Brazilian blend may take some time to percolate

Livingston 1 - Motherwell 0

IN years to come this game will perhaps be remembered as the earliest relegation dogfight in history. If it is remembered at all. The occasion had been billed pre-game as Marcio Maximo meeting his public in a competitive game for the first time, and although it wasn't exactly samba soccer, at least British football's first Brazilian coach did indeed have the deciding influence.

It must be uncertain how closely he has followed Derek Lilley's career to date, but his decision to introduce the former Leeds player from the bench provided an instant dividend. The substitute's fine headed goal that illuminated this encounter also means his side remain unbeaten.

Yet almost everything else about this game was understated, pedestrian. Even when Maximo was given the big introduction over the Tannoy, he glanced at his watch and adopted his trademark arms folded pose, which he kept throughout. Perhaps he knew what was coming.

Fortunately, his after-match performance was decidedly more spectacular, coming across for all the world like a Brazilian version of Jim Leishman. He did a bit of name-dropping, but showed enough clarity to suggest his side may aspire higher than just survival.

"Motherwell had a beautiful tactical discipline and were never open, but in the first half we played only long passes. Whether it is [Barry] Wilson, [Fernando] Pasquinelli, Ronaldo or Figo, it would have been difficult for anybody to play in this way. In this phase we are still building my team."

Maximo even commented on Dundee United's dogged pursuit of Marvin Andrews. "I think Marv is very important for me and the club, but sometimes it is difficult to block the lives of players," he said.

Where Motherwell are concerned, James McFadden has the ability to be the centre of attention even when not playing. After a week in which the Fir Park club knocked back a (pounds) 600,000 bid from Dundee, the 20-year-old had been expected to make his first start of the season following a foot injury. But an injury to his back and pelvis sustained in an Under-21 game on Wednesday night and exacerbated in yesterday's warm-up put paid to that. Terry Butcher said he will be contacting the SFA to ensure his player is withdrawn from the Scotland squad for the friendly against Norway in Oslo on Wednesday.

"James is always so keen to play that he kept it to himself a little bit," Butcher said. "But he has to see the chiropractor to get his back and pelvis manipulated. I don't think there was much to call between the sides. They got a goal out of nothing really."

After a tepid first half hour, a Livingston counter attack threatened to wake the game. Theodore Whitmore sent David McNamee away on the overlap, and his cross along the six-yard box eluded both Barry Wilson and Gordon Marshall. When Lee Makel, following up, caught up with the ball he could only slap it into the side netting.

For 10 minutes Livingston - still without the injured Stuart Lovell, Cherif Toure-Maman and Juanjo Camacho - showed something. Barry Wilson's low free kick from 30 yards beat Marshall, but ended in the side net. Pasquinelli then found Burton O'Brien, and the former St Mirren midfielder drew a fine save from Marshall. Then John Paul McGovern forced another save with a snap half-volley.

It even stung Motherwell, who had 18-year-old Kenny Wright filling in up front, into some brief activity as Steven Hammell's 22-yard free-kick struck the bar. Motherwell's only other likely moment came and went when David Clarkson's penalty claim was waved away after a tussle with Oscar Rubio.

The second-half was so laboured that the game probably didn't deserve a goal, but one did arrive. Pasquinelli sent over a fine delivery, and Lilley timed his leap perfectly to spear a header beyond Marshall.

It was the game's one moment of maximum Maximo.

Copyright 2003 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
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