’Well suffer at hands of goal machine Boyd

Apr 15 2009 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

THERE has been plenty said and written about the much-maligned Kris Boyd since the striker’s brace against Motherwell at the weekend.

As the enigmatic poacher continues to hit the back of the net for title chasing Rangers he has now also begun hitting the headlines for all the right reasons.

Boyd scored two going on four or five on Saturday, in the process taking his goal tally for the season to 28, which has now prompted some observers to claim he should be crowned the SPL Player of the Year.

Praise came from both Walter Smith and Motherwell boss Mark McGhee after the Govan contest that had the potential to be a nervy, evenly-contested affair but in the end drifted towards an all too predictable conclusion – Motherwell have not won at Ibrox since 1997.

The ‘Well boss went as far as to claim that if Kris Boyd had been playing for his side then they would have secured all three points

“Kris was the difference between us,” he said.

“If Boyd had been playing for us we would have won the game.”

Whilst this was maybe slightly exaggerated, a more pertinent observation at this moment in time would be that if Chris Porter had been playing for Motherwell instead of plying his trade for Derby County in the Championship then life would be a lot more comfortable for the Fir Park faithful just now.

They may not have beaten Rangers if Porter was still donning the claret and amber.

But they most probably would have taken all three points against Aberdeen in their previous league outing and could have got something from their bore draw against Kilmarnock last month.

In the fifteen minutes before half time and the subsequent fifteen minutes after the break, Motherwell had the better of Rangers but seemed to run out of ideas when they got anywhere close to the home side’s penalty area, much to the frustration of McGhee as well as the away fans who had made the trip from Lanarkshire.

Gone but not forgotten, Chris Porter would have been an ideal target man for widemen Steven McGarry and Jim O’Brien and the impressive Stephen Hughes.

It was Porter who got Motherwell out of the mire back in December and January when his five goals helped them ease away from the relegation zone before he headed south.

He would have been the first name on the team sheet for this weekend’s pivotal match against St Mirren.

John Sutton has proved a useful replacement for the 25-year-old Porter who has scored three goals for Derby County helping the Rams ease their own relegation fears.

Indeed former St Mirren striker Sutton produced a moment of brilliance eight minutes before half-time against Rangers that got his side back in the game.

His speculative right-footed volley from 25 yards out left home goalkeeper Neil Alexander with no chance as it nestled in the top right hand corner of the shotstopper’s net.

The problem was that the damage had already been done at the other end in the first ten minutes of the match as Motherwell failed to come out the traps.

From the off Rangers looked fully intent on taking advantage of Celtic’s slip-up earlier in the day and they were two goals to the good early doors.

The last thing visitors are advised to do on trips to Ibrox is gift wrap their hosts an early opener.

But in the second minute that is exactly what Motherwell did.

Stevie Smith sent in a teasing cross from the left that a pedestrian looking ‘Well defence failed to deal with, leaving Andrius Velicka the simple task of bundling the ball home from close range.

Just eight minutes later Kris Boyd smashed in a stunning 25-yard effort volleying the ball on the drop after a pass over the Motherwell defence from Steven Whittaker.

Despite Sutton’s effort it always looked beyond Motherwell that they could claw back the deficit.

Hughes was excellent and Clarkson linked up play effectively but a soft penalty on 65 minutes rendered the game over as a contest.

Pedro Mendes took a tumble in the box with Brian McLean in close attendance and referee Somers pointed to the spot.

McLean claimed after the match the midfielder was already on his way down before he made contact.

Goalkeeper Graeme Smith seemed to agree as he was booked for his protestations.

Boyd finished things off with his usual aplomb.

As the Rangers’ fans drifted away some ten minutes before the end, the match had already gone the same way after Boyd grabbed his brace.

And so we go to this weekend’s game – the biggest match of the season for Motherwell so far.

Motherwell need goals and a win against St Mirren to give them any hope of climbing into the top six through the back door – an achievement that looked closer to fantasy than reality back in December before Mr Porter’s hat trick got them back on track against Inverness shortly after Christmas.

Unfortunately for McGhee he will have neither Porter or Boyd to call upon on Saturday.

Step up messrs Clarkson, Sheridan and Sutton.

Rangers: Alexander, Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Steven Smith (Naismith 73), Davis, Edu, Dailly, Mendes, Boyd, Velicka (Novo 58).

Booked: Dailly.

Goals : Velicka 2, Boyd 10, 65 pen.

Motherwell: Smith, McLean, Quinn, Reynolds, Hammell, McGarry (Sheridan 61), Klimpl, Hughes, Clarkson, Sutton (Murphy 71), O'Brien.

Booked : Smith, Clarkson.

Goal : Sutton 37.

Attendance: 50,080

Referee: D Somers