Well short of a thumbs up
BETFRED CUP
Stephen Robinson reckons Well will need to up their game to cope with facing Rangers in next weekend’s league curtain raiser.
Motherwell finished top of Group F with four wins our of four but the Northern Irish boss admits he’s not completely happy.
The Steelmen took 82 minutes to break down a resolute Berwick Rangers defence.
And while they deserved the victory after Elliott Frear’s strike, it was a far from convincing display against the League Two side.
Robinson was delighted with his side’s perfect record in the group but said: “There is still a lot of improvement to come.
“We’ve won four out of four, scored a lot of goals and made a lot of chances – but Keith Lasley and I are about 60 per cent happy.
“We believe there is a lot more to come from the team.
“These games are false. We totally dominated possession but the acid test will be against Rangers.
“I am happy with the win but some of them can play better.”
For long spells it looked little more than a fitness exercise ahead of Sunday’s league opener.
Motherwell had already qualified for the knockout stages of the cup before a ball had been kicked.
It looked like they’d been dealt a blow when Steven Hammell limped off with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Frear in just f ive minutes only for the winger to become the best player on the pitch and eventual matchwinner.
Despite having most of the ball, Motherwell were almost caught out in the 13th minute.
A long ball allowed Berwick’s Aaron Murrell to get in behind Cedric Kipre. The striker got his shot away but it lacked the power to seriously trouble Trevor Carson.
At the other end Berwick keeper Robby McCrorie – on loan from Rangers – did well to block a Louis Moult effort with his legs.
But that was the first time he’d been called into action after 20 minutes of play at Fir Park.
The keeper had a bigger scare on the half hour when Andy Rose headed on to the roof of his net after good work from Frear.
But Robinson’s men weren’t playing with any real intensity and the League Two side were coping comfortably.
Well started the second half with more urgency and McCrorie was forced into a fine save to deny Moult within four minutes of the restart.
Frear, whose pace tormented Berwick, then produced a peach of a ball across the face of goal that was begging to be converted but found no taker.
Not that Well had it all their own way. Murrell nutmegged Carl McHugh before forcing Carson into a sprawling save.
Robinson subbed Moult on the hour mark for Alex Fisher and it looked like strike partner Craig Tanner would be forced off after a foul by Keiran Stewart that earned the first booking of the afternoon.
Tanner was able to resume after treatment, though, but was replaced in the 71st minute by debutant George Newell.
Well thought they’d finally made the breakthrough in the 78th minute when the ball was scrambled home following a melee in the box after a Chris Cadden shot had been blocked.
But ref Stephen Finnie curtailed the celebrations in the 2524 crowd by blowing for a foul on McCrorie – and he got it right.
The keeper then produced a great save to deny Kipke although McCrorie was finally beaten eight minutes from time when he beat out a Cadden cross to the edge of the box only for Frear to fire home.
The goal had been coming but was still tough for the part-timers to take.
Berwick boss John Coughlin said: “We were close but no cigar. I don’t normally praise my players in defeat but I couldn’t be more proud of them.
“They ran a team that will hope to be top six in the Premiership close.”