Motherwell started their League Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win against Elgin City.
This was a one sided encounter and the final score flattered the home side. Motherwell’s travelling fans made up half of the two thousand crowd and they were well impressed particularly with the younger players in the new ‘Well strip.
Well played Lennon
Lennon Miller, not seventeen until next month, was the man of the match. He gave a master class in midfield play from his position in front of the O’Donnell, Mugabi, Blaney back three and to cap off his fine performance he scored the opening goal – a low drive from all of twenty five yards.
Other young notables were Ewan Wilson on the left, a provider of many forward passes to Blair Spittal, and Luca Ross on the right showing fine turn of speed on the wing.
Jon Obika eventually got his goal though he spurned enough to earn a hat-trick in the first half. In the end a toe poke from a couple of yards ended the contest with fifteen minutes remaining. His fellow striker Conor Wilkinson made little impact on his debut.
Miller opened the scoring after 25 minutes and he came close to a second just before the break with a 30 yard effort that McHale did well to hold.
Elgin produced very few threats on Liam Kelly’s goal. The best followed a corner but Spittal rose to head off the line.
Stuart Kettlewell made five substitutions to give a stretch to some who are likely to start in Dumfries on Tuesday.
Elgin 0 Motherwell 2
Attendance 2,026
Team: Kelly, Ross (McGinn 66), O’Donnell, Blaney, Mugabi, Wilson (McGinley74), Spittal (Maguire 80), Slattery (Paton 74), Miller, Wilkinson (Ferrie 80), Obika
Saturday 15 July 2023