Dirk Lehmann was the first to threaten the Saints goal with a couple of efforts from around twenty yards or so going fairly close. McDonald then tested their goalie from similar distance with a dipping effort tipped over the bar for a corner. A good cross-field pass found the Motherwell defence exposed for the first time but the Saints player on the overlap could only cut inside and shoot wildly over. Shortly after Motherwell took a deserved lead when Derek Adams confidently finished a move involving Lehmann and Kemas. Kemas’s back-heel pass leaving Adams clear through to finish with a powerful effort low in the far corner. Efforts from Offiong and Kemas went close but Saints had the best chance of the game when Kiegan Parker found himself with a clear sight of goal only to produce a woeful finish with no one near him to remotely pressure him.
It took a while for the second half to get going but eventually Motherwell started creating a few chances. A good lay off from Lehmann left Kemas the room to play an incisive pass through the saints defence for Offiong to run through on goal, he held off the chasing saints defenders well and although he forced a corner from the save he’ll feel he should have scored. Lehmann came close to knocking in an Offiong cut back but the covering saints defender did enough to block his effort and the ball stopped a yard or so from the line before being cleared. Soon after the Saints keeper produced the save of the match, Lehmann’s flick on was gather by Kemas and a delicate chip was acrobatically touched away. Some good play by substitute Kenny Wright, replacement for Offiong, on the wing allowed him the room to pick out Kemas deep inside the saints box, a fierce shot from a tight angle fizzed past the far post. The game somewhat fizzled out and Motherwell closed out the game to take some well-earned points. Some good performances from Lehmann, Kemas, Adams and in particular MacDonald will no doubt have pleased the management.
Team
Woods, Cowan, Clarke, Adams, Quinn, Kinniburgh, Offiong, MacDonald, Lehmann, Kemas, Craig, subs: Ewing, Higgins, Wright, Black, Dempsie.