Well done as Lamie equaliser secures top-six place for Steelmen
Graham Alexander admits he was pinching himself after Motherwell secured top-six football with an incredible injury-time equaliser at Livingston.
The Steelmen finished the Premiership season among the league’s elite after Ricki Lamie earned a share of the spoils to deny the West Lothian side a place in the top half.
Lamie’s close-range strike from a corner triggered scenes of wild celebration as hundreds of Motherwell fans spilled on to the pitch.
A draw was needed after Joseph Hungbo’s 86th-minute breakthrough for Ross County at Aberdeen changed the complexion of the table as the visitors trailed at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Motherwell manager Alexander, whose team were behind to Odin Bailey and Alan Forrest strikes before a Callum Slattery strike sparked a comeback, said: “I’m pinching myself. We threw ourselves down a massive hole, didn’t play particularly well and were deservedly behind.
“We dug deep within our character, the subs made an impact.
“To get the point in that fashion, it’s better than five minutes to go because I don’t think I could’ve done any more!
“Even when we scored the equaliser I didn’t really celebrate much because I was worried something might happen somewhere else.
“At the final whistle, I still didn’t celebrate until I saw it on someone’s phone and it was verified.
“I’m so proud of the players as a group because if we hadn’t made it, it would’ve been our own fault.”
Asked if he knew about results elsewhere in the final stages of the game, he added: “It was really quiet and talking about making subs with 10 minutes to go. Chris (Lucketti) said we were still top-six even 2-1 down.
“Then he said: ‘We need a goal’. That was four minutes to go but we were going for it anyway.”
The result of this game ended up having a huge bearing on the split.
Before kick-off Motherwell were sitting fifth with a two-point lead over eighth-placed Livingston.
Forrest was lively throughout and the Lions forward looked threatening in the 18th minute when he waltzed past two challenges before having a shot blocked by Sean Goss.
The winger would go on to be
heavily involved in nearly all of Livi’s good work. It was his corner that fell to Ayo Obileye at the back post but the defender’s shot at an angle crashed into the side netting.
The Lions then stormed ahead in the 26th minute through Bailey. Scott Pittman and Forrest combined to set up the on-loan Birmingham City forward and Bailey coolly stroked the ball through the on rushing Liam Kelly.
Livingston keeper Max Stryjek made a crucial save at the start of the second period to deny Kevin Veen at the back post after Ayo Obieleye made a mess of trying to clear a Connor Shields cross.
And the Steelmen were made to rue that miss when Forrest doubled the West Lothian side’s lead.
Bailey set up the pint-sized forward and Forrest swept a low shot into the corner of the net.
Forrest should have added a third moments later but shot wide from a similar position and Slattery notched a stunning strike from distance in the 72nd minute to set up a nervy ending for the Lions.
Shields’ low cross rolled out to the midfielder and Slattery struck a stinging effort into the corner of the net from 25 yards.
With seconds on the clock, former Livi defender Lamie secured the crucial point by stabbing in a close-range shot after a Bevis Mugabi effort came back off the bar.
LIVINGSTON:
(4-2-3-1) Stryjek 6, Devlin 6, Fitzwater 6, Obileye 6, Penrice 3 (Lewis 20); Holt 6, Kelly 6; Bailey 6 (Boyes 75, 3 Pittman 6, Forrest 7 (Shinnie 75, 3); Nouble 7. Unused subs – Konovalov, Boyes, Mcmillan, Montano, Omeonga, Sibbald, Soto. MOTHERWELL:
(4-3-3) Kelly 6, Mugabi 6, Soholm Johansen 6, Lamie 6, Carroll 6; Cornelius 4 (O’hara 46, 4), Slattery 7, Gloss 6; Shields 6 Van Veen 6, Efford 6 (Woolery 67, 3). Unused subs – Fox, Grimshaw, Shaw, Tierney, Donnelly, Ojala, Amaluzor