NO FREAR OF FAILURE
Elliot rescues Well with last-gasp goal as they come close to losing the Ed
ELLIOT FREAR saved Motherwell’s blushes with a last-gasp winner against Edinburgh City who more than put the fear into the Premiership side.
The Fir Park winger’s late intervention prevented a Group F embarrassment for Stephen Robinson’s side after Ashley Grimes had stunned them by netting a 69th-minute opener.
Chris Cadden’s leveller set up a grandstand finish and Well progressed into the knockout stage thanks to Frear.
After bagging nine goals in their first two games against Queens Park and Morton, Motherwell’s unblemished record almost came unstuck as City came close to claiming the biggest result in their short SPFL history.
Relieved Well gaffer Robinson: said: “I have to give credit to the boys as it was a really sticky pitch and we dug in.
“We had loads and loads of chances and it was one of those nights at times.
“Did I look as though I wasn’t panicking when Edinburgh scored? We won the game and are top of the group.”
There was a first start for Andy Rose after the midfielder’s summer switch from Coventry in what was a slightly weakened Motherwell side.
Cadden was on the bench where he joined latest arrival George Newell who had been released by Bolton.
City are enjoying lodgers status at Spartans’ Ainslie Park and it provided a somewhat surreal backdrop for a Betfred Cup clash.
It was another taste of top-flight opposition with Gary Jardine’s side going up against Hamilton in last season’s competition and there appeared a gulf in class early on.
City almost gifted the Lanarkshire side an opener within seconds as David Verlaque mis-hit a pass to Ryan Bowman but his weak finish was straight at Calum Antell.
Another escape for Edinburgh came in the ninth minute as Frear delivered for Alex Fisher who headed into the arms of Antell when he should have scored.
Chances were coming thick and fast and Fisher was at the heart of it again with a low shot which this time asked Antell to throw himself to his right to make the save.
The League Two side were under siege and Charles Dunne’s cross was met by Frear who headed inches over.
The cutting edge for Well continued to prove elusive.
And it was summed up on the half hour when Bowman’s cross found Fisher but with the goal at his mercy he glanced a header wide.
It only served to encourage City forward and former Aberdeen midfielder Josh Walker was now becoming a positive influence.
They could have been ahead in 33 minutes when Marc Laird cracked a shot that went inches wide of Trevor Carson’s goal.
Robinson shuffled his pack at the break as Bowman and Ross McLean made way for Cadden and Craig Tanner which added instant urgency.
Cadden’s cross from the right found no takers as the ball flashed across the six-yard box.
City keeper Antell’s excellence denied Motherwell again in 55 minutes as he threw out a hand to stop Frear’s strike from finding the top corner.
Antell was the stand-out performer as the keeper tipped Frear’s header over the top in 64 minutes to retain a belief within the home side that they could pull off a shock.
It was no surprise when that shock came in 69 minutes.
Walker fed Grimes and the former Manchester City kid jinked past Cedric Kipre before slotting home a low shot.
Parity was restored in the 74th minute as Cadden diverted Jack McMillan’s cross into the net to finally beat Antell.
Then came the winner just a minute from time as Frear rammed home a Cadden cross.
Edinburgh boss Jardine said: “I was delighted with the way the boys set about what is a good Premiership side.”