Dons fall foul of Fir Park revival

Motherwell 3-2 Aberdeen Subs: McFadden for Strong 63, Forrest for Leitch 84.

Not used: Woods, Dow, Martinez.

Booked: Strong 24, Adams 44, Pearson 62, Ready 65, Elliott 73 Lasley 88.

Referee: Kevin Toner.

Subs: Guntveit for Dadi 45, Esson for Kjaer 49, Zerouali for Winters 63.

Not used: McAllister, Thornley.

Booked: Tiernan 61.

Attendance: 7,302.

AFTER seven straight wins at Fortress Pittodrie, Aberdeen fans arrived in Lanarkshire yesterday only to stumble straight into another rapidly improving home record. For, since the Under New Management signs went up at Fir Park, the same band of Motherwell players who were unable to find a win for Billy Davies have now gleaned SPL victories from each of their two home fixtures. At times, the performance even seemed to display in equal measures the vitality of a young Eric Black and the flinty resolve of Terry Butcher.

They say that familiarity breeds contempt, but the third and possibly final league meeting between these two sides this season was the best of the bunch.

Certainly when Aberdeen substitute Hicham Zerouali hit a trademark screaming drive high past Mark Brown with only a quarter of an hour to restore equality to the scoreline at 2-2, the old Motherwell might have caved in. The new Motherwell went promptly up the other end, where 18-year-old James McFadden headed his first senior goal to wrap up the victory.

Afterwards manager Eric Black said: "I think everyone in the stadium thought the game was starting to turn apart from the 11 players in Motherwell jerseys. I just thought there's got to be a bit more belief in the players."

With promising midfielder Stephen Pearson coming into the starting line-up at the expense of Steven Nicholas, the Motherwell boss had also been relieved to be able to call upon central defender Greg Strong, who had been a pre-match doubt due to a calf injury. Frenchman Eric Deloumeaux slotted in beside him and Karl Ready in a back three. The move surprised visiting man-ager Ebbe Skovdahl, and it was to give Motherwell the edge for the first half hour.

The home side capitalised on their vigorous start within nine minutes. After a well-worked move down the left, the ball was funnelled to Keith Lasley. His effort from the edge of the box was blocked by Phil McGuire but the ball lingered invitingly near the penalty spot, precisely where Pearson's supporting run had taken him. The youngster reacted sharply enough to place the ball low past Peter Kjaer's left hand.

Both Stuart Elliott and Steven Hammell created further opportunities before Motherwell made it two 10 minutes later.

Hammell's inswinging corner from the right-hand side was met by Karl Ready at the far post, the big Welshman nodding it down towards the six-yard box.

Like all good strikers Elliott was lurking there and he took a touch before gleefully sweeping it into the top corner. And when the same player forced a good save from Kjaer with a low shot from the edge of the box, Aberdeen were on the ropes.

But, with Roberto Bisconti showing some admirable ball-winning work in the midfield and Robbie Winters pushing on to threaten Motherwell's back three, Aberdeen gradually got a toe-hold in the game. First Derek Young worked a one-two with Robbie Winters only to skew his eventual shot wide then Fergus Tiernan fired in a shot straight at Mark Brown.

Five minutes before half-time, the Dons were to have more luck. Derek Young floated over a cross from deep and Winters timed his run to perfection before guiding a looping header over the advancing Brown from around the penalty spot.

With the game suddenly back in the melting pot, the action swung back to the other end, where Keith Lasley had a shot well saved by Kjaer before the Danish keeper sustained an injury from the resultant corner, requiring lengthy treatment. He was to make it back out after the interval, but only lasted four minutes before being withdrawn, with Ryan Esson his replacement.

In terms of possession at least, Aberdeen's revival continued as the second half started, although Ready and Strong were both causing danger from set pieces. As ever, the action was to gather momentum with the arrival of Zerouali from the substitutes bench, Ebbe Skovdahl introducing the striker for Winters after an hour's play.

Within minutes, his cleverly worked corner had made it through to Phil McGuire, who shot narrowly over. The little Moroccan's next act was to hold off the defence before hitting a dangerous cross which was just out of the reach of Derek Young.

After 78 minutes, he finally got his goal, working the left-foot opening from nothing after Cato Guntveit had rolled a square pass to him on the edge of the box.

Minutes before the goal, however, another scare at the other end had almost passed unnoticed. Elliott had made progress down the left before firing over a fine cross on the run that had found McFadden arriving on the far post.

On that occasion, Esson had clutched at the young winger's close- range header. Aberdeen should have been more wary. After 84 minutes, Elliott produced a carbon copy of the move and this time McFadden made no mistake as he powered his header low past Esson.

And that, apart from a few late scrapes and a total of seven bookings, was that. Afterwards Ebbe Skovdahl was making few excuses for his side: "People will say we deserved something from the game but when you do daft things, you don't deserve anything."

Copyright 2001
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