Steelmen show mettle
Chris Cadden takes the cake on the coast as Mark McGhee’s men progress to last 16 of the Betfred Cup
MOTHERWELL’S record in the various formats of the League Cup over recent and not so recent years has been little short of appalling. When a final appearance back in 2005, a 5-1 defeat by Rangers that nobody at Fir Park talks about, is your best memory of the competition then the supporters are well within their rights to ask for at least a slight improvement.
A win over Stranraer is just that: A slight improvement. However, at least the Lanarkshire men managed to finish second in their group behind Rangers and are in the last 16 due to being one of the best runners-up. An oxymoron if there ever was one.
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee never won the League Cup as a player with either Aberdeen or Celtic. He did win just about everything else, and was pleased to get the job done.
“It was like the other games in that we made plenty of chances and took our time to take them,” he said. “All round, we were solid. The new players showed up well again and look as if they are fit and ready for the league programme.
“We have had to curtail training, but they are up to speed.”
He added: “The changes to the competition have worked for us.
“There is a concern that we only have Scott McDonald [in terms of fit strikers]. He came off with a strain in his thigh but it shouldn’t be too serious. Louis Moult won’t be back until after the international break and Jacob Blyth has yet to get up and running.”
McGhee was delighted with Chris Cadden, who scored, made a goal and won man of the match. “He has come a long way since last season, when it seemed he didn’t believe he should be in the team,” said the manager.
The world needs a greater number of eccentric goalkeepers and Stranraer appear to be doing their part for the cause with Cameron Belford, who provided many of the game’s highlights.
The big fella, and he is a large unit, was obviously stuck in goal at an early age because of his size and has never quite managed to get back out. Therefore, he’s a frustrated playmaker who likes to dribble the ball out of goal and pick out a team-mate with a long pass.
It doesn’t always work. A feint of the shoulder managed to outfox McDonald after 26 minutes inside the box – the Motherwell striker went one way, the ball the other.
But then a minute later Belford’s Manuel Neuer act almost backfired. His attempted pass was blocked by McDonald, and Stranraer would have paid had Lionel Ainsworth got any height on his effort. Belford saved that one and had to be sharp after 29 minutes when he got down low, no mean feat, to keep out McDonald’s close-range shot.
After 37 minutes, Ainsworth carved out a good opportunity for himself inside the box only to see his shot kept out by Belford’s legs. Alas for Belford and his team, though, he was beaten six minutes after the break. There seemed little danger when Cadden got the ball on the left side of the area, but he managed to squeeze a well-hit shot in at the near post, despite the keeper getting fingers to the ball.
Stranraer’s No 1 was better after 56 minutes, when he got both hands to an Ainsworth effort from 18 yards, and then pulled off a superb one-handed save from a Cadden shot which was heading into the top corner.
Stranraer’s good moments were fleeting. They worked away but had no shot worthy of the name. The well-travelled and well-fed Christian Nade, who came on as a substitute, passed up two half-chances, a half-volley and a header, within the space of a minute. In truth, the home side were never going to score.
The Premiership team sealed the win with six minutes remaining, when Cadden robbed Stranraer left-back Liam Dick and made his way into the box before squaring the ball to Marvin Johnson, who found the bottom corner with the side of his foot.
Three minutes later, Johnson’s pace down the left wing left Stranraer’s defenders trailing and his intelligent cross set up McDonald to nod home.
Stranraer manager Brian Reid said: “I think we held our own. It definitely wasn’t a 3-0 game. Tiredness played its part after being at Ibrox on Monday night, and then we are up against another Premiership side.
“Motherwell’s finishing was clinical and the mistakes we made cost us. However, I was pleased that they gave as good as they got.”
The players look fit and ready for the league. The change of format has worked for us