STEELMEN TASTE CUP OF KINDNESS
WEEKENDS would be a lot easier for Motherwell if there was cup football played every Saturday. Puncturing the early season flow of league action was most welcome for Stephen Robinson’s knockout specialists as Danny Johnson netted a welcome winner.
Finalists in both major cup competitions last season, their hopes of gatecrashing the top six this term endured a false and goalless start in two Premiership defeats.
All they needed to steer their season on the right track, of course, was the turn-on of a tournament where the loser goes out.
Following a crazed spell of serious chances at both ends in the opening 20 minutes, Motherwell didn’t look back after Johnson struck midway through the half.
Once again, they are only 90 minutes away from Hampden.
And, for all the national stadium turf has fielded critics in recent years, that’s a pleasure following an afternoon at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
The surface, kicking up black rubber pellets at every kick and bounce, didn’t prevent a glut of goalmouth action early on.
Ultimately, Livingston lamented not profiting. Stevie Lawless smacked the crossbar from 25 yards in the opening seconds and the opportunist in playermanager Kenny Miller spied a chance to unleash one from similar range, only for Trevor Carson to back-pedal just in time to tip over.
With Elliott Frear and Alex Gorrin in for Motherwell, their menace attacking from wide areas was key going forward as Liam Kelly was given plenty to do to keep the home side in contention.
At the back, the way Robinson’s men defended their box when Livingston went direct late in the game ensured a path to the last eight.
Frear’s wicked cross was met at full speed by the head of Richard Tait but Kelly’s superb reactions to push the powerful effort over was the first in a string of outstanding blocks.
Curtis Main was just too much of a handful, however, as he teed up Johnson — who had earlier struck the post — for his second goal for Motherwell.
Main fired a cutback to the centre of the area where the left boot of the ex-Gateshead man steered a first-time finish low past Kelly.
The visitors smelt blood. Kelly stemmed the flow. A near-post header from Carl McHugh was denied by a combination of Kelly and the woodwork.
Then, again from Frear, Main bundled a chance goalwards from six yards and the unbalanced Kelly twisted his body on the line to somehow grab a save.
‘I’ve known him a long time,’ said boss Miller of the former Rangers youth keeper.
‘He’s an outstanding young goalie, comfortable in modern-day terms of taking the ball and passing it.
‘But you saw his shot-stopping out there. He works very hard on positioning, which is excellent. The one when he manages to claw it out was outstanding from three yards.
‘We want to get to the stage where Liam doesn’t need to make all those saves — and we will get better.
‘There were positives in there. Were they better than us? I didn’t think they were but they took one of their chances and that’s something we never did.
‘Killie and Motherwell have been in the league a long time and I feel we’ve held our own against them and were in control for long spells in both games. We will get better.’
While substitute Allan Campbell struck the base of the post with an angled drive, Motherwell appeared content to sit back in the second half and dare Livingston to beat them long.
On for the injured Lee Miller, teenager Jack Hamilton was the target supported by the boss 20 years his elder.
But neither experience nor youth could breach the well-drilled back line of Motherwell that will relish a quarter-final date to be determined by this afternoon’s draw.
‘In the first half we were very good,’ said manager Robinson. ‘The keeper made two great saves and kept them in the game — and Allan has hit the post.
‘We created a lot and could have made the game a lot more comfortable for ourselves.
‘You’ve got to credit Livingston in the second half but they didn’t create any clear-cut chances. It was a super, battling performance.
‘The lads put in a real display. I thought our back three, then back four were excellent. They dealt with any long balls that came in. We had chances to win the game.
‘I genuinely believe that’s us in good stead.
‘We’ve lost two games but there was never any panic from me and, now we’re into the next round, of course we can kick-start our season now.’