Motherwell ease aside in-form St Johnstone

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30 Dec 2015

By Chick Young BSports Scotland at Fir Park

A dominant Motherwell inflicted St Johnstone's first away defeat since September, and their first league loss at Fir Park since 2004 on Wednesday.

They did so in grand style, a tribute to a club legend Phil O'Donnell eight years after his tragic passing, with not a failure from back to front.

Goals from young Ben Hall and veteran Stephen Pearson seized control of the game that would never be relinquished.

Previously free-scoring St Johnstone lost their way in front of goal.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee launched a reshaped midfield, with Marvin Johnson - usually on the left - wide right and Liam Grimshaw in one from his familiar wing role. Pearson took up a rare wide left slot. It proved to be an inspired wheeze.

And actually, after just 20 minutes, there was an telling change for St Johnstone when their talisman, Michael O'Halloran, was forced to retire from the action through injury, to be replaced by Craig Thomson.

And as if that wasn't enough to embrace, 15 minutes later Murray Davidson limped off to be substituted by Tam Scobbie.

It was an emotional evening at Fir Park, the eighth anniversary of the death of O'Donnell on Tuesday marked by applause for the duration of the 10th minute, in keeping with his squad number.

For all that the game took quite some time to ignite.

But 38 minutes in it did come alight for Motherwell. A corner on the right was hunted down by a pack of players but it was teenage central defender Hall who got his head to the ball which just about squirmed over the line.

And then they were ablaze.

They broke again after a missed chance by Saints, when Thomson made a magnificent flying run down the right to set up Chris Kane, who should have scored, reacting immediately with a delightful pass which found Pearson relishing his new position on the left.

Deployed on the left of midfield, Stephen Pearson scored Motherwell's second goal

He couldn't cash in on his first strike, which was blocked, but the former Scotland player put the rebound over the line to trigger a standing half-time ovation from the home support.

Motherwell were functioning smoothly all over the place against a team who arrived with a big reputation, including goalkeeper Connor Ripley who produced a quite spectacular flying save from a Liam Craig header.

At the moment Motherwell are a joy to watch, a lovely marriage of wisdom provided by the likes of Scott McDonald and Keith Lasley and the jet-propelled wing pace of Johnson and Lionel Ainsworth, who again was introduced as a second hand substitute.

Applause rang round the ground at the end and maybe a wee bit of it should have been directed to the Fir Park ground staff who got this game on despite a 17.30 inspection. It played perfectly and it was hard to believe there was any doubt.

It was pitch perfect - but it's not just the grass which is coming up lovely for Motherwell.

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Motherwell

01 Ripley
18 Law
32 Hall
06 McManus
03 Hammell
04 Grimshaw
14 Lasley
08 Pearson
11 Johnson (Clarkson - 84' )
77 McDonald
20 Moult (Ainsworth - 61' )

Substitutes

05 Laing
07 Ainsworth
13 Samson
19 Clarkson
23 Thomas
24 McFadden
28 Watt

St Johnstone

01 Mannus
22 Fisher Booked
02 Mackay
06 Anderson
24 B Easton Booked
07 Millar
25 Kane (Sutton - 73' )
08 Davidson (Scobbie - 36' )
26 Craig
09 MacLean
29 O'Halloran (Thomson - 22' )

Substitutes

03 Scobbie
11 Sutton
12 Clark
14 Shaughnessy
16 Caddis
18 Cummins
27 Thomson

Ref: Crawford Allan

Match Stats

Possession 46 54

Shots

12 10

On target

3 5

Corners

6 7

Fouls

15 9

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Motherwell 2, St. Johnstone 0.

90:00 +3:11 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Motherwell 2, St. Johnstone 0.

90:00 +1:42 Booking

Booking Darnell Fisher (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card.

90:00 +1:25

Darnell Fisher (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90:00 +1:25

Foul by David Clarkson (Motherwell).

90:00 +0:52

Attempt missed. Steven MacLean (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.