Motherwell’s three-game winning run came to an emphatic end on Saturday with a poor 1-0 home defeat by Dundee.
After another slow start, this time there was no improvement to rescue the day even with a bold change to 4-4-2. Dundee had taken a narrowly deserved lead through Lyall Cameron in the 39th minute but took control from there and rarely looked troubled in seeing out the victory. Given their recent poor form, they could hardly have imagined such a simple return to winning ways.
Dan Casey returned from suspension to replace injured Paul McGinn. He resumed his usual position on the left of the back three with Kofi Balmer switching to the right.
Whether the missing captain was the source of our problems is hard to tell. We were unlucky in conceding the goal, as Andy Halliday’s momentum carried him into Davor Zdravkovski after a great block. Dundee returned the ball to the middle and Cameron found the bottom corner.
But if that was unfortunate, it was also symptomatic. Balmer, Ewan Wilson and Lennon Miller had all played us into trouble with poor passes which Dundee failed to capitalise upon. At the other end, their defence was solid with only two half – at best – chances from Ap Stamatelopoulos directed off target.
The Australian and ineffective strike partner Zach Robinson were removed at half-time for Tony Watt and Moses Ebiye. It made no difference and a further switch saw Jair Tavares and Tawanda Maswanhise replace Casey and Halliday but our inability to deliver the ball to dangerous areas cost us.
Dundee threatened a second amid a strong restart with Cameron curling wide and Simon Murray having a shot parried by Ashton Oxborough but reverted to seeing the game out. Miller did have a superb strike from 30 yards saved by Trever Carson and Tavares slashed a half-volley high over the bar but we could not manage even late concerted pressure.
We do remain fifth in the table but with Celtic and a trip to Tannadice up next before the League Cup semi-final, our position may not last long.
Motherwell 0 Dundee 1
Attendance 5,084 (857)
Team: Oxborough, O’Donnell, Balmer, Gordon, Casey (Maswanhise 65), Wilson, Zdravkovski, Hallliday (Tavares 65), Miller, Stamatelopoulos (Watt 45), Robinson (Ebiye 45)
Saturday 19 October 2024