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Stuart Kettlewell reacts to the 4-1 win over Livingston.

•  Good to bounce back after last week
•  A good benchmark
•  Harry Paton

Fresh from a comprehensive midweek victory over Spartans in East Kilbride, the women of steel travel to the North-East, with their sights firmly set on achieving their eighth consecutive unbeaten game when they face Montrose at Links Park on Sunday.

An assured performance under the K-Park floodlights ensured Motherwell cruised to their fourth consecutive home victory, narrowing the gap to nearest league rivals Aberdeen to three points.

Paul Brownlie’s side head to Montrose after defeating the Gable Endies over a fortnight ago, with Kayla Jardine and Morgan Cross both finding the target in a comfortable performance on the K-Park turf.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

Motherwell continued their remarkable run of form over Spartans on Wednesday evening, extending their run to seven consecutive unbeaten games, with Laura Berry netting a brace from the penalty spot. Contributions from Louisa Boyes and Kayla Jardine completed a composed evening from the women of steel, as they overcame the Edinburgh side with a two-goal cushion.

Since mathematically securing their SWPL status for the forthcoming season, Motherwell have continued to close the points difference to nearest rivals Aberdeen, with victory over Montrose teeing up a highly-anticipated meeting with the Dons at the Balmoral Stadium next weekend.

Motherwell have continued their remarkable goalscoring form, scoring 21-times across the unbeaten run, with striker Laura Berry netting seven within that congested run of fixtures.

Montrose

The hosts head into this weekend’s meeting following three successive winless games against both Aberdeen and Motherwell, but Montrose have picked up six points from their last nine at Links Park, with the hosts establishing a positive run of form at home.

Montrose have almost mathematically secured their SWPL status for the forthcoming season, with the hosts establishing a 10-point advantage over both Hamilton and Dundee United at the foot of the Premier League table.

Ticket information

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £7
• Concession – £5
• Under 12s – Free to enter.

*Concession tickets apply to those over 65, and to 12–17-year-olds, with full-time students also eligible with a valid matriculation card.

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match. The match will also be televised live on the BBC Sport Scotland website. Kick-off is from 2PM.

Georgie Gent is your G4 Claims April player of the month. 

The Blackburn loanee netted his first goal in the cinch Premiership against Dundee, following in from Theo Bair’s penalty. The full-back’s strike kick started the comeback that day, that seen Motherwell win 3-2.

A 90 minute performance against Hibernian followed next, where he helped his side score late on to earn a point. He then started against Aberdeen.

After numerous nominations this season, Gent scoops this award for the first time.

Shane Blaney says that this season has been a bit of an up and down one. Blaney reckons however, with the amount of late comebacks, there is plenty character and fight in the team that will bode well going forward. 

Blaney is asked about VAR and how it changes the way you play the game as player and also discusses the impressive Lennon Miller.

Stuart Kettlewell goes in depth with his thoughts on the most recent report from an Independent Panel, that found their to be 10 key incidents called wrong by VAR. Kettlewell wants this season to be turned into something of a learning curve going forward for Scottish football. 

The Motherwell manager says Livingston will throw everything at his side on Saturday in their bid to remain the top-flight, whilst he also provides a squad update.

Motherwell continued their emphatic run of form under the K-Park floodlights, extending their unbeaten record to seven-consecutive games, with an assured performance over Spartans on Wednesday evening.

Laura Berry coolly dispatched the opener from the penalty spot after the Spartans backline impeded Morgan Cross’ driving run into the box. The hosts continued to maintain their foothold in the game, but less than three minutes after breaking the deadlock, Motherwell were caught on the ball deep into their own third of the pitch, and the visitors capitalised with an equaliser against the run of play.

The women of steel stood resolute and restored their advantage less than 10-minutes later, as Louisa Boyes continued to update her goalscoring pedigree with an astute finish. A second converted Laura Berry penalty kick followed shortly before the half-time break, with Motherwell remaining firmly within the ascendency with a two-goal cushion.

Spartans again found another goal against the run of play, but Motherwell ensured that the three points remained in Lanarkshire, with Kayla Jardine bulleting a header into the bottom-right corner.

Head coach Paul Brownlie made three changes from the side that maintained their unbeaten run over Montrose at K-Park last weekend. Amy Anderson, Chelsie Watson and Bailley Collins all returned to the starting XI, with Watson captaining the squad.

Victory for the hosts would maintain the momentum in closing down nearest league rivals Aberdeen, narrowing the gap to three points ahead of an important trip to Links Park to face Montrose this weekend.

The women of steel looked poised to continue their exceptional run of form within the opening phases of play, maintaining a high attacking line, forcing the visitors into trading possession deep into their own half. Striker Morgan Cross capitalised on this passage of play, shifting the ball through the centre of the Spartans penalty area before being hauled down under a late forceful challenge.

Strike-partner Laura Berry stepped up and calmly placed a low effort into the bottom-right corner.

Despite their early signs of momentum, the women of steel gifted the visitors an unexpected equaliser, as defender Jo Addie lost her footing on the damp K-Park surface, and Hannah Jordan raced through on goal before capitalising with a composed finish.

Paul Brownlie’s side rallied despite the setback, and soon restored their advantage moments later. An excellent interchange of play across the Spartans penalty area eventually reached the feet of Louisa Boyes, who steadied herself before curling an audacious effort into the top-left corner.

As the half-time whistle approached, Berry netted her second of the game. Fellow Rangers loanee Kayla Jardine skilfully worked her way through the Spartans defence before being tripped directly on the 18-yard-line. Berry stepped up and drilled a precise effort into the top-left corner.

The visitors pulled a second goal back against the run of play, but the women of steel stood resolute and continued their attacking display. A well-worked team move fell kindly to the feet of Collins, who skipped by her opponent with ease before teeing up Jardine, who bulleted an exceptional headed effort into the top-right corner.

The women of steel extend their unbeaten run to seven games, with four back-to-back home victories at K-Park, ahead of this weekend’s trip to face Montrose at Links Park.

It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims player of the month for April. 

Georgie Gent, Liam Kelly, Lennon Miller and Shane Blaney are all up for nomination.

To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.

GAMES IN APRIL

• Dundee 2-3 Motherwell
• Motherwell 1-1 Hibernian
• Aberdeen 1-0 Motherwell

We can confirm our appeal against Jack Vale’s red card against Aberdeen has been dismissed. 

The striker will now serve a two match ban.

We are left disappointed at this decision. We were also disappointed to learn that despite our concerns being raised, the decision was taken to not have an ex-professional player, coach or manager on the panel for fair balance on the appeal.

The club will make no further comment.

Motherwell face Livingston in their penultimate home match of the 2023/24 season. 

Kick off is 3pm at Fir Park on Saturday 4 May.

Bring a friend for a fiver

How to follow the game

– Concessions Tickets would be ages 65 and over and FT Students with a valid matric card.
– Young Adults tickets would ages 12 to 17.
– Juveniles would be 11 and under

Supporters are able to buy tickets online here or visit the ticket office at Fir Park.

Ticket Office open from 9am – the ticket office is open until kick-off with no pay gate facility.

Kit Watch

We will be wearing our home kit for this match.

Injury Update

Jon Obika and Callum Slattery will be missing for this match.

Adam Devine and Harry Paton are doubts and will be assessed ahead of the match.

Jack Vale seen red against Aberdeen, an appeal has been lodged against this decision. The outcome of this will be communicated in due course.

Motherwell’s Fortunes

Motherwell came away from Pittodrie with a narrow 1-0 defeat on Saturday. Jack Vale seen red early in the second half, which seen the game swing in the hosts’ favour.

It was the Steelmen’s first defeat in four games, which also came against Aberdeen. The result leaves Motherwell five points behind 7th placed Hibernian, with four games remaining in the cinch Premiership.

The ‘Well are seven points clear of Ross County in the playoffs spots. With Livingston out of reach, Premiership status can be secured on Saturday. If Motherwell win and Ross County lose or draw, safety would be assured with three games to spare.

Opposition Report

Livingston are nine points adrift at the bottom of the table, but cut the gap on Saturday thanks a 2-0 win over Ross County. Goals from Bruce Anderson and Sean Kelly seen the Lions keep their hopes of moving off the bottom alive.

Burce Anderson may be leaving Livingston at the end of the season but he has continued to impress in the forward line this season. With Livingston scoring 24 goals in the league season, Anderson has scored eight of those.

Livingston are nine points off the playoff spot, and 10 off St Johnstone. If Livingston lose, they would need maximum points and a drastic goal swing to catch 11th placed County.

The club board met this week at Fir Park, with there being two new additions to the Executive Board at the club.

David Lindsay, who has held the role of Head of Finance at the Club since September 2020, has now joined the board as Finance Director.

Brian Caldwell was appointed the new Chief Executive recently and has now formally joined the Board of Directors.

David and Brian will join Jim McMahon (Chairman), Douglas Dickie (Vice Chairman) and Tom Feely on the Executive Board.