone a little surgery for an injury. I’m hopeful and optimistic that both Callum and Johnny will be back in the spring.”

Speedy recovery and see you back soon, lads.

Lukas Fadinger will be available for selection this weekend following his two-match suspension.

It’s Christmas Day. Whilst all the other kids are opening presents and getting stuck in the box of chocolates before lunchtime, Regan Charles-Cook and his brothers were told to complete their daily run to ensure their fitness and endurance levels didn’t suffer during the festive period. 

And that was the industry he chose, and it’s the industry he loves. Growing up in London and starting his journey within the Arsenal academy, Charles-Cook was about to embark on a career that would see him play and travel across the world.

“I was at Arsenal from the age of ten until I was 16,” the Grenadian international explained.

“It was a great base to start your football knowledge. I learnt my foundation there, and it was really good. There were some great players that are still playing now, and I also stay in touch with them. Ainsley Maitland-Niles was one; he’s in France currently.

“When I was told I would be leaving, it was weird. I grew up there, and I was there with my brother. I was going to leave, and they wanted to see me in one more tournament, but I’d been there for six years, so I wasn’t sure what else they wanted to see. So, I had a couple of offers from Norwich and Charlton, and that period was weird because if I chose Norwich, I’d be moving away from home, and I wasn’t keen on that.

“I went to Charlton. They’re known for producing some great talent, and I have to say, that is right up there with one of the best teams I’ve ever played with. The names are unbelievable. From back to front it was stacked with talent. Joe Gomez, Ezri Konsa, Joe Aribo, Anfernee Dijksteel, Ademola Lookman, Karlan Grant and Brandon Hanlan.

“And the strange thing was, in that team I used to play defensive midfield. I wasn’t always a winger. I was right-back at first and went to defensive midfielder. I actually made my debut at left-back. It’s no wonder you see me slide tackle.

“Charlton were switching managers constantly, so I went on loan to Solihull Moors, and that was where I started to play on the wing. Went to Woking for two spells and then Gillingham.”

Despite playing alongside some of these star-studded names, Charles-Cook insists one of the best things he ever did was move out on loan in the National League.

“It puts hairs on your chest,” he laughed.

“In my first game, a guy tackled me heavily and said, ‘This isn’t academy football anymore, mate.’ I was so shocked and taken aback. I got beaten off the ball, on the ball; I was just thinking, ‘This is real football.’ Academy football is nice, especially when you’re playing in a good team, but this football really brought out the physicalness in my game. There are so many good footballers in the National League; it was such a valuable experience. And it set me up for my move to Gillingham.

“I started really well there. They wanted me to move on, but I kept getting injured, and it was in my second year as we came into Covid that everything changed really, and I came to Scotland. The move was weird. I could stay at Gillingham, but I thought it was time to finally leave my comfort zone because if you look at all the clubs I’ve been at, they’re next to my house except for Solihull Moors, and even then, it was convenient there because my brother was at Coventry at the time.

“So, I needed to get the best out of me by moving away. It’s easy to go home to your parents all the time, whether you’ve had a good or bad game, and I was looking to challenge myself. The first year at Ross County was hard; I really did choose the worst time to move! Not seeing anyone, isolation because of Covid and being far away from home – it was difficult. My first year wasn’t a good year, and I was struggling.

“I 100% was homesick, but the second year, I started to get used to it more. I had a really good manager who took me in and put their arm around me. A lot of boys he signed I knew, so we all gelled together. Second year was great. But the beauty of it all was when you compare the first to the second year, it was beautiful. I have a lot of respect for Ross County; they’re a proper family club. From the kitman to the secretary Fiona, they’re so genuine.”

Having overcome the initial obstacle of moving away outside his comfort zone, Charles-Cook was catching the headlines. Achieving a top-six finish with Ross County, he was the league’s joint-top goalscorer for the season with 13 goals in the Premiership, which saw him nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Interest in Charles-Cook was high, and now feeling more mature and capable of living away from home, he went further afield by signing for FC Eupen in Belgium.

“Europe is so special to play football,” he stated.

“It’s a whole different atmosphere and type of football. Going to play against teams like Brugge, Antwerp and Anderlecht was amazing. Standard Liège was my favourite. I walked out of the tunnel, and it was just smoke; I was so confused. The experience you get out there, you can’t buy. Learning a different style and playing against different players was a learning curve. There’s so much detail over there with lots of video analysis.

“Now you come into this Motherwell system; it’s the same level of detail, and that’s how you become successful. It’s working right now. I lived on my own over there, and people came out frequently. But the town I was living in was unique. Lights used to turn off at 6pm. Shops close at 6pm. It was crazy. There wasn’t much to do there, but there were cities nearby that I could go to, but living out there felt easier.

“Living alone is nice. When I go home now, I feel so overwhelmed. After three days I’m like, ‘I need my own space back!’ It’s always beautiful to see my loved ones, but the moves have built me up to be able to cook, clean and look after myself. I’m sure my mum has no worries about me now!

“On the pitch, it wasn’t always smooth over there. In my second season, we got relegated, which was horrible. We went down on the last day of the season, and it just hurt because every player wants to play at the top level. I guess it gives you the other side of that experience, but to be in different types of changing rooms, one where you’re winning and one where you’re struggling. But it also allowed me to become a leader because in the second division I was named captain.

“They saw me as a leader, and I had a lot of responsibility, especially because it was such a young group. The boys respected me, and I respected them. Leaving them was tough because I had led it for a year, but that’s football.”

Having decided that the time was right for his next move, the 2025 summer window would be a complicated one for Charles-Cook. Unsure whether he’d be playing abroad, in Europe, or back in the UK, he had some decisions to make.

“It was a weird window,” he laughed.

“I had some options, and then I spoke to the manager. I looked at the way Motherwell were playing and the things they were achieving, and I was blown away. I’ll be totally honest, the manager swung me to come here straight away. His philosophy was making sense to me; attacking football is attractive, and the composure he had the players playing with enlightened me. I like the ball to be on the floor; I can do the long ball thing, but you don’t become a footballer to play like that.

“He was firm and interesting. I sat down with my family, and I was saying to them how intriguing this all was. I watched some videos, and it was unreal. I couldn’t believe they weren’t winning every week. The first thing the manager has done here is bring in players with great personalities and people that are easy to bond with. Changing room dynamics are so important. You don’t want people who can ruin it.

“This is a family here, and we’re all around each other. Everyone wants everyone to do well because if the team is doing well, we’re all happy. When you see the depth we have, it’s incredible. I think we made 19 changes to the starting 11 over four matches or something. You have a full 25 to 30 squad that know their roles. You can take one chess piece out and slot another one in, and it doesn’t look any different. I’ve never seen that before.

“It’s a credit to him, the staff and the players. Everybody has taken the information in, and I’m so impressed. He’s done an incredible job.”

Whilst Charles-Cook’s club career is filled with interesting stories and is a unique journey, his international tales are also intriguing. The winger is eligible to play for England, Grenada and Jamaica. And with five brothers, the Charles-Cook family have made a bit of history together.

With three of his brothers playing football, in a Gold Cup qualifier back in 2023 against Guyana, he played alongside two of his brothers on the international stage.

“So my mum’s side, my grandad, is Grenadian,” he explained.

“My mum’s mum is Jamaican, and my dad’s parents are both Jamaican. It’s weird. My grandad came over and met my grandma. I could play for both; I did play Jamaica one time. The manager asked if I could switch allegiances, but I said I couldn’t do it now. Grenada is a big part of my career now. I played in the Gold Cup, and it filled me with so much confidence ahead of my second season at County.

“Grenada has my heart, and although we didn’t qualify for the World Cup this year, hopefully we qualify for the Gold Cup in 2027. That’s the task. But it’s made me so proud. My most incredible moment was playing alongside my brothers for Grenada. Us being on the same pitch at the same time was unreal, and I think it was a Gold Cup qualifier. You think back to those years in the back garden; one brother is a goalkeeper, one is a right-back, and the other one is left-wing. All those blood, sweat and tears from our parents making us do sit-ups and press-ups, ensuring we were training with each other, were all worth it for that moment.

“My older brother, Reice, got his call-up first, but he was trying to get me to go too. Then it was me, then it was my little brother, Roman. I didn’t go until I was 24, but that was because I was wanting to focus on my club career first, and then I went for the first time; it was one of the most beautiful things in my football career. I couldn’t believe I didn’t do it earlier.

“Representing the country was so special. It even brought a tear to my grandad’s eye. I’m trying to get some of the family to go to our next game. You don’t realise how many footballers are in different countries. Representing Grenada at the Gold Cup was the most competitive tournament I’ve ever played in. Football talent is all over the world. So, the goal is to qualify for the next Gold Cup. They’ve never got out of the group-stage before, so that’s a target.

“They’re getting stronger every year now as a squad.”

Aston Oxborough has joined Dunfermline Athletic on loan until the end of the season. 

The 27-year-old keeper will join the Pars ahead of their midweek match against Partick Thistle.

“Aston has been extremely unfortunate this season with injuries putting him back in line,” Jens Berthel Askou said.

“While both Calum Ward and Matty Connelly have had the opportunity to develop and adapt to our new style of play through games and a full pre-season in the summer, the chances for Aston have been very limited.

“I’m very pleased for him getting the chance to gain match sharpness and get some well-deserved minutes under his belt. He is way too good to be waiting in line for his minutes here with us. We all look forward to following his return to his best level chasing promotion with Dunfermline.”

Good luck, Aston.

There was no getting away from the Scottish Cup disappointment last time out, but this team has shown already that it knows exactly how to respond to a setback. 

St Mirren were the source of our other heartbreak this season, and Jens Berthel Askou said there was an added incentive to get more revenge on the Paisley side for the Hampden defeat in November.

In true Motherwell style this season, the team set out on their quest to reach 50 points and achieved it in style. Elijah Just, Tawanda Maswanhise, Ibrahim Said, Emmanuel Longelo and Eythor Bjørgolfsson all found the back of the net in a 5-0 hammering of St Mirren in a rain-soaked Paisley, becoming one of just five non-Old Firm team to win by five goals in the top-flight.

In the biggest margin of victory in the Scottish Premiership this season, Motherwell all but secured their top-six status for the season and closed the gap to Celtic to just three points. Keeping their 20th clean sheet of the season, equalling the club record with 11 games left to play, means that optimism and expectations have never been higher going into the most crucial part of the season.

Motherwell are back on home soil on Saturday 28 February in the William Hill Premiership taking on Dundee United. 

Kick off is 3pm.

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?

The Cooper Bar will be open from 12pm for food and drink, and will be open for one hour post-match. Home and away fans are welcome.

Mrs Baillie’s Fanzone will be open from 12pm until kick off. This is for home fans only.

The only Hospitality areas still available to buy is in the South Stand boxes. Please contact hospitality@motherwellfc.co.uk for more details.

Spotlight Shotts are collecting money via bucket collection.

You have the chance to meet an MFC Hall of Famer on Saturday!

Willie Pettigrew will be in the Well Shop signing Motherwell Football Collectables & Dosserdom from 11am until 12pm.

Come and see one of Motherwell’s greatest ever players.

Motherwell’s Fortunes

Motherwell bounced back from Scottish Cup disappointment with a 5-0 thumping over St Mirren on Saturday night in Paisley. It was five goals and five different goalscorers, with Just, Maswanhise, Said, Longelo and Bjørgolfsson all getting on the scoresheet.

That result was the Steelmen’s 20th clean sheet of the season, matching the club record set in the 2017/18 season. With one defeat in 19 league matches, Motherwell moved onto 50 points for the season.

Now 21 points clear of seventh-placed Dundee United, a point on Saturday would guarantee Motherwell a spot in the top six.

Opposition Report

Dundee United were denied the three points in their last match against Kilmarnock, following a late header from Marley Watkins.

But United had won both games prior to Saturday’s match, defeating Spartans 2-1 with ten men to reach the Scottish Cup quarter-final and producing a 3-2 win at Falkirk.

Zachary Sapsford still leads the way in the goalscoring charts for United on eight goals, but Amar Fatah’s two goals in his last two matches have him just two behind.

The women of steel couldn’t conclude their recent winless run, as league leaders Glasgow City coasted to an assured four-nil victory at K-Park.

Motherwell named several changes amongst the matchday squad, with Lucy Ronald, Amy Bulloch, Gill Inglis, Jo Addie and Katie Rice all unavailable. Academy graduates Mia Gillespie, Darcie Greig and Skye Neillie all named amongst the substitutes. Emma Thomson maintained her place in goal, with a back four of Shannon Leishman, Chelsie Watson, Tegan Browning and Jenna Penman occupying the space ahead.

A midfield three of Sophie Townsley, Mia McArthur and Mason Clark supported an attacking trio of Bailley Collins, Kodie Hay and Carla Boyce.

Nicole Kozlova and former Motherwell midfielder Amy Anderson had the visitors firmly in the ascendency by the 36^th-minute, with Linda Motlhalo striking home her first league goal of the campaign before Abi Harrison wrapped up the three-points with a fourth.

Keen to maintain their invincible status at the top of the SPWPL table, Glasgow City dominated possession from the outset, forcing Motherwell to defend deep in the early stages.

An early corner routine on four minutes had the hosts scrambling to clear their lines, as heavy rain and strong winds continued to impact the contest.

The breakthrough finally came on the 19-minute mark when Glasgow City found the opener after sustained pressure in the Motherwell final third. An enticing delivery from Chloe Muir fell to Kozlova, who drilled home from close-range.

They continued to threaten, doubling their advantage on 36-minutes, with Anderson forcing the ball home from close-range before City added a third just before the break, with Motlhalo completing a well-worked team move.

City had the opportunity to make it four from the penalty spot, but Emma Thomson produced an excellent save to deny Lisa Forrest from the spot.

Motherwell went into the interval trailing 3-0 at K Park.

As the second half began the hosts immediately resumed control, continuing to dominate possession, netting a fourth soon after.

Motherwell made a triple substitution on 86 minutes, introducing fresh legs as they looked to see out the closing stages. It marked a special moment for both Greig and Neillie, who made their first-team debuts for the club.

There was late drama in the closing stages when Kodie Hay was shown a red card in the 89th minute for a second-bookable offence, reducing Motherwell to ten players for the remainder of the match.

Despite Motherwell’s efforts City comfortably earned three-points in East Kilbride, with the women of steel heading into the bottom-half of the split.