Motherwell faced Falkirk on Saturday afternoon, in a behind-closed-doors friendly match at Dalziel Park, with the game ending 2-2.
Gary Oliver and Ross McIver were on the scoresheet for Falkirk, with Blair Spittal and Callum Slattery grabbing the goals for Motherwell. Liam Kelly was back in action and he saved a penalty with three minutes to go.
Falkirk got themselves off to the best possible start after just 90 seconds. Oliver found himself on the ball in the right hand area of the box before finishing past Kelly.
However, Motherwell brushed the early goal off and began to create chances straight after. Jon Obika’s finish clipped the outside of the left hand post before nestling in the side netting.
A scuffed clearance from the Falkirk stopped presented Stephen O’Donnell with the chance to header the ball back across goal for Obika but the Falkirk backline managed to recover just in time.
The equaliser would come on 20 minutes. Obika pounced on a stray pass on the halfway line and carried the ball goalwards. Options to his left and his right, he fed Spittal who finished with his left foot into the corner. 1-1.
Slattery was next to have a go when his strike from 25 yards was powerful but was straight down the line of the keeper who got two hands behind the effort.
On 32 minutes, Joe Efford caused the Falkirk full-back issues as he got to the byline before firing a low cross into the box that found Obika, he connected well but his shot just went wide.
Two minutes later, Falkirk had a great chance. Calvin Miller looked to be offside however the linesman kept his flag down, he raced through on goal and Kelly had to make an excellent stop at his near post. The Scotland keeper couldn’t hold it and Bevis Mugabi tracked back and slid in, colliding with the post in the process, to clear the danger.
On 51 minutes, the Motherwell forward line pressed the keeper on the ball as he tried to play out from the back however the keepers’ pass landed at Spittal’s feet and his shot was a comfortable save.
Motherwell took the lead on 63 minutes. The Falkirk winger committed to taking on too many players before losing possession. Slattery picked up the loose ball, carried and drilled low into the bottom corner from 20-yards. 2-1.
Obika showed some excellent work on 70 minutes. He carried the ball from in his own half, on the edge of the box chopped the ball back onto his right foot and got a shot away, albeit was a comfortable save.
On 77 minutes, Falkirk equalised. A cross into the box wasn’t deal with and McIver was on hand to knock home at the back post.
Ewan Wilson struck the post with ten minutes left. He beat two defenders before firing low at goal but couldn’t beat the woodwork.
Motherwell continued to press for the third goal. O’Donnell’s cross was only half cleared and Nathan McGinley kept a volley low but it was blocked by the defender in the six-yard box.
On 87 minutes Falkirk were awarded a penalty. A trip in the box meant Miller had the chance to get his second. However, Kelly was quick to guess correctly and saved down to his bottom right.
The match ended 2-2 with preparations stepping up as we begin our 2023/24 season against Elgin City next Saturday in the Viaplay Cup. You can buy your tickets online.
