PAIN & KAIYNE
Woolery feared conditions would wreck Well’s top-four bid
KAIYNE WOOLERY felt like he was running on sand as he emptied the tank to help Motherwell overcome Dundee United in a Fir Park flood.
But after a man-of-the-match display in Tuesday’s 1-0 win, Woolery insists the Steelmen’s bid for a top-four place ahead of Christmas is gathering speed.
The Englishman was more worried about an abandonment robbing Well of a deserved victory than a late equaliser from the Terrors.
The win moves Graham Alexander’s side to within a point of United in fourth.
Woolery said: “It was as much about strength as skill. I don’t think the fans realise just how much a pitch as heavy as that takes out of the players and how physically demanding that was.
“It felt a bit like running on sand at times but to be fair to our groundsman, he’s done a great job. The surface didn’t cut up at all, which most pitches would have in those conditions.
“It was a bit dangerous at times in the second half when the ball was sticking and there were a few players falling over.
“It was quite hard to run and keep your footing, plus you could see towards the end that people were sliding in and mistiming their challenges because the ball was stopping.
“You couldn’t really read the game. That was what I felt Scottish football was going to be like all the time when I first came here!
“I’ve never seen anything like it but I enjoyed it – you always do when you’ve won. It was very satisfying.
“To be honest, I was more worried about the referee abandoning the game than I was about them equalising.
“This win makes our other results against Aberdeen and Hearts more meaningful now.
“That’s three victories in four games. We’re only one point behind United now and you never know what can happen.
“If we beat Hibs on Saturday, then who knows. At the very least it would put pressure on United. We’ll not look further ahead than the next match but
anything’s possible for us.”