Motherwell’s run of good form continues

Posted Sunday, February 03, 2019 by PA

Motherwell extended their winning run in the league to four games with a 3-0 victory over out-of-form Livingston.

Both teams contributed to an action-packed opening which saw the hosts three goals ahead inside 20 minutes and Livingston ruing a couple of missed chances.

After the midweek attention focused on 19-year-old David Turnbull extending his contract it was another Fir Park teenager, Jake Hastie, who grabbed two goals and the limelight either side of a Curtis Main strike.

Hoping to end their four-match losing streak, Gary Holt brought back Ryan Hardie who had to sit out last week’s defeat to his parent club Rangers. There was also a start for Scott Tiffoney, recalled from his loan spell at Moton.

Before the Livingston attacking pair could make an impression, though, the West Lothian side were a goal down. Turnbull curled in a free-kick towards goal and the inrushing Hastie nodded it past Liam Kelly for a dream start.

There was an immediate chance for the visitors to level but when Hardie, 12 yards from goal, tried to play in Tiffoney, Charles Dunne stepped between the pair to boot the ball clear.

That proved costly when Motherwell doubled their lead five minutes later. Turnbull was again at the heart of the move, releasing Alan Campbell who in turn fed the ball into the path of Main who dinked it past the advancing goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

Livingston came close to reducing the lead minutes later when Tiffoney’s cross for Hardie came off Richard Tait but Mark Gillespie reacted superbly turn the ball over the bar.

The Motherwell stopper then denied Scott Pittman, throwing himself across the turf to palm away the midfielder’s low drive.

That prevented a potential turning point as the Premiership newcomers were immediately punished when the home side made it 3-0.

Nothing looked on when Hastie collected the ball on the halfway line but the teenager decided to head for the visitor’s goal leaving two defenders in his wake before thumping the ball off Kelly and into the net for his second of the afternoon.

Both teams created several chances to add to the scoring before the break, but it remained 3-0.

By then Holt had seen enough and Livingston started the second with three changes.

But it was still the Fir Parker’s who looked more likely to extend their advantage.

Ten minutes into the half and Turnbull, hoping to score for the third consecutive game, fired in a drive from 20 yards which Kelly did well to hold.

The goalkeeper was lucky a minute later when Campbell’s shot from 12 yards was nodded off the line by Declan Gallagher and Hastie’s follow-up was deflected over the crossbar.

Livingston were denied a deserved consolation goal two minutes from time when Tiffoney’s 20-yard drive raced beyond the diving Gillespie only to rebound off the post.