Latest News

Referee for Saturday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Hibernian at Easter Road will be Euan Norris.

It will be Euan’s second match in charge of the ‘Well this season after previously overseeing the 4-2 away success against Dunfermline at East End Park in late August.

Fir Park fans will be familiar with the 33-year old who handled two games last term.

The first, a 0-0 draw with Inverness was instantly forgettable. However, the other was one that will live long in the memory. Motherwell beat Championship-chasing Celtic 2-0 at Fir Park; former striker John Sutton netting a brace.

The season previous to last, Euan also handed two matches. He was the man in the middle when Motherwell edged out Falkirk 1-0 at Fir Park. Lukas Jutkiewicz got the only goal of the game, heading home a corner from the left after 18 minutes.

His other game that campaign was also at Fir Park; a stormy affair between Motherwell and Hibs.

The Steelmen won the game 1-0 thanks to a Jamie Murphy goal eight minutes from time but the game was marred by a red card for Liam Miller for a challenge on Jim O’Brien midway through the first forty-five.

Thankfully, FIFA referee Norris usually likes to keep his cards in his pocket with only fourteen cautions handed out in those games, with seven flashed at a ‘Well players.

Euan will be ably assisted by Gary Cheyne and Stuart Stevenson with Craig Charleston on fourth official duties.

Stuart McCall was thrilled after watching his Motherwell side dominate Hibernian on the way to a 1-0 victory at Easter Road.

An eighth minute Jamie Murphy goal was enough to secure the points, as the diminutive front man stole in to covert a splendid, albeit rare, header.

But the scoreline only tells half the story. ‘Well also smashed the bar, saw a Keith Lasley effort hit the upright and looked on as Graham Stack turned in a man-of-the-match winning display between the sticks for the hosts.

Indeed, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest it was a comfortable afternoon for an industrious and classy Steelmen side.

McCall couldn’t hide his joy at the standard of performance his charges turned in, a matter of weeks after an equally superb win at Tannadice.

“We created all the chances,” the Motherwell boss praised. “Stack has made some tremendous saves and we’ve hit the post and bar.

“I thought it was an all-round good performance. We were creative and we defended well, Darren’s not had a lot to do. All in all a good days work.

“We said at half time that as much as we dominated the game, they would come at us, but not to get anxious. We knew we wouldn’t need another goal as long as we kept a clean sheet and it worked; we defended very well.”

The result means the Fir Parkers retain their lofty position of second spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

[pullquote]I thought it was an all-round good performance. We were creative and we defended well, Darren’s not had a lot to do. All in all a good days work.[/pullquote]

In fact, after Celtic’s dramatic draw at Kilmarnock, ‘Well have actually increased the gap between themselves and the Hoops.

The gaffer admits that even he has been surprised with the quality and consistency of his troops this campaign – but he isn’t getting carried away.

He continued: “We knew we had to go to Tannadice and go to Easter Road. And if you’d said we could go to these places and pick up a point at each then we would have been happy. But to pick up six points and to deserve to do it is wonderful.

“We’ve deserved the points that we’ve got, and expectations grow from outwith.

“They are such a good group to work with. They give you everything. We’ll get beat in games, but as long as they show commitment and desire and work from the first minute to the last, that’s all we can ask.”

The ‘Well boss reserved special praise for Jamie Murphy, for whom a headed goal is quite literally a show stopper: “We stopped the training this week because he’d scored a header.”

Judging by Murphy’s superb headed finish against the Hibees it seems that the fabled headed goal in training was a sign of things to come.

Indeed, while McCall was effusive in his plaudits for his whole team, he did single out Jamie Murphy and Michael Higdon after the pair gave Colin Calderwood’s side a torrid time in the Capital.

“He just doesn’t score with his head,” the ‘Well boss continued, clearly still in shock. “You could see by the celebrations that it was incredible. He normally heads them out from under the bar.

“I thought he was a threat when he got on the ball.

“Without singling anyone out, Higdon led the line very well too. Their keeper has made a number of good saves. It was pleasing and it was a great team effort.”

Gordon Young hailed in-form striker Keiran McGachie after the 18-year old fired Motherwell into the third round of the Scottish Youth Cup.

The young Steelmen saw a plethora of chances come and go throughout a dominant display against a dogged Arbroath side, with Lee Erwin and McGachie seeing shots cleared of the line before Herman Mboa Mekonga lashed a shot against the bar.

‘Well finally broke through early in the second period, with the powerful McGachie nodding home from a Zaine Francis-Angol delivery – his fifth goal of a fruitful campaign.

And Young was keen to praise the young striker, as well as those around him who created such an abundance of chances.

“I am delighted for him,” praised Motherwell’s Head of Youth Development. “And the reason I withdrew him with twenty minutes left to play is because I am desperate to try and spread the goals around the team.

[pullquote]The most important thing was to get to the next round but we can be pleased with how we played during the game.[/pullquote]

“We’ve got to get goals from other areas of the park and he understands that; he’s a great kid who works exceptionally hard during games.

“I have to pay credit to my players because they played very well and executed some of what we worked on in training very well indeed.

“We asked them to be confident in on the goal, go forward and create chances, and they did that today. On another day we could have won the game by six or seven goals.

“The most important thing was to get to the next round but we can be pleased with how we played during the game.”

The part-time visitors of Arbroath struggled to conjure much going forward throughout the 90 minutes; a low shot in the second half which was comfortably clasped by Willie Muir proving the sum-total of their attacking intent.

However the Gayfield youngsters, roared on from the Fir Park stands by senior player/boss Paul Sheerin, were admirable in their defensive discipline and work ethic – something acknowledged by the opposition manager.

Young continued: “I have got to compliment Arbroath; defensively they did very well.”

“They’ve came here, got a great lift from the surroundings and set their stall out to frustrate Motherwell. Whether or not they have seen us before or not, I don’t know.

“But it’s great credit to them that they displayed a resilience to stay in the game for the full ninety minutes.”

The ‘Well under-19’s, as well as being a mere six points behind the leaders in the Clydesdale Bank Under 19 League, will now march on to the third round of the Scottish Youth Cup.

It’s already one step further than the club managed last year, and the gaffer is hoping the young talents of Fir Park left an imprint on the near-200 crowd at the stadium on Saturday afternoon.

“I think we finished the match with eighteen or nineteen shots on target,” Young recalled. “And we hit the woodwork three times.

“I hope it was entertaining for the people that came along to Fir Park today.”

Pictures from the 1-0 win over Hibernian in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at Easter Road.

These action shots and more are available to buy online at motherwellPICS.

[svgallery name=”hibs151011″]

Pictures from the 1-0 win over Arbroath U19s in the Scottish FA Youth Cup at Fir Park.

[svgallery name=”arbroathu19081011″]

[tab:Match report]

Kris Jack at Easter Road

An early Jamie Murphy header was enough to secure another fine away win for Motherwell, as they ran out comfortable 1-0 winners over Hibernian at Easter Road.

Murphy’s eighth minute header was the least the Steelmen deserved for a dominant display against the lacklustre Leithers.

Remarkably, the ‘Well have extended their lead over Celtic to three point as Stuart McCall’s men continue to overachieve in 2nd spot.

Motherwell’s first trip of the season to the capital saw McCall stick with the same team that dispensed with Dundee united on their last outing. The only difference was the omission of Gary Smith for Jordan Halsman on the bench.

Colin Calderwood also kept with the same team that lost 1-0 to Rangers in Hibernian’s last game before the international break.

The teams had met earlier in the season in the Scottish Communities League Cup, Hibs running out winners on penalties after an entertaining 2-2 draw. The cup victory for the Edinburgh side had been the catalyst for a recent resurgence in their form, spearheaded by the striking prowess of Garry O’Connor.

Michael Higdon was also hoping to add to his tally, after his double at Tannadice a fortnight ago.

Both teams enjoyed some good spells of possession in the opening exchanges, with Motherwell the first to threaten. Chris Humphrey won a corner on the far right side, and from Tom Hateley’s delivery Higdon could only head wide.

Motherwell took the lead on eighth minutes through a rare Jamie Murphy header – and what a header it was.

Some neat play on the right between Hateley and Humphrey allowed the Jamaican to arrow a cross deep in to the box. The ball evaded the leaping Higdon as the unmarked Murphy ghosted in and bulleted beyond Stack.

Stevie Hammell was next to set his sights on goal in a bright opening for the visitors. A one-two with Murphy created space for the left back, whose thunderous strike stung Stack’s palms.

‘Well looked a threat from set-pieces as well as in open play. And from a sweetly delivered corner, Tim Clancy flicked a header that forced the Hibee’s goalie to claw the ball out from under the bar.

HIbs seemed sluggish and bereft of any ideas in midfield, with Lasley and Jennings picking up loose balls and misplaced passes. The isolated pairing of Junior Agogo and O’Connor were trying to create but couldn’t muster an equaliser.

Hibs’ top scorer O’Connor should have done better with their first real chance. An Agogo effort was deflected back to the big frontman but he blazed wide.

Immediately at the other end a searching cross from Nicky Law was met by Keith Lasley at the back post, but his header spun back off the upright and to safety. 

Darren Randolph was having a quiet afternoon, but he was alive enough to stoop and save a low Agogo drive as the hosts tried to fashion a way back into the encounter.

Hibs rather predictably made half-time changes. Danny Galbraith and David Wotherspoon came on for Victor Palsson and Martin Scott in a bid to turn the tide for Calderwood’s men.

Indeed the home side started the second period far sprightlier than they had been in the first and with more urgency – but the Hibees still lacked the quality to make anything count.

Randolph then had to look lively to gather at Agogo’s feet when Ivan Sproule’s low cross posed a danger to the Motherwell goal. 

Similarly, Stack then had to be sharp to thwart Higdon after Murphy robbed O’Hanlon and played the big striker in. His effort was too close to the onrushing keeper who gathered at the second attempt.

The game was beginning to liven up now that Hibs’ had decided to make a game of it. Murphy again sent Humphrey on his way after slipping and regaining his composure, but the winger’s shot was deflected over and out.

Michael Higdon had a great chance to double ‘Well’s lead – something which would not have been undeserved. A knockdown by the big Scouser to Humphrey allowed to speedy Jamiacan to find space. Humphrey subsequently found Higdon with time on the edge of the box, but he dragged his shot wide when a goal looked more likely.

Graham Stack would ultimately claim man of the match, and he illustrated his qualities by magnificently keeping Craigan’s goalbound header. Higdon’s follow up was somehow cleared for a corner.

From that next set piece Higdon hit the bar with a bullet header as Motherwell threatened to bury Calderwood’s charges.

A Hammell free kick picked out Higdon at the back post but his towering header went just over, before Leigh Griffiths replaced Isaiah Osbourne for the hosts.

Substitute Wotherspoon’s rasper of a free-kick was almost slam-dunked over the bar by ex-Basketball star Randolph, preserving the clean sheet.

Griffiths, having entered the fray as a sub was looking the liveliest in purple and should have done better when he spooned a shot well wide from just inside the box. 

Higdon almost finished the match with ten minutes to go, when Murphy’s probing run in to the box allowed for a cutback. However, the ball was just too long for Higdon to reach and evaded him at the crucial moment.

Junior Agogo spurned a great chance for a leveller on 83 minutes, when his half volley from inside the box zipped just wide of Randolph’s right hand post.

Super-sub Omar Daley’s pace caused no end of problems for the Hibs backline when he came on and he almost used it to score the clincher. His persistence in closing down paid off when he found himself through on Stack, but the home keeper thwarted him as he strode in to the box.

[tab:As it happened]

Alan Burrows at Easter Road

Full Time: Ya beauty! Motherwell pick up an excellent three points.

90mins – Two minutes to play. Motherwell are doing well to see the game out.

87mins – Mouth is so drive. Hibs are pushing for an equaliser. ‘Well are holding on. Few mins left. Please hold on Steelmen…

85mins – Cleared and so is the second ball. Five mins to go – I could cry. Can hardly bloody type! C’mmoonnn ‘Well – push out!

84mins – Aww! Great tackle! Chance gone. Hibs break right up the park and Crags gives away a foul in a dangerous area. FK Hibs 🙁

84mins – Ball deep in the Motherwell area. I am so nervous! WAIT, Omar goes rushing through….. 1 on 1

83mins – OOOOOOOHHHH MMMYYY GOOOODDD! Agogo goes sooo close. Low shot is a whisker wide. Thought that was in. Heart canny take this!

80mins – Awwww God! Great ball across the face of goal. Higdon is inches away from winning it. So, so frustrating (and bloody nervous).

78mins – Great chance for Galbraith there. Finds so much space but he blasts wide and high. Should have done better. Long 10mins ahead…

77mins – Sub for the Steelmen. Off is coming Chris Humphrey to be replaced by fellow Jamaican Omar Daley!

76mins – Hibs win a corner that should never have been. Justice is done as Agogo fires wayyy over the bar!

75mins – Great free-kick from Hibs, equally excellent save from Randolph tipped over the bar. Corner Hibs which is headed over. Phew!

74mins – Hibs have a free-kick twenty-five yards from goal right in the middle of the goal. Big chance for the home side…

73mins – Free-kick is floated towards the back post. Higdon meets but his header drops over the bar. Griffiths comes on for Osbourne.

72mins – Griffiths is going to come on for Hibs. He’ll have to wait though as ‘Well have a free-kick in a decent position.

70mins – Twenty to go! Still 1-0 ‘Well and goodness knows how that is the case. ‘Well “should” be out of sight. Will we live to regret?

68mins – Corner is met by Higdon – his header comes back off the bar, How it’s still only 1-0 I do not know!

68mins -What a double save from Stack. First a header from Craigan then the rebound from Higdon turned round. Incredible!

65mins – You still think there is more goals in this game. Think ‘Well will need another to secure the win. Hibs look capable on counter!

63mins – Hammell is booked. His first foul of the game and it was nothing more than a shove. Unreal!

61mins – Another wee half chance for Higgy. Opportunity to dink the GK but hesitates and Hibs clear.

60mins – Great counter attack from Motherwell. Humphrey bursts away and tees up Higdon. Left foot shot drops an inch wide. Great chance…

59mins – Hibs fans find their voice trying to back their team. Still 1-0 for ‘Well at the minute. C’mon the Steelmen…

58mins – Great sweeping move. Humphrey cuts inside and blasts a shot that is deflected over the bar. Corner kick is the result..

57mins – Far more even half this one! Hibs subs have made a difference. Griffiths will be on soon I’d have thought.

55mins – Motherwell break – Murphy tries to play in Higgy but slightly over hits the pass. Big man gets a shot away but Stack saves.

52mins – Low shot from Murphy lacked venom. In fact, that’s being kind; it was a ‘tiddler’ in every sense of the word.

48mins – Hibs have most of the ball in the opening few minutes. This is the response that was almost certain. ‘Well need to weather storm.

46mins – One minute gone and Hibs already look more up for it!

45mins – Motherwell kick-off!

HT: Double sub for Hibs – Palsson and Scott off. Galbraith and Wotherspoon on! Hibs will go for it, no doubt!

Half-Time – Hibernian 0 – 1 Motherwell. Boos ring round Easter Road…

42mins – O’Hanlon booked for a shove on Murphy just outside the box. Free-kick for the Steelmen!

40mins – Attention turns away from the game to the spider making a web on my laptop :-s. #robertbrucemoment?

39mins – Nicky Law finds loads of space on the left flank. Cuts inside and flashes a shot miles over. Goal would’ve been great there…

38mins – Headed away by Higdon! Still 1-0 Motherwell with seven minutes left to half-time!

37mins – Motherwell on the attack and give it away cheaply. Hibs break and win their first corner of the match. Defend lads!

32mins – Hibs break up about 4,560 touch passing move from ‘Well. Agogo burst forward but low shot is comfortable for Rands.

30mins – Hibs starting to come a little more into things. Passing a little more which suits them as opposed to long balls.

26mins – Great ball into the area from Humphrey but Higdon is pulled up for pulling in the box. Looked fairly even that one? Then, I’m biased

25mins – ‘Well fans singing “We’re gonna win the league” – Settle guys. Hard enough job winning this game. #excitement

22mins – Awwwwww – Keith Lasley hits the post with a header. Hammell’s cross from the left finds the #goalmachine. Post denies him a goal!

21mins – Hibs have their first real chance. Worked down the left for Hibs. Shot deflects into the path of O’Connor but he lashes well wide.

19mins – Motherwell continue to retain possession very well. Home fans getting a bit restless as the Fir Parkers play keep ball.

15mins – Stuart McCall will be delighted with the start. Hopefully ‘Well can keep it up.

13mins – Offft, Clancy almost makes it 2-0. Header from a Hateley corner brings out another excellent save from Stack. Wow!

11mins – Great shot from Stevie Hammell forces Stack into a two-handed save. Corner causes chaos but Hibs clear their lines.

8mins – Great cross from the right by Hateley (I think) flies over the head of Higdon and Murphy heads home! Ya belter…

GOOOOALLLLLLLL – Jamie Murphy!

7mins – Good corner kick from Hateley finds Higdon on the penalty spot but his header bounces just wide.

6mins – Steve Jennings getting a lot of vocal backing from the ‘Well support. Excellent to hear! Things pretty even on the pitch.

3mins – Great to hear the return of the drums in the away end. Boys are back making a lot of noise. Were missed at Tannadice two weeks ago.

1min – Hibs will kick-off! O’Connor and Agogo will get us underway…Home side shooting towards the ‘Well fans. Early burst forward is mopped up by Craigan and Randolph.

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“Before the split, we knew we had to go to Tannadice and come to Easter Road,” McCall said. “To pick up six points and to deservedly do it is great.

“I’m delighted with the win. We said at half-time that, as much as we dominated the game, we had not killed them off and they would come at us second half.

“Hibs produced better, but we still had all the chances and goalkeeper Graham Stack has been outstanding. We’ve hit the post and bar.

“It can get a bit edgy in the last 10 minutes when it’s still 1-0 and the game should have been out of sight, but I thought all round it was a good performance.”

Hibernian manager Colin Calderwood:

“You can be termed a professional footballer, but unless you actually do something on a Saturday it is a loose term.

“I’m as disappointed as I’ve been since I joined the club. We made everything difficult.

“We didn’t play, because we were scared of playing. We didn’t get anywhere near putting any pressure on them.

“It looked lacklustre, we didn’t have any impetus or oomph. The desire is there, but they didn’t show it.

“They were on the pitch, but they weren’t doing anything.”

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”73″]

Motherwell powered into the third round of the Scottish Youth Cup with a deceptively comfortable 1-0 victory over Arbroath at Fir Park.

After seeing a truly astonishing amount of chances passed up, ‘Well finally took the lead in the second half as the dangerous Keiran McGachie leapt highest to nod home just before the hour.

In truth, the score-line could have been far more damaging for the visitors from Gayfield. A combination of last-ditch defending, wayward finishing and good goalkeeping ensuring a series of good chances didn’t find the net.

Lee Erwin and McGachie will both look back ruefully on efforts cleared off the line, in particular, while Herman Mboa Mekonga saw his effort in the second period smash against the bar.

Gordon Young’s Motherwell charges have been in fine form this season, sitting in 5th place in the Clydesdale Bank Under 19’s League, a mere six points behind league leaders Celtic. The home side’s mood going into this encounter was further lifted by a fine draw with Rangers last week.

Arbroath have endured a stop-start opening to their league campaign, playing just four times while some other clubs in the Scottish Football League Under 19’s Youth Division have played eight. That lack of competitive action has seen the Red Lichties slip to 6th from bottom of a 25-team league.

The top flight side illustrated their full-time credentials from the start of a one-sided encounter, with Zaine-Francis Angol winding up a drive from distance after two minutes which flashed wide of Jack Whitton’s goal.

Josh Watt’s deliveries were proving an early nuisance for the visitors, and after one corner skidded dangerously across the face of goal Watt almost provided a perfect assist for Keiran McGachie. The towering striker comfortably out-jumped his marker but nodded just wide.

A surging run from Keiran MacDonald almost produced the opener after a quarter of an hour. The 18-year old burst towards the edge of the penalty box and tried to feed the ball through to McGachie, and the subsequent interception almost saw the ball ricochet into the net – but it trickled wide.

The young Steelmen continued to push for a deserved opener as the half progressed. Erwin came close with an industrious run down the left-flank followed by a good low shot which clipped the post and went wide.

McGachie – a constantly dangerous figure at the head of the ‘Well side – followed that with his low shot from just inside the area, but once again the ball trundled past the wrong side of the post.

Josh Watt’s delivery was once again causing havoc with ten minutes to play before the break. His left-footed cross was perfect for Erwin, who found himself unmarked in the box, but the 17-year old’s header was superbly parried by Whitton.

Arbroath’s goal continued to lead a charmed life as half-time approached. Watt managed to get a toe on a teasing ball across the face of goal, but Craig Patterson managed to dramatically block the effort on the line – a piece of defending his former Motherwell cup-winning namesake would have been proud of.

Young Jack Whitton was turning in a fine display in the driving Lanarkshire rain, and the second half began with the keeper making two more good saves. Firstly he parried away a powerful McGachie drive, then he had to palm an Erwin shot away from goal second later.

Remarkably Arbroath cleared another goal-bound effort off the line on 54 minutes. Watt fired in a superb low cross and McGachie scrambled it towards the goal after a collision with the keeper – but this time Lee Gallacher was on hand to keep the game scoreless.

Former Tottenham Hotspur trainee Zaine Francis-Angol getting through a power of work down the left-flank, and it was his delivery which finally unlocked the visitors’ backline. The left-back’s booming cross deceived Whitton and McGachie out-jumped the diminutive keeper to head into the net.

Francis-Angol could have had a goal of his own as he continues to massively impress at this level. He played a slick one-two with Erwin and, from a tight angle, drilled in a decent low shot, but once again Whitton was on-hand to save.

The Arbroath keeper was proving himself as an excellent shot-stopper, and he managed to make an excellent save with his legs after Darren Brownlie’s effort from distance took a violent knick on the way.

The spirited young part-timers of Arbroath were sticking diligently to their defensive task despite falling behind, but they were utterly failing to test the Steelmen, who were enjoying exorbitant amounts of possession. 

And Mboa Mekongo was the next to threaten for the home side. The midfielder athletically burst into the penalty area and smashed an effort towards goal, but – befitting Motherwell’s luck in front of goal – it crashed against the bar and bounced to safety.

Whitton was forced into action again with five minutes to play as Josh Watt lashed a powerful shot across the face of goal, but the young keeper was on hand again to fist the effort clear.

Motherwell, who could quite easily have been five-goals clear, ended the match in the same fashion in which it had been played: threatening Arbroath’s goal-mouth. Lee Erwin’s towering header had Whitton beaten, but it came back off the post.

Motherwell: Muir, Brownlie, Murray, Cummins, Francis-Angol, Hetherington, Mboa Mekonga, MacDonald (Leitch 88), Watt, Erwin, McGachie (Moore 73)

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Lynch, Ashgar, Green.

Under 19s boss Gordon Young couldn’t hide his disappointment after his side crashed to a disappointing home defeat this afternoon.

An unusually off-colour Motherwell never really got into top gear despite dominating possession and creating a number of good chances.

A frustrating afternoon was epitomised by Stevie Hetherington’s 43rd minute penalty miss and two Keiran McGachie efforts that were denied by the frame of the goal.

A poor day at the office then and Young was visibly agitated by the sides’ first defeat in almost two months.

“If I had hair I would pull it out”, joked Young.

“No, in all seriousness, I get so frustrated. I told them in the dressing room after the match that they are a great team to watch. Individually and collectively, we keep the ball very well and our patterns of play are excellent but we are only one mistake away from losing.

“We have got to capitalise on the amount of possession we have; we have got to be more cutting, more ruthless and we have got to have more self belief.”

Young watched on from the sidelines as ‘Well passed up a number of chances, much like last week’s Scottish FA Youth Cup clash with Arbtoath.

[pullquote]We have got to capitalise on the amount of possession we have; we have got to be more cutting, more ruthless and we have got to have more self-belief.”[/pullquote]

And the lack of a finish was punished when the Steelmen conceded a sloppy goal after twelve minutes much to the anger of the home bench.

Young continued: “We started very well and had three early chances, including hitting the post, a great ball across the face and a back post header.

“At that point, I felt it was only a matter of time before we got ourselves in front. We lost our way slightly and I can’t hide my disappointment at the manner in which we lost our goal. It was extremely uncharacteristic.

“Yes, there was some bad luck involved too but we have got to look deeper than that, we are much better than what we showed there. If we stop the attack at source, if we act more professionally and more maturely, and those responsible know who I am talking about, then we don’t lose that goal.

“I get down when we underperform, particularly when the manager is watching. It’s like they’ve let an opportunity go. Everyone is probably getting bored with me saying it but, win, lose or draw, individual performances and progression towards the first-team is the most important thing.

“There is a fine line; on another day things may have been completely different. We dominated and they proved little threat, particularly in the second half.  But we spoke before hand about consistency over complacency; the top sports men and woman are at their best all the time and we have to strive for that.”

Head of Youth Development Gordon Young has insisted his Under 19s side will have to be at their best to overcome Arbroath in the Youth Cup tomorrow.

The young Steelmen will line up against their Second Division opponents at Fir Park hoping to book their place in the third round of the competition.

However, with the Red Lichties first-team squad doing well and the confidence that spreads throughout a club as a result, Young has warned his men not to be complacent, particularly with a disappointing record in the competition in recent seasons.

“The Arbroath first-team are top of the second division which is always great,” said Young.

“You have a synergy running through a club so when the first-team is doing well, there’s a great moral amongst everyone and we see that here at Motherwell. A lot of our players are only a couple of good games away from playing for our first-team; I think highly of this squad of players and, individually, I think they are exceptional.

“Collectively, they are starting to get to the mark where they should be putting more pressure on themselves to take that next step.”

[pullquote]This is a great opportunity for the players on both sides to showcase themselves at Fir Park; if we play to our capabilities and replicate recent form then there’s every chance of progressing.[/pullquote]

All managers and coaches maintain that in order to progress against lower league opposition, it requires everyone in the side to do a professional job.

Acknowledging this, Young has put his charges through an identical pre-match routine and will field his strongest possible side as a mark of respect to the Gayfield club.

Young continued, “Our motto this week is consistency versus complacency.

“The important thing when you approach a game like tomorrow is that you ensure everything in terms of preparation is the same as it would normally be. With that in mind, our build-up has been identical to what it would be if we were playing either half of the Old Firm or any other team for that matter.

“This is a great opportunity for the players on both sides to showcase themselves at Fir Park; if we play to our capabilities and replicate recent form then there’s every chance of progressing.

“We try and win each and every single match we play and to date, we have managed to win more than we’ve lost. We try, as a group, to treat every game, every week, as the most important so this is the focus at the moment. Win, lose or draw, as soon as it is over, the exact same preparation will go in to facing Dunfermline and that’ll be our most important game of the season.

“If we keep up that approach and prepare in the same way then we’ll not stray too far from our aim of getting guys into the first-team pool.”

With the Scottish National side facing the first of a double header against Lichtenstein later in the evening, it opens an opportunity for Motherwell’s youngsters to take centre stage tomorrow.

Young has urged the Motherwell supporting public to come out and support his side and add to the experience for the players still learning their trade.

“I would encourage everyone to get along where possible,” he pleaded.

“People continually ask me, ‘You got anyone coming through or how is such and such doing?’ This is a chance for you to have a wee look. It’s another learning curve for our youngsters as they experience a different environment.

“We try and play all our matches in a non-league stadium and not a training ground so the lads can differentiate, mentally, the difference between a training game and a competitive match.

“Playing at Fir Park will give everyone a massive lift. We only have two full-time teams at the club now and we have a small squad. Like Stuart Carswell coming out the woodwork towards the end of last season, I am confident there are two or three from tomorrow’s starting eleven that can be chapping on the first-team door certainly if not by the end of this season, then by the start of next.”

Motherwell U19s will take on Arbroath on Saturday afternoon (8th October) at Fir Park Stadium with kick-off at 1pm. Admission is on the gate with adults priced at £2 and concessions (U16s, Over 65s) at £1.

Pictures from the 1-0 defeat by Dunfermline U19s in the Clydesdale Bank Under 19s League at the Excelsior Stadium.

[svgallery name=”dunfermlineU19s141011″]