Motherwell eager to keep on-loan hero keeper Kelly
FIGURING out the affordability of a permanent Liam Kelly signing is now the priority calculation for Motherwell, rather than crunching the numbers and points differences around the Premiership relegation picture.
The Queens Park Rangers man became the first goalkeeper to prevent Jamie McGrath from scoring a spot-kick this season.
His penalty save, 10 minutes before the interval, was key to helping Graham Alexander’s side secure a victory that all but confirmed Premiership status for another year.
Devante Cole’s 10th goal of the season just after the hour then took them 11 points clear of Hamilton and nine ahead of second-bottom Kilmarnock.
Alexander said: ‘We’ve spoken to Liam and QPR when he said he would be interested in coming back next year. It has been on the back burner as we have tried to get permanent players signed up.
‘If his future lies out of QPR we would certainly be interested. He has done great for us. It was a massive save from the penalty and he doesn’t have to make anything up to me. He’s been fantastic since he came in.’
Jim Goodwin’s complaints about Kevin Clancy failing to give a penalty for a Robbie Crawford handball had barely died down when the Saints boss was applauding an award.
Stephen O’Donnell’s trip on Dylan Connolly, frequently a visiting pace threat, gave McGrath the chance to nail his ninth penalty of the season.
This one was too loose, however. Kelly waited for McGrath to show his intentions and the subsequent lack of power allowed the keeper to get down low and left to make the stop.
Cole and Chris Long teamed up to great effect. Long fizzed over a low, bounding cross-cum-shot that Jak Alnwick could only push into the path of the onrushing Cole. The Englishman didn’t know a great deal about the finish as the ball bounced off him but his predatory positioning was spot on.
After scoring just once before Alexander’s appointment as manager, that was Cole’s ninth in 15 games.
Cammy MacPherson went closest to a leveller for St Mirren with a header from a cross by fellow sub Kristian Dennis.
Their boss Goodwin said: ‘I’m scratching my head a bit trying to work out how we lost. For the most, the players were excellent. They dominated in terms of the ball.
‘It’s probably the best we’ve played for weeks, building the game. We did everything but put the ball in the net.’