Llanelli choose to play the second leg at the home of their rugby playing neighbours and so it was that a two thousand Motherwell fans travelled to the Parc y Scarlets anticipating that the one goal deficit would be overcome.
Many spent the day in the town and they paraded to the park in a good natured walk that entertained the locals. Manager Gannon made only one change from the first leg defeat with Slane replacing Murphy in the starting eleven.
John Sutton did the business (despite an injury scare during the pre-match warm up) with a couple of goals inside the opening 25 minutes. The striker headed home on both occasions; the first from a Hammell cross and the second from Slane.
Half time at the Parc y Scarlets
Early signs of the new manager’s tactics were apparent. We were slow and patient in the build up, guarding possession and progress was made down the flanks.
Our superior fitness told in the second half and the part-timers struggled to match us. The game was live on the Welsh SC4 channel and those Motherwell fans unable to travel knew beyond doubt that we were through to the next round when we scored the third, again with a header. This time it was Slane who got on the end of O’Brien’s cross.
The draw for the third qualifying round had already been made so it was known that a more difficult journey lay ahead. This time we were off to Albania to face Flamurtari Vlore.
Motherwell: Fraser, Saunders (Page 78), Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Forbes, Slane, Lasley, McGarry (Murphy 68), O'Brien, Sutton (Archdeacon 76). Subs Not Used: Kosiorowski, Fitzpatrick, Hutchinson, McHugh