I watched Dundee Utd vs Motherwell from the press box: Here are three things I spotted in impressive away win
Motherwell were in action against Dundee United at Tannadice in the Premiership.
Motherwell achieved a 2-1 away victory against Dundee United in their latest Premiership match in an impressive return to winning ways.
Tawanda Maswanhise put the away side ahead before Wrexham loanee Sam Dalby levelled things up for the hosts. Stephen O’Donnell exited the game in an injury concern for Motherwell with a Premier Sports Cup semi-final with Rangers looming at the weekend.
A costly home error allowed Maswanhise to put his team ahead again, lobbing Jack Walton deep into the second-half. The Steelmen sit fourth in the table with United fifth as all claret and amber attentions turn to Sunday’s huge clash at Hampden.
There was assertions of no wandering eyes towards a clash with Rangers and a first domestic cup semi-final since the 2017/18 season pre-match, and any notions of such would be ill-advised. This was a huge league match against an opponent directly above them in the early stages of the race for a coveted top six spot.
Having won 2-1 against this team to make the semi-final last month, Motherwell were keen to pile on misery for those in Tangerine again. They made a fairly attacking start to the game as United press and probed around their box, a Steve Seddon cross almost creeping into the backpost.
Maswanhise had been restored to the XI for this and was causing all sorts of issues. Perhaps it was no surprise he got the winner after leading United defenders a merry dance for the opening 20 minutes, a well-worked free-kick routine seeing Lennon Miller cross into Dan Casey, who headed across goal for the attacker to prod home.
With VAR down and it clear as mud to those in the press box and in the stands whether or not it was working, United threatened to level with a Kristijan Trapanovski shot. Perhaps it was no coincidence that as stand-in captain Stephen O’Donnell went off injured, Motherwell conceded. A Will Ferry cross was headed home by Dalby and they had efforts cleared off the line moments later.
Without skipper Paul McGinn already, a hefty amount of experience had exited this Motherwell team, as Liam Gordon sat suspended too. It left those in champagne rocked and Aston Oxborough had to look smart again to dent a Glenn Middleton free-kick.
Things had started well but control had slipped from the away performance and half-time was a blessing. Maswanhise had Seddon to his left in acres of space inside the box but opted to go solo and blazed it over the bar, with that just about it in terms of attacking chances at either side of the pitching heading into an edgy final 20 minutes.
United had again pinned Motherwell in and it was up to Kettlewell’s men to see if they could find a way up the park. It turns out Jim Goodwin’s team were in a charitable mood, Emmanuel Adegboyega getting a clearance all wrong with Maswanhise doing brilliantly to nick the ball, keep his composure and dink the goalkeeper.
I was in the press box at Tannadice for the game. Here are three things I spotted as Motherwell fans chanted ‘bring on the Rangers’ at full-time in eager anticipation of Sunday’s game.
Experimental XI
It’s the time of year where Frankenstein gets his yearly shout-outs. Kettlewell isn’t in the monster-making business but his experiment in the form of this Motherwell XI had stars not where they naturally roam. Maswanhise, a winger, played in a role off the sole striker like he has done during his stint at the club so far. Ewan Wilson was in central midfield, moving into the engine room to accommodate Seddon at left-back and right-back Stephen O’Donnell was on the right of the back three.
Maswanhise was electric and got goals, while Seddon proved a useful attacking spark from the left. Wilson also did considerably well on a booking for most of the game, with a wait and see game on O’Donnell’s injury. The tinkering worked well and will give him food for thought.
Cup confidence?
Off the back of two wins, it was important Motherwell didn’t go to the national stadium off three straight wins. This wasn’t all smooth sailing but they rode the storms and hit the net when it mattered most. Confidence was far from downed from defeats to Dundee and Celtic but this gives it a well-time jolt.
Miller’s remarkable journey continues
Well if he wasn’t already an academy example to behold, this just adds to his lore. At 18, Miller captained the team once O’Donnell went off. Like everything else, it didn’t bother him as he cut about Tannadice with his slippers on. Not enough words to do him justice.