Scotland spot on to slay Dragons
DESPITE starting with what amounted to a reserve side, Scotland got the better of Wales in a penalty shoot out to end their Cyprus Cup campaign on a winning note.
Six first-team players weren’t started because of injury, and four more were benched. Two of them, Jane Ross and Lisa Evans, came on in the second half and from then on their side dominated.
Both had chances to win the game in 90 minutes, but despite being denied her 50th goal for Scotland in a tournament which brought up her century of caps, Ross was unperturbed.
“My focus isn’t on getting the 50 goals although of course it would be a great achievement if I get there,” the Manchester City striker said. “For me it’s the progress of the team and winning matches that matters.
“We’ve got a really good depth to the squad and every player who has had game time in the tournament has done really well.
“Although we would have liked to win other than penalties, the experience is something that’s good to have under our belts ahead of the Euros.”
The first half was a dull affair. Both sides were playing their fourth game in eight days and the pitch was in poor condition on a hot afternoon in Paralimni.
Hibs captain Joelle Murray went down early on and was eventually replaced by Frankie Brown.
The introduction of Ross and Evans made a huge difference and both had good chances to win the game.
The two stepped up to covnert Scotland’s first two penalties, with Lizzie Arnot and Leanne Crichton doing the same. With the count at 4-4 Shannon Lynn made a great save but Laura O’Sullivan did the same from Caroline Weir.
Fiona Brown made it 5-5 and Frankie Brown 6-5 after Wales failed to hit the target with their seventh effort.
MOTHERWELL legend Willie Pettigrew has told the Fir Park players to ‘man up’ and dig the club out of relegation trouble.
Pettigrew was shocked to see his old side ship seven goals away to Aberdeen and five at home to Dundee recently, and believes that former manager Mark McGhee rightly lost his job as a consequence.
Pettigrew isn’t concerned that a permanent replacement has yet to be appointed, instead believing that the onus is on the playing squad to show the fight required to climb the table.
To that end, he was encouraged by the comeback win over Kilmarnock under the charge of Stephen Robinson, and he is hoping for a similar display of backbone when Motherwell return to Pittodrie this weekend.
“Never mind the manager, you could bring in anybody, it’s down to the players on the park,” Pettigrew said.
“I like Mark McGhee as a person and I enjoy being in his company, but the fans were right to be looking for a change.
“To go up to Aberdeen and lose seven goals and to then lose five goals in the first 45 minutes at Fir Park against Dundee, that’s just not acceptable, not for Motherwell or any club.
“I’ve been in a situation at Motherwell when we got relegated in ’79. It’s not a nice feeling.
“Make no mistake, that looked to be the way Motherwell were heading after those results, and they are still in real danger despite the win at Kilmarnock.
“The players need to man up and get on with it. Whenever the new manager comes in doesn’t matter too much, there’s enough experience in that team to get this sorted out.
“They owe it to the fans, who turn up week-in, week-out. Ok, they grumble now and again, but they are there through thick and thin.
“The match against Aberdeen on Saturday is a real tough one, but up until the last time we played there we had a good record. We certainly didn’t lose seven goals.
“It was a good result on Saturday, and if they can get a draw or even sneak a win it would be great, and it’s not beyond them.
“The main thing is to show a bit of fight. In my day, if I had been in a side that lost seven goals then lost five goals, Jesus, I couldn’t go out the house for a week!
“All the fans want to see is a bit of heart and a bit of fight to believe that the players want to reverse this, and they’ve got to do that in the next few games.”
PETTIGREW thinks that interim manager Stephen Robinson is capable of steering those players clear of relegation trouble.
Whether it is the Northern Irishman that takes on the permanent role or not, Pettigrew believes it is vital the new boss buys into the club’s philosophy of developing young talent.
“I don’t think there’s a rush,” he said. “The boy Robinson has been there before.
“I think they have to take their time because Mark had started something that Ian Baraclough hadn’t, in that he had established a pathway into the first-team for the youths.
“We’ve seen Alan Campbell and Jake Hastie for instance getting first-team action. The fanbase want to see these kids coming through, and Motherwell have a wealth of talent in their youth squads.
“They have boys who are the envy of other clubs, and that’s the line they have to go down.
“I think it’s vital that whoever they bring in they understand the thinking behind the club’s philosophy and also the ‘Well Society, who have a big say in how the club is run.
“Stephen Craigan is there to give Robinson a hand, and as manager of the under-20s he has a grip on who is good enough and who isn’t.
“They’ve got a good squad, and it was a good result on Saturday. I think the players showed they will play for Robinson and they have to continue to do so to get through this patch.”