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Eddie Wolecki Black praised his team’s battling qualities after Motherwell Ladies recorded their second successive home win with a 3-1 win over Central Girls.

Despite continuing their strong early season form, the ‘Well boss said he didn’t feel his side quite match the standards they have set in their early season performances.

“We said we wanted to make our home venue a tough place to come for anybody and we’ve backed up the win in our opening game here with another winning performance today,” Black said.

“There’s one thing about us, we’re competitive there’s no doubt about that. If teams want to have a physical battle with us we are more than capable of matching that as we showed against Central.

“That’s not to say that they were physical, I just believe we are more than capable of standing up for ourselves.”

Motherwell battled back after conceding an early goal to take a 2-1 lead into half-time courtesy of Hayley Cunningham’s penalty and Kerry Montgomery’s superb curling effort.

They would secure victory with 10 minutes remaining when Suzanne Mulvey turned home Sophie Gallagher’s lay-off.

“We were more pleased with the second half because we put the game to bed and saw the game out,” Black added. “It was a big victory as I don’t think we were at our best.”

Eddie Wolecki Black’s Motherwell Ladies side showed their fighting spirit as they recovered from an early setback to defeat Central Girls 3-1 at the Braidhurst Campus.

The women of steel found themselves a goal behind after Niamh Johnston headed into her own net from a dangerous corner after just nine minutes. But a stirring comeback saw ‘Well battle back into the game.

A two-week break from competitive action – and disrupted training schedule due to the severe weather – was evident as Motherwell were uncharacteristically slow out of the blocks. The visitors thoroughly deserved to make the breakthrough after controlling much of the early proceedings.

The goal seemed to be the wake-up call the home side needed though and Suzanne Mulvey’s shot on the turn spun wide of the target, before the hosts were offered the perfect opportunity to restore parity. Sammy Hare was bundled over just inside the box and Hayley Cunningham made no mistake from the spot.

Seven minutes later and ‘Well were ahead in wonderful fashion. The move began with Kerry Montgomery picking up possession inside her own half and driving forward before laying the ball to Mulvey.

She superbly picked out the Northern Irish international who had continued her run, before lashing the ball beyond Sarah Alexandrina King in the Central goal.

It was a goal of real class from Motherwell who were beginning to control the game. However they suffered a major let-off before the break when Ellie Kane’s brilliant effort was tipped on to the bar by Clare Johnstone and, with the goal at her mercy, Abbie Callaghan was unable to turn home the rebound.

The second half was a much more physical affair, with neither team really creating a great deal in front of goal. But it would be the home side who would secure all three points with 10 minutes remaining.

After the Central defence failed to clear their lines, Mulvey turned home from Sophie Gallagher’s lay off.

Victory for ‘Well means they move up to second in SWPL2, with another home fixture to look forward to next Sunday when Aberdeen visit Braidhurst.

Motherwell suffered SWPL Cup heartache as Rangers scored eight minutes from time to claim a 1-0 victory at New Tinto Park.

Eddie Wolecki Black’s side more than held their own in a fiercely contested affair, that saw the hosts reduced to ten when Chelsie Watson was shown a red card for bundling over Suzanne Mulvey as the striker raced clear on goal.

‘Well made a bright start and could have been ahead in the opening minute. Sophie Gallagher forced Rangers keeper Khym Ramsay into an excellent low stop.

The hosts grew into the game after a quiet start, however chances were at a premium, with the ‘Well defence coping brilliantly throughout periods of sustained pressure.

Three minutes before the break there was controversy when Carla Boyce hit the deck inside the box. Instead of awarding a penalty the referee adjudged the striker to have taken a dive and showed her a yellow card.

The second half began with two half chances for Mulvey, before Lauren Davidson sent a shot sailing over the bar as Rangers began to threaten.

Both sides were showing they were more than happy to get stuck in and there were bookings for Emma Black and Kerry Montgomery as the game became increasingly scrappy.

Boyce brought out a good save from Johnstone with 19 minutes remaining and a magnificent sliding challenge from Stephanie Knox denied Hannah Coakley an excellent scoring opportunity.

With very little to separate the two sides, extra time was looking increasingly likely, but it was the home side who would strike late to clinch the game.

With Motherwell temporarily down to 10 due to a knock to Montgomery, Rangers seized on their numerical advantage. A quickly taken short corner caught the ‘Well defence off guard and Chantelle Brown’s low drive evaded all in the penalty box and found the far corner.

Mulvey tested Ramsay as Black’s side tried desperately to find a way back into the game. And with two minutes remaining it looked like the striker was just about to do so before being cynically pulled to the ground on the edge of the box, resulting in a red card for a Rangers defender.

From the free kick, Cunningham was denied by an excellent save from Ramsay and the resulting corner was scrambled clear.

The late defeat was harsh on Motherwell who had performed superbly against their opponents from the league above. Their attentions will now turn to league matters, with their next fixture taking place after the international break,  a home fixture against Central Girls on March 11.

| @edblack65, @share000 and @lesleyjc4 preview this Sunday’s SWPL Cup tie with Rangers.

Kick off at New Tinto Park in Govan is at 2pm. pic.twitter.com/GJRObCFN5t

— Motherwell LFC (@MotherwellLFC) February 23, 2018

Motherwell’s women’s team continue the start to the new season with a trip to face Rangers in the SWPL Cup on Sunday.

Eddie Wolecki Black’s side are looking to build on last week’s emphatic 8-0 victory over Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale in the league by aiming to take a top flight scalp.

Kick off at New Tinto Park in Govan is at 2pm.

Motherwell Ladies secured their second consecutive win in an 8-0 thriller against Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale.

The women of steel went top of the league after their emphatic win, their second in as many games. Striker Suzanne Mulvey bagged herself six goals in a fantastic team display by the home side.

‘Well took the lead at Braidhurst within the first five minutes, courtesy of Mulvey’s first strike. A lovely free kick by Emma Black dropped just behind the defence and fell for Mulvey to slot past the keeper to put the home side ahead.

It didn’t take long for Eddie Wolecki Black’s side to double their lead. A counter attack led to Montgomery playing through Sammy Hare, who calmly slotted it under the keeper.

The Motherwell defence then withstood several EUHV attempts to claw a goal back, but to no avail.

As the rain continued to pour down at Braidhurst, the ladies added three more goals to their tally in quick succession.

Just before the half hour mark, former Scotland striker Mulvey got her second. The EUHV defence failed to clear the initial corner and it fell to Mulvey, whose drive proved too much for the goalkeeper to keep out.

A matter of minutes later, some nice build up play from Motherwell lead to an overlap and it was Mulvey who tapped it past the onrushing keeper to score her third of the game.

Mulvey wasn’t done yet. A superb ball over the top of the defence left her one on one with the keeper and she made no mistake to put the ‘Well up 5-0 with just over half an hour played.

Motherwell’s dominance continued right up to half time and it paid off again, when captain Montgomery added her name to the scoresheet.

The Northern Irish midfielder took advantage of the visiting defence’s failure to clear their lines to put Motherwell 6-0 up at the break.

As the second half began, Motherwell picked up where they left off. A free kick led to Black floating the ball in the box, which fell to Mulvey to blast the ball into the roof of the net and increase Motherwell’s tally to seven.

The Motherwell defence was asked questions as EUHV searched for a consolation goal but Lesley Condie and company remained resilient.

Mulvey shortly piled more misery onto EUHV as she got her last goal of the game.

Picking the ball up at the left-hand side of the box, she sent the keeper the wrong way and dinked it into the right-hand side of the goal in a composed finish by the experienced forward.

EUHV continued to dig in and try to find a goal in the last 15 minutes of the match. But the home defence was more than a match and managed to limit the Edinburgh side’s chances and finish the game with an all-important clean sheet, the first of the season.

The emphatic victory sends the Lanarkshire side top of SWPL2 table with six points and an impressive ten goals in two games. The result sets the team up for next weekend’s cup clash against SWPL1 side Rangers.

Motherwell: Johnstone, Black, Magill, Knox, Condie, McLaughlin, Montgomery (C), Johnson, Hare, Cunningham, Mulvey.

Motherwell subs: Dalziel, Nicholson, Russell, Gallagher, Goodwin, Rhind, Kerr

Match report by Andrew Scott. Picture courtesy of Craig Doyle.

| Assistant boss Donald Jennow, Niamh Johnston and Emma Black preview the match against @EUHVFootball. pic.twitter.com/5iljFBQhi4

— Motherwell LFC (@MotherwellLFC) February 18, 2018

Motherwell’s women’s team play their first home match of the 2018 SWPL2 season on Sunday, as they host Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale.

The match is being played at Braidhurst High School in Motherwell. Kick off is at 2pm.

Eddie Wolecki Black’s side got their campaign off to a winning start last weekend as they defeated Kilmarnock 2-1 at Rugby Park.

Motherwell Ladies kicked off the season with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

The women of steel, under the guidance of Eddie Wolecki Black for the first time in a competitive fixture, showed their mettle by scoring the winning goal in the dying minutes of the match.

‘Well had got themselves ahead courtesy of an own goal. A delightful free kick from Emma Black was headed into her own net by the unfortunate Kilmarnock defender, under heavy pressure from Sammy Hare.

The claret and amber women had the ball in the net again soon after, only for the assistant’s flag to chalk it off for offside.

Both teams had half chances, but the first half would end with the visitors narrowly ahead at a freezing cold Rugby Park.

Former Scotland striker Suzanne Mulvey was proving a handful for the home defenders and she brought about an excellent save from keeper Morgan Hunter, turning a low strike around the left-hand post for a corner.

Northern Ireland International Kerry Montgomery went close again soon after, but was again denied by Hunter who was having an excellent afternoon in the Killie goal.

With those chances gone, the inevitable happened when Kilmarnock got themselves on level terms. Sara Paterson sending a free kick into the back of the net with just 18 minutes left to play.

And it looked as if it was going to stay that way until, with just minutes left on the clock, Hayley Cunningham’s free kick hit a body en route and ended up past Hunter and in the net, securing all three points and a win in the first game of the new Motherwell era.

Motherwell: Johnstone, Nicholson, Knox, Condie, McLaughlin, Montgomery, Hare, Cunningham, Mulvey, Black, Johnston (Russell 74)

Motherwell subs: Rhind, Dalziel, Kerr, Reside, Goodwin, Canavan

| Manager @edblack65, @kerry0023 and @suzanne13mulvey speak ahead of the season opener against @FCKilmarnockLFC on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/ULJsFyKwFO

— Motherwell LFC (@MotherwellLFC) February 9, 2018

Motherwell Ladies start their SWPL2 campaign on Sunday with a trip to face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Eddie Wolecki Black has made wholesale changes to the team in preparation for the new season and has a squad full of confidence going into their first game.

Kick off is at 4pm.

Former Scotland youth international Lesley Condie is Eddie Wolecki Black’s 11th signing of pre season, as Motherwell Ladies prepare for the 2018 campaign.

Condie, 30, started her career with Queen’s Park Ladies and, whilst in her teens, was a regular for both the Scotland U17 and U19s teams.

She then moved across the pond to Boston to complete a football scholarship at Northeastern University before returning home to captain Rangers in 2011.

The left back spent three years with the Light Blues, captaining the side, before taking time out the game to have a family.

Wolecki Black has already added Kerry Montgomery, Emma Black, Stephanie Knox, Sammy Hare, Claire Johnstone, Ashley Nicolson, Kirsty McLaughlin, Suzanne Mulvey, Hayley Cunningham and Caitlin Russell to his squad.

Motherwell face Kilmarnock in the league this Sunday at Rugby Park.

The Fir Park boss said: “I am delighted to welcome Lesley to Motherwell and she’s another who will add significant top-level experience to our squad.

[pullquote]Having played with Rangers and Scotland youths, she knows what it takes and the I can see she has the bit between her teeth after several years out the game.[/pullquote]

“I’m really looking forward to working with her.”

Condie, who will wear number four this season, added: “I am delighted to be back playing football and I am excited to be at an ambitious club like Motherwell.

“I have played alongside a number of my teammates for Scotland so settling in has been easier. I can’t wait to get started this weekend.”

Motherwell Ladies have added two more to their squad for the 2018 season with the signings of Hayley Cunningham and Caitlin Russell.

Cunningham, 28, has three Scotland caps and has been a prolific scorer in the top flight with Celtic, Hibernian and Rangers over the years.

Midfielder Russell, 18, is a current Scotland Under 19s international and joins on loan from Hibs.

The pair are the ninth and 10th signings for Eddie Wolecki Black’s team as they gear up for the new campaign.

They join Kerry Montgomery, Emma Black, Stephanie Knox, Sammy Hare, Claire Johnstone, Ashley Nicolson, Kirsty McLaughlin and Suzanne Mulvey in moving to Motherwell.

“We are delighted to have signed Hayley and Caitlin,” said manager Wolecki Black.

“We are building a strong squad ahead of the new season and the two will bring competition to the squad. We are still hoping to get more in before the season starts.”