Motherwell 1 - 0 Falkirk

Motherwell   1 - 0   Falkirk

Jutkiewicz celebrates with goal assist provider Humphrey

Motherwell returned to winning ways with a narrow Scottish Premier League victory over goal-shy Falkirk.

Lukas Jutkiewicz headed his first Well goal to put the Fir Park side ahead after 18 minutes.

Vitor Lima threatened a second-half leveller with a powerful drive from distance that narrowly missed target.

Scott Arfield then struck the Motherwell crossbar and substitute Mark Stewart could not convert the rebound as the home side held onto their lead.

Well, who lost last time out against Hibernian, move up to fifth in the table while Falkirk now prop up the division, a point behind Hamilton.

The blustery conditions made it difficult for the players to make good use of possession early in the match.

After Sean Lynch had been booked for a heavy challenge on Motherwell's Ross Forbes, the visitors came close to opening the scoring when Tam Scobbie's free-kick was flicked on by the head of Carl Finnigan and just wide of goal.

Falkirk then conceded a corner, from which Jutkiewicz scored with the on-loan Everton striker connecting with Chris Humphrey's delivery and sending a downward header past Robert Olejnik.

The home side went in search of a quick second and Giles Coke's volley drew a save from Olejnik.

The Bairns were struggling to carve out meaningful opportunities and though Arfield got a shot on target, it was a comfortable save for John Ruddy.

Kjartan Finnbogasson was next to have a shot at the Motherwell goal, the Icelandic forward turning on the edge of the box well before sending his effort over the crossbar.

Lynch was replaced by Lima at half-time and the substitute almost made an immediate impact when his long-range drive crept just wide of the post.

Finnbogasson was withdrawn for Stewart before Humphrey made way for Steven Saunders as both managers looked for a fresh impetus.

Arfield almost scored Falkirk's first goal since August when his curling effort came back off the crossbar and, with the goal gaping, Stewart inexplicably headed the rebound onto to the top of the crossbar and out.

Falkirk continued to press and Finnigan's driven cross was almost converted by Stewart, who arrived just a little too late to connect.

Well looked to hit Falkirk on the break and Jamie Murphy went through on goal only to be foiled by Darren Barr's saving challenge.

Stewart's frustration in front of goal continued as his next attempt went wide of Ruddy's goal.

Motherwell's Jim O'Brien, who had earlier come on as a substitute for Tom Hateley, picked up a knock and was stretchered off, with Robert McHugh introduced to the fray.

Ruddy clutched the ball on the line after Danijel Marceta's cross sailed towards goal shortly before the full-time whistle.

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Motherwell manager Jim Gannon:
"I feel very flat. Obviously when I look at the league table, it looks like a fantastic three points.

"I don't know what to make of today's game. For 25-30 minutes, we looked like an excellent footballing side and if we had been able to maintain that for longer periods, we may well have won this game handsomely.

"But, we took our foot off the pedal, the game deteriorated and Falkirk could arguably have deserved an equaliser.

"There was a lot of unforced errors, poor kicks and poor control but great credit to Falkirk, they stuck and showed a consistency in the game that could've got them at least a goal and a point.

"The results have been kind for us today."

Falkirk manager Eddie May:
"They had one shot at goal and scored. Anyone who was at the game will have seen the chances we missed, which is disappointing. We should have at least gone away from today's game with a draw.

"It's worrying if you don't create chances but anybody whose been at our games will have seen that the amount of chances we have created have probably been phenomenal. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn't.

"They weren't easy conditions to play in but with the chances we made, we should really do better.

"I don't think like God likes me just now so I'll have a word with him tomorrow morning when I go to church and hopefully he'll do me a little favour."

Live text and stats

 

Saturday, 3 October 2009

Scottish Premier

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Time
Motherwell	1 - 0	Falkirk	R
(HT 1 - 0)
Jutkiewicz 18

Motherwell

• 21 Ruddy
• 02 Moutaouakil
• 03 Hammell
• 04 Reynolds
• 05 Craigan
• 06 Coke
• 07 Humphrey (Saunders 66)
• 24 Hateley (O'Brien 70) (McHugh 90+1)
• 09 Jutkiewicz
• 15 Murphy
• 27 Forbes

Substitutes

• 47 Kosiorowski,
• 43 Saunders,
• 08 Jennings,
• 14 Lasley,
• 11 Sutton,
• 17 O'Brien,
• 35 McHugh

Falkirk

• 01 Olejnik
• 02 Barr
• 03 Scobbie
• 05 McNamara yellow card
• 06 McLean
• 08 O'Brien
• 10 Arfield
• 19 Lynch yellow card (Lima 46)
• 09 Finnigan (MacDonald 81)
• 22 Danijel Marceta
• 24 Finnbogason (Stewart 62)

Substitutes

• 29 Wagenaar,
• 04 Twaddle,
• 14 Mitchell,
• 21 MacDonald,
• 23 Lima,
• 12 Stewart,
• 16 Robertson

Ref: NorrisAtt: 4337

MOTHERWELL

FALKIRK

Possession

• Motherwell 54%
• Falkirk 46%

Shots on target

• Motherwell 2
• Falkirk 1

Shots off target

• Motherwell 3
• Falkirk 9

Corners

• Motherwell 6
• Falkirk 2

Fouls

• Motherwell 8
• Falkirk 11

• Final Result
• Full Time
• 90:00+4:49 The referee ends the match.
• 90:00+2:40 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Stewart by Giles Coke. Thomas Scobbie takes the direct free kick.
• 90:00+2:11 Danijel Marceta sends in a cross, Robert Olejnik makes a save.
• 90:00+0:20 Substitution Robert McHugh comes on in place of Jim O'Brien.
• 87:39 Corner from the right by-line taken by Ross Forbes, Brian McLean makes a clearance.
• 86:40 Jackie McNamara fouled by Jim O'Brien, the ref awards a free kick. Robert Olejnik takes the direct free kick.
• 83:30 Ross Forbes takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Thomas Scobbie.
• 82:44 Stevie Hammell takes the direct free kick.
• 82:44 Booking Jackie McNamara is given a yellow card.
• 82:38 Unfair challenge on Jim O'Brien by Jackie McNamara results in a free kick.
• 80:14 Substitution Alex MacDonald replaces Carl Finnigan.
• 76:45 Foul by Burton O'Brien on Jim O'Brien, free kick awarded. Ross Forbes takes the free kick.
• 73:55 Effort from the edge of the area by Mark Stewart goes wide of the right-hand post.
• 72:09 Corner taken by Jim O'Brien, save by Robert Olejnik.
• 71:41 Carl Finnigan has an effort at goal from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
• 69:37 Substitution Jim O'Brien on for Tom Hateley.
• 68:20 Mark Stewart has a header from close range and clears the crossbar.
• 67:15 Scott Arfield takes a shot.
• 65:10 Substitution Steven Saunders is brought on as a substitute for Chris Humphrey.
• 61:28 Direct free kick taken by Jackie McNamara.
• 61:28 Substitution Kjartan Finnbogason goes off and Mark Stewart comes on.
• 61:28 Ross Forbes challenges Vitor Lima unfairly and gives away a free kick.
• 59:59 Corner taken by Danijel Marceta from the right by-line.
• 54:44 Handball by Kjartan Finnbogason. Free kick taken by Stephen Craigan.
• 54:19 Stevie Hammell fouled by Danijel Marceta, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Stevie Hammell.
• 49:34 Shot from 35 yards from Danijel Marceta.
• 49:00 The official flags Carl Finnigan offside. John Ruddy restarts play with the free kick.
• 48:30 Tom Hateley gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Carl Finnigan. Burton O'Brien takes the free kick.
• 47:57 Vitor Lima has an effort at goal from 35 yards and went wide left of the target.
• 47:03 Thomas Scobbie takes a outswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, Ross Forbes manages to make a clearance.
• 45:35 Cross/shot by Chris Humphrey.
• 45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
• 45:01 Substitution Vitor Lima is brought on as a substitute for Sean Lynch.
• Half Time
• 45:00+0:09 The half-time whistle blows.
• 44:14 Lukas Jutkiewicz gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Brian McLean. Brian McLean takes the direct free kick.
• 43:00 Yassin Moutaouakil challenges Kjartan Finnbogason unfairly and gives away a free kick. Thomas Scobbie takes the free kick.
• 41:55 Inswinging corner taken by Chris Humphrey.
• 40:55 Ross Forbes gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Danijel Marceta. Burton O'Brien takes the free kick.
• 39:54 Unfair challenge on Stephen Craigan by Kjartan Finnbogason results in a free kick. Tom Hateley takes the direct free kick.
• 38:29 Kjartan Finnbogason is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by John Ruddy.
• 32:22 Kjartan Finnbogason takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
• 30:35 Jamie Murphy fouled by Danijel Marceta, the ref awards a free kick. Jamie Murphy restarts play with the free kick.
• 25:53 Shot by Scott Arfield from 25 yards. Save by John Ruddy.
• 24:16 Carl Finnigan challenges Tom Hateley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Craigan.
• 23:51 Chris Humphrey takes a shot from deep inside the box clearing the bar.
• 18:00 The assist for the goal came from Chris Humphrey. Giles Coke has an effort at goal. Save by Robert Olejnik.
• 18:00 GOAL - Lukas Jutkiewicz:Motherwell 1 - 0 Falkirk Lukas Jutkiewicz grabs a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Motherwell 1-0 Falkirk.
• 17:29 Inswinging corner taken by Chris Humphrey from the left by-line played to the near post,
• 14:45 Burton O'Brien fouled by Mark Reynolds, the ref awards a free kick. A cross is delivered by Thomas Scobbie, Headed effort from inside the area by Carl Finnigan misses to the left of the target.
• 13:39 Free kick taken by Mark Reynolds.
• 13:39 Booking The referee shows Sean Lynch a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
• 13:32 Sean Lynch concedes a free kick for a foul on Ross Forbes.
• 12:50 Danijel Marceta produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.
• 11:32 Carl Finnigan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Hateley. Direct free kick taken by Tom Hateley.
• 8:06 Kjartan Finnbogason gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Hateley. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Craigan.
• 7:33 Foul by Burton O'Brien on Giles Coke, free kick awarded. Giles Coke takes the direct free kick.
• 5:27 Carl Finnigan concedes a free kick for a foul on Yassin Moutaouakil. Yassin Moutaouakil takes the direct free kick.
• 2:40 Stevie Hammell has an effort at goal from outside the box which misses left.
• 1:24 Ross Forbes takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Darren Barr.
• 0:00 The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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