Stephen Robinson hails Motherwell’s ‘complete performance’ at Livingston

Posted Sunday, November 01, 2020 by PA

Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson praised his side’s game management after they dealt with Livingston and a storm in a 2-0 victory in West Lothian.

Well started with the 50 mile-per-hour wind at their backs and got a two-goal half-time cushion following a composed finish from Callum Lang and Tony Watt’s close-range effort after a parried Mark O’Hara free-kick.

The visitors stood firm in the face of Storm Aiden and a succession of long throws and visiting goalkeeper Aaron Chapman was not seriously tested.

It was a fourth win and clean sheet in five Scottish Premiership games for Motherwell, who moved up to seventh with two games outstanding.

“The good results have been built on a solid back line and Declan Gallagher and Mark O’Hara and the whole back four were outstanding,” said Robinson, who took Devante Cole off at half-time because of the striker’s tight hamstring.

“And at times when we needed it we had real quality up front, especially our first goal, and it probably could have been three or four at half-time, but the second half was a real disciplined professional performance.

“We managed the game really well and I think that’s probably what we are doing better than what we did in the early part of the season.

“This surface is hard to play on at the best of times, but when you put the wind machine in here as well, it’s really difficult.

“But I thought our boys showed really good composure in the first half, got the ball down and played when it was on and defended when we had to defend. It was a complete performance from us.”

Livingston boss Gary Holt felt his side had done the opposite to Motherwell.

“I thought it was rubbish,” he said. “I thought the game was rubbish, but the conditions didn’t help it. We have got to manage the conditions better, I don’t think we did. We never won enough second balls, we never got in people’s faces, and to give away the two goals we did was criminal.

“The second goal the ball has gone through the wall and then someone has to track the runner. Expect the unexpected.

“I have said this week we have played well, had good spells in games. We didn’t play the percentages. It was never going to be pass the ball and move, intricate play, it was going to be about the ugly side of the game and we need to get back to that.

“I don’t think we put their defence under pressure like they did to us first half.”