Sammon scores brace to kick-start Motherwell career

Posted Wednesday, July 25, 2018 by PA

Conor Sammon kick-started his Motherwell career with a double against Queen of the South as last season’s Betfred Cup runners-up overcame a real threat to their chances of progression.

A draw and penalties reverse at Stranraer on Saturday had left Motherwell five points off the top of Group G but Sammon netted twice in the first half as Motherwell triumphed 2-0 at Fir Park.

Stephen Robinson’s side will now definitely progress if they win at Clyde on Saturday.

Queens were the first team in the competition to reach nine points and arrived at Fir Park as the top scorers with 12 goals, and the Championship side had the better of an action-packed opening spell.

Stephen Dobbie was twice denied his eighth goal of the season by Trevor Carson, who also saved well when Callum Semple was allowed a free header six yards out.

Motherwell had also threatened through Richard Tait and Carl McHugh before taking the lead in the 12th minute when Chris Cadden burst from the halfway line before slipping the ball through for Sammon to net his first goal since joining on loan from Hearts.

The goal settled Motherwell down and Sammon doubled the lead in the 37th minute when he ran on to Ryan Bowman’s header-on, skipped past a defender and slotted the ball just inside the post.

Queens became more threatening after Motherwell lost Bowman to injury after a poor challenge by Semple but Carson pulled off a brilliant one-handed save to stop Gary Harkins heading home from six yards.

The save seemed to suck the belief out of the visitors and Sammon came close to a hat-trick only for Alan Martin to complete a double save after parrying Cadden’s initial strike.