Loan deal pays off as Sheridan scores winner

Mar 4 2009 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

AT the turn of the year, Motherwell’s half-term report made rather disappointing reading for the Fir Park faithful with this paper giving them a ‘4/10, must do better’ rap on the knuckles.

As the transfer window opened a week later, much was made of the need for Motherwell to desperately try to hold on to their star player – Chris Porter – who had just bagged a hat-trick against Inverness in a narrow 3-2 win that got them off the bottom of the SPL.

But the Englishman left for pastures new, joining Nigel Clough’s revolution at Derby County.

That left claret-and-amber fans fretting over the side’s seemingly threadbare attacking options and wondering whether their team could indeed do better in the second half of what had been a disappointing season to date.

A bullish Mark McGhee had a trick up his sleeve, however, and seemed relatively non-plussed when it was confirmed Porter was on his way to the Championship.

Much has been made of the friendship between Celtic’s Gordon Strachan and Mark McGhee as well as the Motherwell boss’s close affinity to the Parkhead club – with some ‘cynics’ suggesting that the former Brighton gaffer was using his position at Fir Park as a stepping stone to the Parkhead hotseat when Strachan eventually leaves the Hoops.

There could be some substance to this theory. Time will determine that.

What is not in question, however, is that McGhee’s shrewd acquisition of Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan and his powers of persuasion have given current employers Motherwell a realistic chance of matching last season’s achievements of qualifying for European competition once again.

Before Celtic banged in seven goals against St Mirren on Saturday, there had been mutterings that McGhee had done a number on his pal Strachan by pinching a talented striker in the champions’ hour of need.

But Sheridan’s superb winning strike from the edge of the box after 52 minutes of Saturday’s match at Inverness will have pleased both McGhee and Strachan.

The victory over the side now managed by ex-Motherwell boss Terry Butcher saw the Steelmen stretch their unbeaten league run to nine matches.

Motherwell now have a target man who has come in and done a great job since his January loan move, while Celtic have a youngster who is improving by playing regular first-team football.

The fact that no criticisms have been heard around Fir Park about the sale of Chris Porter is the best compliment both McGhee and Sheridan can be given.

In releasing Porter, Motherwell also bagged more than £400,000 for a player who would have been out of contract in the summer.

Left-back Steven Hammell told the Wishaw Press after his side’s match against Hibernian in January that this was now an opportunity for Motherwell’s other strikers to stake a claim for a regular starting berth.

This has culminated in a return to form for Scotland international David Clarkson, while John Sutton has rediscovered the goalscoring touch which he displayed in the early weeks of the season.

Sutton pounced on an error by Caley goalkeeper Ryan Esson to give Motherwell the lead in the first half at the weekend after a speculative clearance upfield from ’Well skipper Stephen Craigan.

The home keeper came scurrying out of his box to deal with the danger but inexplicably missed the ball, allowing Sutton to steer it home from 20 yards.

A close-range effort by Grant Munro brought Inverness level six minutes from half-time before Sheridan scored the winner as Motherwell fought hard to secure the three points.

It was the Irishman who stole the limelight but the performance of Brian McLean, who took the place of suspended right-back Paul Quinn, was almost as satisfying for The Steelmen.

Motherwell do not have the biggest squad in the division - certainly nowhere near as large as any of the other sides in the top six - so to see McLean, who tore his medial ligament and ruptured his cruciate in a pre-season friendly with CFR Cluj, fit seamlessly into the back four was a real plus.

“I’ve got to say that Brian got a round of applause in the dressing room afterwards from the lads,” McGhee said.

“After all, it was his first game back after a horrendous injury.”

Motherwell now have six cup finals to play before the league split, beginning tonight at Tynecastle against Hearts.

If they manage to retain their current position of sixth place, it will have been a terrific achievement given the turmoil they were in pre-Christmas.

The half-term rap on the knuckles seems to have done the trick. ’Well are doing much better and are certainly now on course to achieving a higher-than-average pass mark in the end-of- season report.

Inverness CT: Esson, Tokely, Mihadjuks, Munro, Djebi-Zadi, Proctor (Rooney 68), Duncan, Black, Foran, Odhiambo (Morais 60), Imrie.

Goal: Munro 39.

Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Brian McLean, Reynolds, Craigan, Hammell, Clarkson (Darren Smith 53), Hughes, Klimpl, O'Brien (Fitzpatrick 90), Sutton, Sheridan, Darren Smith (Lasley 90).

Booked: Klimpl.

Goals: Sutton 26, Sheridan 53.

Att: 3611.

Ref: M. McCurry.