Club
SUMMER REGENERATION WORK UNDERWAY
20th May 2024
After Tuesday's encouraging performance at home to Hearts, Manager Craig Brewster stuck to the same starting eleven for today's visit to Fir Park. But continuity of selection did not bring continuity of performance, and the home side just shaded a rather disappointing ninety minutes.
In awful conditions - cold, wind and rain - the two teams struggled to get their passing going and possession was regularly swapped. There was no questioning both teams' commitment to getting men forward, but what was missing was a bit of finesse in the final third, and defences for the most part had the better of things. Alan McCormick had the first clear sight at goal after 8 minutes, latching on to McDonald's intelligent cut-back from the right - his twenty yard drive was blocked by McCracken and the follow-up parried away by Stillie. A fine pass by Grant Brebner played Samuel through at the other end, but his first touch was over-hit, enabling Smith to rush from his goal and block. On twenty minutes, Robson's powerful twenty-five yard shot was well dealt with by Smith low to his right.
Just as United seemed to be getting into their stride, Motherwell went in front. Disappointingly from the United point of view, the move that lead to the goal started with a poor free kick from Barry Robson in a dangerous position outside the Motherwell box. On the counter-attack, McDonald's through pass picked out Richie Foran. The Irishman could have gone down for a penalty under a challenge from Kerr, but he kept his composure to roll the ball into the far corner of the net from 15 yards. United enjoyed a spell of possession in the build-up to half time, but had little to show for it except for a blocked Samuel shot.
Motherwell were perhaps slightly fortunate to be ahead at the break in a game lacking in clear-cut chances.
United started the second half in the ascendancy, forcing a series of free-kicks. But it was the same old story as Smith in the Motherwell goal had little to do other than comfortably gather a Mulgrew shot from the left edge of the box. United did come close when McCracken's scrambled effort from 15 yards just missed the far post. But on fifty-six minutes, United lost another disappointing goal - Foran out-jumping Robson at the back-post to head home a Brian Kerr corner in Motherwell's first attack of the second half.
United threw on Miller, and later Goodwillie, to add greater fire power to the attack - but Smith was not tested, as United's attacks repeatedly petered out through a string of off-sides and over-hit crosses. At the other end Stillie had to dash from goal to block at McCormick's feet, and a superb thirty yard free kick from Hammell came back off the base of the post as Motherwell came close to killing the game off altogether.
Ultimately two goals were more than enough to earn Motherwell the three points.
Motherwell: G Smith, Corrigan, Hammell, Kerr, Craigan, McCormack (Fagan 73), McDonald (McGarry 89), Foran, Hamilton (c), McBride (O'Donnell 66), McLean. Unused subs: Meldrum, Thermeus, D Smith, Reynolds.
Dundee United: Stillie, Duff, Mulgrew, McCracken, Archibald, McInnes (c) (Miller 61), Kerr (Goodwillie 86), Brebner, Robson, Fernandez, Samuel. Unused subs: Samson, Kenneth, Robertson, Cameron, Gardiner.
Referee: Alan Freeland
Attendance: 5,257
Man of the Match: Too many players not quite at their best today, but Stuart Duff continued to look solid in his new right-back role, providing useful support for the midfield and forwards.
Click here for the full match report by Stuart McDonald.
In awful conditions - cold, wind and rain - the two teams struggled to get their passing going and possession was regularly swapped. There was no questioning both teams' commitment to getting men forward, but what was missing was a bit of finesse in the final third, and defences for the most part had the better of things. Alan McCormick had the first clear sight at goal after 8 minutes, latching on to McDonald's intelligent cut-back from the right - his twenty yard drive was blocked by McCracken and the follow-up parried away by Stillie. A fine pass by Grant Brebner played Samuel through at the other end, but his first touch was over-hit, enabling Smith to rush from his goal and block. On twenty minutes, Robson's powerful twenty-five yard shot was well dealt with by Smith low to his right.
Just as United seemed to be getting into their stride, Motherwell went in front. Disappointingly from the United point of view, the move that lead to the goal started with a poor free kick from Barry Robson in a dangerous position outside the Motherwell box. On the counter-attack, McDonald's through pass picked out Richie Foran. The Irishman could have gone down for a penalty under a challenge from Kerr, but he kept his composure to roll the ball into the far corner of the net from 15 yards. United enjoyed a spell of possession in the build-up to half time, but had little to show for it except for a blocked Samuel shot.
Motherwell were perhaps slightly fortunate to be ahead at the break in a game lacking in clear-cut chances.
United started the second half in the ascendancy, forcing a series of free-kicks. But it was the same old story as Smith in the Motherwell goal had little to do other than comfortably gather a Mulgrew shot from the left edge of the box. United did come close when McCracken's scrambled effort from 15 yards just missed the far post. But on fifty-six minutes, United lost another disappointing goal - Foran out-jumping Robson at the back-post to head home a Brian Kerr corner in Motherwell's first attack of the second half.
United threw on Miller, and later Goodwillie, to add greater fire power to the attack - but Smith was not tested, as United's attacks repeatedly petered out through a string of off-sides and over-hit crosses. At the other end Stillie had to dash from goal to block at McCormick's feet, and a superb thirty yard free kick from Hammell came back off the base of the post as Motherwell came close to killing the game off altogether.
Ultimately two goals were more than enough to earn Motherwell the three points.
Motherwell: G Smith, Corrigan, Hammell, Kerr, Craigan, McCormack (Fagan 73), McDonald (McGarry 89), Foran, Hamilton (c), McBride (O'Donnell 66), McLean. Unused subs: Meldrum, Thermeus, D Smith, Reynolds.
Dundee United: Stillie, Duff, Mulgrew, McCracken, Archibald, McInnes (c) (Miller 61), Kerr (Goodwillie 86), Brebner, Robson, Fernandez, Samuel. Unused subs: Samson, Kenneth, Robertson, Cameron, Gardiner.
Referee: Alan Freeland
Attendance: 5,257
Man of the Match: Too many players not quite at their best today, but Stuart Duff continued to look solid in his new right-back role, providing useful support for the midfield and forwards.
Click here for the full match report by Stuart McDonald.
