Motherwell failed to capitalise on a superb first half and paid the price in the second as Falkirk take the points.
It is becoming an all too familiar scenario for the Steelmen. They hold the unwanted record of conceding when in a winning position. The chatter inside the home stands at the break was that Motherwell should have had the game already won and that a one goal lead was no reflection on the balance of play. Fears were well founded.
Over the bar
Jens Berthel Askou made three changes from the eleven that came up short against Celtic in in the last outing. Stephen Welsh, Callum Hendry and Eli Just stepped up.
Motherwell ran the show from the off and Hendry might have done better with a shot that ended up in the South Stand. The contest settled down with the ‘Well spraying confident passes around the pitch. Elliot Watt and Just ran the game with fine distribution as the team camped in the Falkirk half.
Ibrahim Said had the crowd on their feet after a mazy run that finished with the ball in the net in 17 minutes. The celebrations halted while VAR examined the build up and the ‘goal’ was chalked off for an infringement near the halfway line.
But the cheers returned a few minutes later when Tawanda Maswanhise curled a shot across and beyond Scott Bain to deliver the deserved opener. Everyone in the ground would have expected the home side to extend their lead although Kyrell Wilson should have done better when presented with an easy chance from six yards.
Motherwell were unable to find a second but their fans cheered them into the tunnel after a hugely impressive 45 minutes.
Falkirk appeared after the interval with Filip Lissah in place of Sam Hart and they turned the game. Motherwell’s fluency waned as the visitors forced their way forward. They got their reward before the hour when Calvin Miller, unmarked inside the box, was able to slip the ball beyond Callum Ward. Ross McIver shoud have scored their second minutes later but he gave Ward the chance to save from close range.
Anxiety was growing in the home crowd and it was justified. Scott Arfield snatched the winner with ten minutes remaining.
Askou made use of his bench but the Falkirk defence stood up to the late challenge and ended up taking the three points.
Motherwell have now lost two in a row despite playing some fine entertaining football. The inability to hold on to a lead is costly.
Motherwell 1 Falkirk 2
Attendance 7,463
Team: Ward, Koutroumbis (Sparrow 84), Welsh, McGinn, Longelo (O’Donnell 64), Watt, Said, Fadinger (Priestman 84), Just (Charles-Cook 64), Maswanhise, Hendry (Stamatelopoulos 63)
Saturday 18 October 2025
