Take Slatt!
Callum’s late cracker gives Well vital point
For 89 minutes it looked l i ke Mother well wouldn’t find a way past Kilmarnock keeper Sam Walker.
But there isn’t a goalie in the country who could have saved Callum Slattery’s late leveller that earned Stuart Kettlewell a point in his first game as Well’s permanent gaffer.
As the clock ticked down at Rugby Park, the home side had victory in their grasp thanks to Scott Robinson’s scrappy, first-half opener.
The Steelmen stepped up a gear after the break but were thwarted by Walker’s brilliance.
Jon Obika, Kevin van Veen, James Furlong, Paul McGinn and Stephen O’Donnell were all denied by the Englishman.
And it took a moment of magic from Slattery to equalise and dump Killie into the r e le ga t ion play-off spot.
His curling 25-yard freek ick gav e Wal k e r no chance as it nestled in the top corner.
No one could begrudge
Kettlewell’s side a share of the spoils and the new boss admits Slattery’s dream strike could be pivotal to his side’s season. He said: “That could be a big moment in our season.
“It would have been really easy for us to go under after the first-half performance but Callum has come up with an absolute wonder strike. “We probably had five clearcut chances but their keeper got man of the match and that signifies what we did in the second half.”
Next up for Kettlewell is a trip to his former c lu b R o s s County, who are third bottom, three points behind Well. I t ’ s another huge g a me for Well – a first without chief executive Alan Burrows who starts his new job at Aberdeen tomorrow.
Kettlewell paid tribute to him and believes his players can continue their momentum in Dingwall after picking up seven points from his three games in charge.
He said: “They’re all big games. County had a terrific result against Dundee United and I know the place like the back of my hand.
“I know the environment they’ll try to create up there.
“But hopefully we can show the same kind of personality and character we showed in the second half today.
“If we can stay on a run we’ll have the chance to look up the table instead of behind us.
“Alan epitomises Motherwell and if you’re going to try and create a culture, he’s massive for that.
“I took him to see the players at full-time so they could show their appreciation for all the work the man has done here.” Motherwell toiled in the first 45 as Kilmarnock took control.
Daniel Armstrong was terrific for Derek McInnes’ side and helped create the opening goal after 18 minutes.
His corner found Joe Wright whose bullet header was only parried by keeper Liam Kelly and Robinson stabbed home from close range.
Killie were on top but they faced a different Motherwell in the second half.
Ash Taylor’s short pass-back let Obika in but his shot was beaten away by Walker.
Then left- back Furlong found himself in the Killie box but couldn’t beat Walker either.
The former Chelsea youth keeper looked to be inspired.
He clawed Van Veen’s curling effort round the post then blocked McGinn’s longrange drive.
With a minute left, he pulled off his best save to deny O’Donnell from close range.
But when Rory McKenzie gave away a needless free-kick outside the box on 90 minutes, Slattery left Walker helpless as his shot swerved away from him into the rigging.