McGhee in no mood to pitch into park furore

Jan 28 2009 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

AGAINST Dundee United last weekend Motherwell had seven chances and scored from four of them.

Against Falkirk this weekend they had a similar number of opportunities but could only put away one.

“That’s football,” ‘Well skipper Stephen Craigan surmised after the game.

Such profligacy in front of goal cost The Steelmen two points.

But this happens in football and they will move on safe in the knowledge that they are still undefeated in 2009 and are, in fact, just one win away from breaking into the top six for the first time this season.

What is of more a concern to the Fir Parkers is the state of their pitch.

Quite simply it was awful on Saturday and it isn’t going to get much better over the remainder of the season.

Much was made about the Fir Park pitch last season which led to a string of games being called off that nearly derailed Motherwell’s efforts at finishing third in the league.

But manager Mark McGhee was quick to defend his home turf on Saturday despite it cutting up very easily again.

He said: “We had the covers on it all week and it is the first time it has really been like that this season so it was not a problem at all.”

It will be a surprise if McGhee remains quite so generous for the rest of the campaign because this surface does not suit his team one bit.

It did not suit the visitors Falkirk, lauded for their attractive football under the stewardship of boss John Hughes over the past few seasons.

Hughes admitted he changed tact at half time, reverting to route one football that brought rewards eight minutes after the break when Dean Holden’s superb volley cancelled out David Clarkson’s late first half strike.

Unless the Lanarkshire weather takes a turn for the best, which as we know is very unlikely, expect plenty of kick and rush football for the remainder of the campaign at the Fir Park clashes.

It was the visitors who got into their stride fastest on Saturday with Lee Bullen allowed a free header in the third minute of the match after Kevin McBride floated in a teasing corner.

But the defender’s effort was saved right on the line by keeper Graeme Smith.

Former Motherwell player McBride was then through on goal seconds later, however Mark Reynolds thwarted the midfielder before he could get his shot in.

On ten minutes the home side had two excellent opportunities to take the lead.

A speculative punt up the park over the Bairns' back four from Paul Quinn was not dealt with by keeper Robert Olejnik who had rushed out of his area.

This allowed in-form Chris Porter to take the ball past the Austrian and fire a low shot towards goal that was superbly cleared off the line by Bullen.

The ball then fell to Marc Fitzpatrick eight yards out but he could only direct his effort over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Former Celt Jim O’Brien was next to try his luck for Motherwell drilling a low shot towards goal from the edge of the area that was scrambled away by Olejnik.

The Steelmen were dominating proceedings at this stage of the match playing some neat football despite the pitch cutting up badly.

Clarkson then fizzed a cross into the six-yard box that failed to find a teammate and Quinn blazed over the crossbar from an acute angle after a good exchange of passes with O’Brien.

The Fir Park men continued their pursuit of the opener before the break and Marc Fitzpatrick went close with a 25 yard effort as the interval neared.

However, on 43 minutes Motherwell got their just rewards as they took the lead.

Steven Hammell found himself in plenty of room on the left hand side of the Falkirk half.

He then delivered an inch perfect cross that was met by Scotland international Clarkson.

The striker’s header from eight yards out looped over Olejnik and into the goal.

Five minutes after the re-start Clarkson nearly got his second of the afternoon when his shot from 20 yards out came crashing off the crossbar - a goal at this point for the Steelmen would surely have guaranteed the three points.

Against the run of play however, Falkirk four themselves on level terms on 53 minutes.

Scott Arfield found Holden in space on the left hand side of the box.

The burly defender sized up his options before smashing a superb shot high past Smith left hand that stunned the home fans.

In a gripping second half Falkirk’s Lovell forced Graeme Smith to make an acrobatic save from ten yards out and then at the other end Motherwell should have regained the lead.

O’Brien’s 18-yard shot came back off the crossbar and found Porter six yards out.

It seemed certain the former Oldham hitman would find the net but somehow his header went wide.

The match was played at a thrilling tempo with both teams looking for all three points.

Paul Quinn fired a shot just past the post in injury time and Scobbie also went close at the other end.

But both sides had to settle for a point apiece at the end of the 90 minutes as Motherwell stretched their unbeaten run to five games.

Motherwell: Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell (Lasley 60), Klimpl, Hughes, Fitzpatrick, O'Brien, Porter (Murphy 81), Clarkson.

Booked: Klimpl.

Goal: Clarkson 43.

Falkirk: Olejnik, Holden, Bullen, Pressley, Barr (Mitchell 76), Scobbie, McBride (Riera 81), O'Brien (Higdon 64), Arfield, McCann, Lovell.

Booked: McBride, Holden, Mitchell.

Goal: Holden 53.

Attendance: 5,018