Johnson sitting pretty as fox in the box continues red-hot streak
THE original fox in the box, Francis Jeffers, may not have had the most prolific spell at Motherwell a few years back, but Danny Johnson is fast setting about claiming the nickname for his own in his short stay at Fir Park so far.
The striker scored the opening goal yesterday as Motherwell deservedly saw off a struggling Dundee side by three goals to one, a predatory finish as he took advantage of a slip by Genseric Kusunga for his third goal in as many games.
“It’s a fantastic start,” said the former Gateshead man. “If someone had asked me if I would have four goals by now, three in three starts, I’d have snatched their hand off.
“It’s been a bit of a step up, but I’ve adjusted pretty quickly, and I’ve had to keep my place in the team
It was tough the first few weeks finding my feet, but I did that quickly.
“The first half I wasn’t quite there but the ball has fallen to me in the box and I didn’t even look where the goal was I knew just going to spin and get that shot away and it went in. Just give me half a chance and that’s all I need.
“I’ve always been a fox in the box so to speak. I suppose a few of my goals last season were two touch finishes, but this season they seem to be dropping for me first time.”
Johnson’s goal was a crucial breakthrough early in the second half that was just reward for their domination of the game to that point, and it knocked the stuffing out of the Premiership’s bottom side. The excellent Gael Bigirimana added another from a free-kick before a brief flurry from the home side saw them pull a goal back through Benjamin Kallman.
Trevor Carson then had to look lively to save from Paul McGowan and Kallman to prevent Neil McCann’s men from drawing level, but the game was put to bed when Allan Campbell took advantage of the home side falling asleep at the back again to give Motherwell their first league win of the season.
As for Dundee, there was precious little to be positive about as they head into the international break rock bottom of the standings and without a point to their name.
They were disjointed and gave Motherwell far too much time on the ball throughout the game. They failed to press, and when they did have the ball, all too often the plan was simply to hoof it forward towards an exasperated Kenny Miller, who was marshalled expertly by the Motherwell back three.
It doesn’t bode well for manager McCann that his own team’s supporters were signing “you’re getting sacked in the morning”.
The one slight sliver of hope they could draw from yet another loss was the