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Extended highlights from Forthbank Stadium as Motherwell Under 20s return to winning ways with a well-earned 1-0 win over Celtic in the Development League. 

A delighted Stephen Craigan praised every one of his players as they ended a four game losing run in style with a 1-0 win over Celtic.

From the physical James Scott, to the versatile Kyle MacDonald, the Under 20s boss was impressed with the attitude of his young players following a difficult run of results.

“I think the most important thing was the performance,” the Northern Irishman said. “We had a chat before the game and I actually said that I didn’t care about the result.

“I just wanted us to show a level of bottle and bravery, as well as an understanding of the game, and the result would take care of itself.”

He added: “We did quite a bit of work yesterday on the pitch to do with our tactical shape and triggers for people to move. Then we reiterated that again this morning in a presentation.

“So there’s been a lot of information in the last 24 hours and generally, for the majority of the game, they carried it out to a tee.”

Motherwell Under 20s ended their losing run with a terrific showing and hard-fought 1-0 win against Celtic.

Stephen Craigan made three changes from the side which lost 5-3 against Dundee, recalling Luke Watt, Alfie Agyeman and Kyle MacDonald to the starting eleven.

But it was young striker James Scott, searching for a second goal in as many games, who nearly opened the scoring at Forthbank Stadium.

Collecting the ball just outside the box, the forward spun confidently and fired a decent effort on goal, but it was matched by a fairly comfortable save from Ross Doohan.

In an otherwise quiet opening 45, Shea Gordon came closest to a goal when his deflected effort beat the Celtic stopper, but also zipped inches past the post.

As the second half got underway, Craigan’s side really ramped up their performance against a Celtic side who couldn’t handle the youngsters physicality and determination.

Peter Morrison’s stunning reflex save early in the second period proved to be a game winning moment, with a thunderous volley from Watson destined for the corner before the keeper palmed it wide.

MacDonald, playing out of position at left wing-back, was outstanding both offensively and defensively, with a series of crosses begging to be turned home as ‘Well pushed for the opener.

In the 67th minute, his teasing cross had no takers but was kept alive by Shaun Bowers at the back post. It dropped for Shea Gordon, but his acrobatic effort was blocked on route before Celtic hacked it clear.

Gordon, turning provider, released Agyeman through on goal, but Doohan rushed out to make a strong save as Celtic continued to hang on.

It wasn’t for long though, and two minutes later the lively Scott burst past his man before being scythed to the deck, forcing the referee to point to the spot.

Up stepped Davie Turnbull, who sent Doohan the wrong way, dispatching confidently in to the bottom right corner.

The youngsters saw out the remaining 15 minutes comfortably, with Celtic struggling to get the better of their claret and amber opponent in every individual battle.

Extended highlights from Airdrie as the Under 20s lose to Dundee in the SPFL Development League.

Stephen Craigan questioned his players’ mentality as they sat 5-1 down at half time.

On the back of three defeats, the Northern Irishman admitted his players looked low.

But following a better second half showing, the Northern Irishman reflected on his sides 5-3 defeat against Dundee, admitting it wasn’t as negative as it may have looked.

[pullquote]They scored from four crosses in to the box. It wasn’t as if we were under the cosh, our keeper was making great saves, or we were hanging on.[/pullquote]

“Even though we went in at half time losing 5-1, we didn’t feel we had been totally outplayed,” the manager admitted.

“But yes, defending wise, that wasn’t very good at all from us and at half time we almost questioned their mentality a bit.”

He added: “Then in the second half we showed more of an appetite for it and if we had that little bit more composure in the final third, we maybe could have got it to 5-4 and taken things from there.”

Motherwell Under 20s suffered their fourth defeat in a row with a 5-3 loss against Dundee in the Development League.

The defeat at Excelsior Stadium marks the longest run without a win in Stephen Craigan’s reign.

The Northern Irishman made two changes from the Scottish FA Youth Cup defeat against Kilmarnock on Friday, with Adam Livingstone and Dylan King dropping out.

In truth, the half time scoreline of 5-1 was a bit harsh on the youngsters, who seemed to concede from every shot on goal.

The scoring started in the third minute when the Dee worked the ball down their left flank before cutting back for striker Cedwyn Scott who tapped the ball home from inside the six yard box.

Three minutes later, it was a carbon copy of the opener which resulted in Dundee’s second. Down the left flank again, the Tayside outfit slotted home to make it two via the foot of Scott again.

But the deficit was halved by Davie Turnbull in the 12th minute, when a mix-up at the back led to goalkeeper Ferrie Calum collecting his defenders back pass. From the resulting indirect free kick, Liam Brown rolled the ball for Turnbull to fire low and hard through the crowd clustered on the goal line.

Dundee bagged their third goal with their third shot on target in the 24th minute. This time, from the right side, a low cross was sent in and palmed away by Morrison. It fell kindly for Lambert, who took a touch before sliding it home.

It was a case of fourth shot, fourth goal for Dundee when a cut-back found Craig Wighton eight yards out. The first-team forward took a touch before finishing high past Morrison in to the roof of the net.

On the stroke of half time, Dundee broke forward and Wolters dispatched it confidently beyond Morrison.

There was no hesitation at the break, when three subs were introduced for ‘Well. Luke Watt, Kyle MacDonald and Alfie Agyeman replaced Shaun Bowers, Jason Krones and Trialist.

James Scott scored the goal of the game to make it 5-2. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, the striker spun past his man and finished brilliantly in to the top corner from the edge of the box.

Davie Turnbull reduced the deficit to two, arriving perfectly on to a Jake Hastie cross to power a header beyond Calum, in a much better second half performance from the ‘Well, which was ultimately not enough.

Extended highlights from Airdrie as nine-man Under 20s lose to Kilmarnock in the Youth Cup.

Stephen Craigan is certain his Motherwell Under 20s side will bounce back from the disappointment of going out of the Scottish FA Youth Cup at the quarter final stage.

The young Steelmen went down 3-2 to Kilmarnock in controversial circumstances at the Excelsior Stadium, with both Barry Maguire and Liam Brown being sent off.

Manager Craigan was also sent to the stand but instead chose to focus on the performance after the match.

“The players are a little bit deflated,” he said. “It’s been a tough schedule over the past few weeks but we will pick them up.

“Young players are resilient and they will bounce back. It’s character building.

“I am just more disappointed that I felt the best team today didn’t win and go through.”

Motherwell twice came from behind in the match, with Shaun Bowers and Jake Hastie equalising before a late free kick settled things for the visitors.

“We generally feel we were the better team throughout the game,” Craigan added. “Naturally, that doesn’t mean you win a football match.

“We had to defend their three goals better. I felt the goals we gave up were quite cheap. In general play, I felt there was only one team going to win with the chances we created.

“It was almost quite similar to the St Johnstone. We felt if we had got ahead and got the first goal, we could have went on and won the game comfortably.

“The overriding feeling is of disappointment. Not for me, but for them. They put so much into the game and worked ever so hard.

“We lick our wounds and move on. We wish Kilmarnock all the best and we move on.”

A dominant Motherwell Under 20s slipped to a 3-2 defeat in the quarter final of the Scottish FA Youth Cup against Kilmarnock.

Shaun Bowers and Jake Hastie twice brought Stephen Craigan’s side level at the Excelsior Stadium, but the visitors struck late to progress to the last four of the competition Craigan’s side won in 2016.

Unfortunately, the ‘Well youngsters performance, and the fixture as a whole, was overshadowed by controversy as ‘Well went down to nine men in bewildering fashion.

However, it may have been a different story had the Under 20s taken their early chances.

A terrific ball towards the back post had keeper Jasmin Keranovic helplessly scrambling across goal, and both Jordan Armstrong and James Scott were queuing up to turn the ball home, only for the former to nod his effort off the cross bar.

Shea Gordon looked set to open the scoring when Jake Hastie’s stinging ball across goal just needed a touch to send it home, but it was just out of reach of the midfielder and he couldn’t get enough on it to beat Keranovic, who was helpless again in goal.

Killie got off the mark in the 16^th minute through Samizadeh, who spun away from Dylan King before rather fortunately crashing his effort in off the post.

It remained that way heading in to the break, but Bowers gambled well early in the second half to nod the Steelmen level.

A whipped cross towards the back post was missed by Keranovic and directed easily home by the right back.

Craigan’s side again dominated until Kilmarnock burst up the park five minutes later, and the whole match changed.

Samizadeh was again involved, working his way in to the box and tumbling to the deck despite the slightest contact from the hand of Barry Maguire.

The referee didn’t hesitate and immediately pointed to the spot. To compound matters, the official flashed a second yellow card at Maguire after the young defender expressed his disappointment with the decision.

After everything died down, Samizadeh stepped up and finished the spot kick off to put Kilmarnock back in front.

But the ten men of Motherwell didn’t lie down, instead did the opposite and took the game to the Ayrshire side.

They drew level through Hastie just five minutes after falling behind when Liam Brown’s delightful clipped ball found the forward who took a clever tough before firing past Keranovic.

In to the last ten minutes, the drama continued in Airdrie.

Kilmarnock won a soft free kick on the edge of the Motherwell box and, despite getting a strong hand to Jack Paterson’s thundered free kick, the ball spun up in to the air and trundled across the line to put the visitors back in front.

In the aftermath, Liam Brown was shown a second yellow for apparent dissent, forcing manager Stephen Craigan to ask for clarity from the referee as to why his midfielder had been sent off. This resulted in the Northern Irishman being sent a few yards away and in to the stands to watch the remainder of the cup clash, which ultimately ended in defeat and frustration for 2016’s winners.

Extended highlights from Kelty as the Under 20s lose 1-0 away to St Johnstone in the Development league.