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There’s a return to SPFL Reserve League action on Monday, as Motherwell travel to take on Kilmarnock.

Kick-off at Rugby Park is at 2pm. Entry is £5 for adults and £3 for concessions.

Motherwell and St Mirren played out a 2-2 draw at Broadwood on Monday in the SPFL Reserve League.

An experienced Steelmen side fought back from a goal down to lead 2-1, courtesy of a Christopher Long double.

However, an injury time leveller from a young Saints side meant Maurice Ross’ men had to be content with a share of the spoils.

Motherwell were able to call on several first team players with Bevis Mugabi, Mark O’Hara, Jamie Semple, Jermaine Hylton, Christian Ilic, Christy Manzinga and Christopher Long all named in the starting team. Saints’ notable names included Ethan Erhahon and Oan Djorkaeff.

It was a fairly uneventful first half, with the quality of the match negatively impacted by a swirling wind in Cumbernauld.

Finlay Gray had the first attempt of the match, his shot from distance forcing Peter Morrison to beat the ball away. At the other end, a Long shot trickled wide before Manzinga brought out a good save from David Wilson, who turned around his fizzing shot from a tight angle.

Both teams continued trade both possession and half chances, with Cameron Breadner again forcing a decent block from Morrison and Gray slicing a cutback inches wide of goal when he perhaps should have scored.

For ‘Well, Manzinga almost repeated his acrobatic effort against Gretna with a spectacular bicycle-kick attempt from just inside the box, but it was blocked en route.

Whilst the game lacked a cutting edge in the final third during the first half, Saints got their noses in front with the first attempt of the second period.

Motherwell failed to stop a deep cross from the left following a throw-in and substitute Jay Henderson got above Jack Brown to send an impressive header past Morrison.

To their credit, ‘Well responded in impressive fashion and equalised almost immediately.

Mark O’Hara’s searching diagonal ball found Manzinga in some space on the right-hand side of the penalty box. His low cross was inch-perfect for Long, who had time and space at the far post to slot home from close range.

That sparked ‘Well into action and Mugabi had a header from an Ilic corner go just over the crossbar, before Wilson denied Long his second after Manzinga neatly pulled it back and the former Evertonian youngster who fired low at goal.

The hosts were starting to dominate the game and almost scored a terrific counter-attacking goal when Hylton started and almost finished in style, only for his outside-of-the-right-boot curler to go inches wide of target.

Saints’ efforts were hindered when Gray was ordered off for a second bookable offence, putting in a heavy tackle on Hylton after being cautioned in the first half for a pull on Manzinga.

With ten minutes left on the clock, it looked as if Long had won it for the home side, collecting a positive pass from sub Adam Kettings before thundering a 25-yard rocket past Wilson into the top corner.

However, in added-on time, a free kick into the area was fumbled by Morrison, allowing Carter Frew to prod the ball into an empty net to earn his side a point.

Motherwell: Morrison, Cornelius, Brown, Muir, Mugabi, O’Hara, Manzinga, Ilic (Kettings), Long, Hylton, Semple

Subs Not Used: Connolly, Starrs, MacIver, Trialist

A youthful Motherwell reserve side lost out 4-1 at Dundee United in the Reserve League on Monday.

Maurice Ross’ side acquitted themselves well but the experience in the ranks of the hosts ultimately told.

A double for Cammy Smith, and further goals for Louis Appere and Darren Watson, were enough to overcome the visitors, who netted at 3-0 through Jamie Semple’s long-range effort.

Motherwell took time to get into the game and were punished with 22 minutes on the clock. A headed clearance by Sam Muir didn’t have much distance, and Smith did well to crash a volley home from 20 yards.

Hale and Manzinga both had chances soon after, before the hosts doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark..

With calls for offside from the ‘Well defence, Appere got in behind and netted, despite PJ Morrison getting something on it.

MacIver and Manzinga again had chances in the first period before with the latter also had a succession of efforts kept out early in the second 45.

The striker had the ball in the net during a long spell of Motherwell dominance, but his steered effort from Cornelius’ shot came with him in an offside position.

United would get another on the counter against the run of play in the 58th minute. Smith found room and although his initial shot was saved, he turned in the rebound past Morrison.

The Steelmen got the goal their play deserved with 25 minutes remaining. Semple found room from 25 yards and crashed a shot off the crossbar and over the line.

Sensing the chance to get a foothold back in the game, Well continued to push. But they were to be undone on the counter when the trialist defender hauled down Watson in the area.

The substitute forward picked himself up to fire home the penalty with 10 minutes left.

Motherwell: Morrison, Cornelius, Muir, Trialist, Brown, Semple (McGuigan), Kettings, Hale, MacIver, Starrs (McSwegan), Manzinga.

Subs not used: Connolly.

Motherwell take on Dundee United in the SPFL Reserve League on Monday.

Kick off at St Andrew’s University is at 2pm.

PJ Morrison will spend another week with Cowdenbeath on an emergency loan.

The goalkeeper was in the SPFL’s team of the week after keeping a clean sheet in the 3-0 win at Queen’s Park last Saturday.

Cowdenbeath, who have won four on the bounce, host Albion Rovers on Saturday.

Diarmuid O’Carroll is Motherwell’s new Under 18s manager.

The 32-year-old replaces Darren O’Dea, who left for Celtic earlier this month.

As a player, O’Carroll started life at Celtic, but despite a loan to Ross County in 2007 and an Under 21 cap for the Republic of Ireland, he never made the breakthrough in the east end of Glasgow.

He spent a year at Morecambe and another at Airdrie, before signing a short-term deal with Valur in Iceland.

He returned to the UK in 2011 and spent the next seven years of his career in Northern Ireland, turning out for the likes of Glenavon, Cliftonville and Crusaders.

At almost all his clubs, Diarmuid has been involved in some element of coaching and it was whilst in Northern Ireland that he started his coaching education with the IFA, where he is now waiting to start his UEFA Pro Licence course.

Most recently, as well as been a UEFA B licence coach educator, O’Carroll has been working in Las Vegas.

“I’m really happy to be at Motherwell,” O’Carroll said: “I’m joining a great coaching staff and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“Once the opportunity arose, I knew it was one I wanted to take. This club has an exceptional pedigree of developing young talent, and I hope to play my part in helping the next generation come through.”

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson added: “Diarmuid is an excellent addition and we are very much looking forward to working with him.

“We conducted a robust process with the appointment, which included a practical session on the park with our players, and we are excited by what he can bring to the group.”

Jamie Semple netted a double as Motherwell defeated Dunfermline Athletic 2-0 in the SPFL Reserve League Cup.

The midfielder grabbed a goal in either half, as the Steelmen dominated the game at Broadwood Stadium to claim their second win in the group stage.

Maurice Ross again called upon a number of first team players. Trevor Carson, Bevis Mugabi, Barry Maguire, Casper Sloth and Mark O’Hara all featured, while Christy Manzinga also featured in attack.

After both sides traded possession in the opening exchanges, the hosts started to gain momentum halfway through the first half and took the lead with 10 minutes remaining.

Ross MacIver’s cross from the right was met by Semple in the box, bundling home to open the scoring.

Semple headed against the crossbar early on in the second half, with O’Hara and Manzinga also having chances to extend the lead.

Then, with five minutes remaining, the game was put to bed. Semple found space on the edge of the box and fired in, although the visiting keeper will feel aggrieved to have not kept it out.

Motherwell: Carson, Cornelius, Hussain, Mugabi, Brown, Maguire, O’Hara, Sloth, MacIver, Semple, Manzinga.

Subs: Connolly, Starrs, Williamson, Muir, Kettings.

Motherwell take on Dunfermline Athletic on Monday afternoon in the SPFL Reserve League Cup.

Maurice Ross’ side already have a victory in the competition this season, winning their first group match 4-1 against Greenock Morton.

Kick off at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld is at 2pm.

PJ Morrison has been loaned to Cowdenbeath for one week on an emergency loan.

The goalkeeper will join the League Two side after injuries in the Blue Brazil’s current squad.

Cowdenbeath, who have won three on the bounce, travel to face Queen’s Park on Saturday.

Motherwell surrendered a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Hamilton Academical in the Reserve League on Monday.

Casper Sloth’s well-taken first half goal had Maurice Ross’ side ahead at the break, before Christy Manzinga’s cross was turned into the net thanks to an own goal from Ciaran McKenna early in the second.

But Jamie Hamilton’s double, both headed efforts from set plays, ensured the visitors left with a share of the spoils.

A host of first team players got minutes at Broadwood Stadium. Trevor Carson, Bevis Mugabi, Christian Ilic, Barry Maguire and the aforementioned Sloth all featured, with some getting the full 90 under their belts.

It took just five minutes for Motherwell to take the lead. Dean Cornelius, starting at right back, got down the flank and crossed for Ilic. The Croatian quickly laid the ball into the path of Sloth just outside the area, and he put his laces through the bouncing ball to find the bottom left corner of the net.

A back-and-forth fixture then looked to be firmly in the Steelmen’s grasp seven minutes into the second period. The powerful run of Manzinga took him from middle to right, before firing the ball in low and hard to the six yard box.

There were no Motherwell takers but, despite calls from his goalkeeper who had come to gather, McKenna inadvertently steered the ball into his own net.

Thirteen minutes later, Accies were back in the game. Defender Hamilton rose at the back post on the left side to power home a header from a perfectly-weighted free kick.

Motherwell struggled to create chances and, at the death, had their lead taken from them. A carbon copy free kick from the other side was met by Jamie Hamilton, who placed his header past Carson to take the draw.

Motherwell: Carson, Cornelius, Mugabi, Devine (McDonald), Hussain, Maguire (Brown), Sloth, Semple, MacIver, Ilic, Manzinga (Starrs).

Subs: Connolly, Williamson, Muir, Kettings.