Unexpected good news greeted the travelling ‘Well fans in that Hammell and Corrigan had recovered from their midweek knocks sufficiently to take their places in the starting eleven. The only change from the Easter Road game was that Jason Dair replaced missing captain Adams in a reshuffled midfield.
United had the best of the early exchanges with a lack of sharpness in defence helping their cause. A casual pass from Dair lead to
Motherwell came back and for the majority of the half we gave as good as we got. A couple of half chances were blocked in front of Gallacher’s goal before a Hammell cross missed Clarkson on the penalty spot. The ball fell to Fagan just beyond the far post but he blasted high and wide.
We had two good chances at the break approached. First McDonald gathered a loose ball inside the box after a Lasley effort failed to penetrate. The wee striker turned on a sixpence and fired a low drove through a defender’s legs, the keeper was beaten but the ball rolled wide. On the whistle Burns beat the offside trap and squared for Clarkson on the six yard line. It looked like any touch would have been enough but his outstretched right foot failed to make contact and the chance was gone.
We seemed to grow in confidence as the second period developed and United had a shaky spell. Corrigan had a belt from twenty five yards after a Hammell free kick hit the wall and Clarkson charged down a clearance from Gallacher and was unlucky to see the rebound run wide. Miller and McLaren were booked and then subbed by
In sixty five minutes United scored. A weak shot seemed to take
The manager took off Clarkson and brought on Craig and Burns was pushed upfield. There followed twenty minutes frantic effort as we fought for the equaliser. The result was lots of half chances but no clear cut chance.
Corners and free kicks rained in on the United goal but without success.
United won the match with almost their only effort of the second half and must be considered fortunate to take all three points.