MOTHERWELL...1 MORTON ............. 1 WELL WIN 5-3 ON PENS
O’Donnell toasts new deal with winning pen to break brave Ton hearts
STEPHEN O’DONNELL slammed Motherwell into the last eight in a dramatic Fir Park finish.
The Scotland defender, fresh from signing his new two-year deal, thought he had won a nervy tie three minutes from the end of extra-time.
He beat Aidan McAdams from 30 yards with a swerving right-foot shot.
But incredibly Morton levelled two minutes into added time when Markus Fjortoft headed home Lewis McGrattan’s corner.
Sadly for Ton, skipper Sean McGinty had his spot-kick saved in the shootout.
And it was O’Donnell who sealed a last-eight slot away to either Stranraer or Hibs for Well.
Morton belied their lowly Championship position and were the better side, with Aidan Nesbitt the catalyst.
It was Nesbitt who carved out a real opportunity in 17 minutes. The Celtic academy graduate got away from
MOTHERWELL..1 MORTON..1
WELL WIN 5-3 ON PENS (AET, FT: 0-0)
O’Donnell and fired a great left-foot cross into the box.
It looked like Craig McGuffie would sweep it into the net but he got his angles all wrong and the chance was gone.
The Steelmen were in trouble again seven minutes later when Reece Lyon robbed Robbie Crawford of possession and burst towards the box, easing away from Declan Gallagher.
But keeper Liam Kelly was quickly off his line and was able to narrow the angle and make a terrific block from Lyon’s shot.
Nesbitt continued to cause problems down the left and produced another fine delivery in 30 minutes.
Robbie Muirhead tried a spectacular scorpion kick but it didn’t come off as the ball flew over the bar.
The 2018 cup finalists had offered very little but they finally produced some decent pressure towards the end of the first half.
Barry Maguire had an effort blocked in 36 minutes at a free-kick routine then Fjortoft made a brilliant and brave block on Nathan McGinley’s left-foot strike three minutes later.
Well were slicker as the second half started.
Devante Cole robbed Lyon just outside the Morton box and set up Chris Long for a left-foot strike but McAdams was right behind it.
Then seven minutes later the son of FA Cup winner Andy really should have fired his side into the lead.
Well worked the ball from left to right and O’Donnell set him up but Cole fired just over the bar.
In 60 minutes, Steven Lawless showed his class as he turned quickly on the right and tried to find Long at the back post but his clipped cross was too high.
Well seemed to run out of ideas as Ton dealt easily with anything they tried.
It gave them renewed belief and after Kalvin Orsi came on for Muirhead in 73 minutes they started to cause problems again.
Ton thought their moment had come 10 minutes from time when a short free-kick was worked to Nesbitt.
He drove a low ball into the box and Michael Ledger struck it first time but it was straight at Kelly.
In extra-time it was Well’s turn to fluff a big chance eight minutes in.
Jake Hastie played in Long but he hit the outside of the post. Then Hastie was set up by Allan Campbell but pulled his shot wide.
Three minutes from the end McAdams made a great save from a Lawless header.
It looked over when O’Donnell scored but Fjortoft levelled before Well squeezed through on pens.