MATCH REPORT : UNITED SLUMP TO DEFEAT AT SODDEN FIR PARK

United were back on their travels for the second time in four days, Lanarkshire this time the destination for a fourth versus fifth clash against Graham Alexander’s Motherwell. The Terrors ran out 2-1 victors last time the sides met, our centre-half duo of Charlie Mulgrew and Ryan Edwards bagging a goal and assist each with United resisting a late fightback when Tony Watt restored parity from the spot on 71 minutes.
 
Tam Courts made just one change to the side who conceded a heart-breaking last-minute equaliser in the Highlands, academy graduate Declan Glass deployed in the number 10 role in a 4-4-1-1 behind Louis Apperé as Nicky Clark dropped to the bench.

Motherwell came out of the traps flying and took the game to United, carving out three chances inside the opening 10 minutes. The best fell to the unmarked Tony Watt who was picked out by a deep Callum Slattery free-kick, the former Celtic man glancing his effort into the grateful arms of Benji Siegrist. 

 Slattery then had a strike of his own which flew into the 764 Arabs behind the goal, before Watt opened the scoring on the 12th minute. Kaiyne Woolery picked the ball up on the half-turn just inside the United half and strode forward unchallenged. The winger tried to find Kevin Van Veen making a darting run into the box, but Edwards’ intercepted. However, the ball fell perfectly for Watt and he curled an exquisite, curling strike into the far corner, leaving the keeper powerless.

 Charlie Mulgrew came to United’s rescue twice in quick succession as the Steelmen’s counter-press continued to disrupt our build-up play. The defender prevented a certain goal by throwing himself in front of a well-struck Woolery half-volley from the corner of the 6-yard box, and then thwarted Barry Maguire when Siegrist inadvertently rolled the ball to him, blocking a cross to Van Veen standing in splendid isolation. 

The visitors began to grow into the game around the halfway point of the first 45, as they began to exploit the void behind the Motherwell midfield’s press. Niskanen picked up the ball in the left half-space, his perfectly executed first touch leaving Mugabi for dead and giving him space to roll the ball left to Glass. The 21-year-old cut in onto his weaker right foot and struck towards goal, but his effort failed to trouble Liam Kelly in the Motherwell net. 

 Glass was involved again soon after, Harkes’ vertical pass picking him out in a tight pocket of space in the box. Glass managed to force the ball in the direction of fellow academy graduate Apperé, causing chaos for the Motherwell backline as he broke towards the 6-yard line. The striker waited for the ball to drop just too long, allowing Nathan McGinley to recover and prod the ball away for a corner just as he was about to pull the trigger.

 Motherwell hit back, Van Veen shifting away from Freeman down the left and landing a cross on the head of Slattery who diverted the ball over the bar, the delivery just too far behind him to make the desired contact.

The gaffer looked to the bench to try and swing the pendulum in United’s favour and Clark entered the fray for Glass in the 42nd minute. 

Just two minutes after the restart, Motherwell went close to doubling their lead as Sean Goss tried his luck from distance, the ball skidding narrowly wide of Siegrist’s right post. 

Van Veen then had an even better chance to make it 2-0, with a coming together between Scott McMann and Woolery presenting the Dutchman with a golden opportunity from eight yards. Van Veen killed the ball dead and spun before striking inches wide of the stanchion, Siegrist rooted to the spot.

Maguire was the next man in black to go for goal, McMann sliding to block his low, right-footed effort following nifty footwork from Watt down the left. 

Once again, United got a foothold in the match around the midway point of the half, the introduction of 18-year-old academy graduate Darren Watson injecting some pace into the tangerine ranks. Watson kept his composure after a mazy run to slide in Freeman just inside the box, and his dangerous cross somehow evaded all the white shirts in the area. 

Van Veen’s shot on the angle then flew wide of the post, before Apperé was the recipient of United’s best chance of the evening. Harkes clipped the ball into the channel and the striker held off the challenge of Bevis Mugabi strongly to go one-on-one with Kelly. Unfortunately, Apperé stumbled at the crucial moment and the ball trundled harmlessly out for a goal-kick to the hosts. 

The match descended into a slight farce with the conditions worsening by the minute, United allowed possession around the halfway line but the sodden park slowing their attempt to move the ball around quickly, Motherwell able to force easy turnovers and spring counter-attacks which frequently ended in a free-kick for the home side. 

Scotland international Stephen O’Donnell looked certain to score on the 80th minute when Watt flicked Slattery’s delivery on to the back stick. The full-back had the goal at his mercy but an awkward bounce on the turf saw him take a fresh air swipe at the ball, a let-off for United. 

For the third game in a row, United’s opponents were reduced to ten men, Maguire being sent for an early bath for a fierce challenge on Harkes down by the corner flag. 

Apart from a scramble deep into stoppage time, this was the final action on a night where the conditions no doubt played a part in United’s downfall, but so did a lack of creativity going forward. Next up is the visit of Celtic on Sunday at noon as we look to rediscover our Premiership form heading into the festive period.