Don't Panic – Livingston in Perspective

Last updated : 13 March 2005 By Firparkcorner

Let’s be honest, we all know that Motherwell have a tendency to blow it when there is a big expectation to win. Whilst looking at it logically, we should have beaten Livingston.

An excited FPC gaffer...
Alternatively, as ‘Well fans know, when we are unbeaten in four matches, have a huge game the next weekend and a winnable game in the middle, disaster is probably around the corner. With a view to the league, Saturday’s game was important but in terms of the history of our club, it does not even register in comparison to next Sunday.

And, like it or not, our players are only human and of course they would be conscious of next week. As it happens, for all his bluster about focusing on the task in hand, Terry Butcher was the same – does anyone really think Marshall, O’Donnell and Leitch would have missed out if we didn’t have the final coming up?

As it happens, despite our concerns about this match, we came through it quite well. Most importantly, no one was injured. We played fairly well and with a bit of luck, would have won the game comfortably. We didn’t but we still picked up a useful point. Livingston have no cup distraction and, as we witnessed, they had no reason to hold back from some meaty challenges. Our good play overcame this and it was only the resilience of Roddy McKenzie who kept them in it.

An away point is rarely bad for us and this draw keeps our unbeaten run going into the final. It would have been nice to win but let’s keep calm about things – we are still sitting safely in the top six and are in a cup final, a scenario we would have grabbed with both hands had we been offered it in August. After the dark period around Christmas and the new year, we have hit form at the perfect time. Let’s get into them next week!