Motherwell cruised to a straightforward 3-0 win over strugglers Livingston at Fir Park to strengthen their third place in the league table.
The score line fairly reflected the balance of play in this one sided contest. Livingston worked hard but hardly troubled the home defence that notched up a fourth consecutive clean sheet.
The depth and quality in Jens Berthel Askou’s squad can be illustrated by his team selection. Only four of the eleven that started in midweek at Falkirk were on the pitch as Livi kicked off as the club marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Motherwell set the tone immediately as Johnny Koutroumbis flew into the Mclean stand box only to see his cross clutched by Jerome Prior.
Man of the Match - Elliot Watt
Livinsgton tried a half hearted press against the Motherwell rearguard but they were unable to break the build up from the back and the reward was not long delayed. Regan Charles-Cook’s work on the left wing ended with a cross than was knocked out to Elliot Watt. His strike from outside the are met the outstretched hand of Prior but it ended up in the net. The lead was secured.
Watt was to be provider on the half hour when his foraging in the centre of the pitch set up Apostolos Stamatelopoulos on the right hand side of the penalty area. The striker guided the ball goalward with a side footed effort but the ‘keeper saved.
After the break the visitors came into the game more and following a corner kick Mahamadou Susoho unleashed Livi’s best strike of the afternoon but Callum Ward was up to the task to keep his goal safe.
Motherwell’s second came after a fairly soft penalty award. Koutroumbis worked well to cut across the penalty are but Lewis Smith’s contact was enough to persuade the referee that a penalty should be awarded. Stamatelopoulos drilled the ball home to end the contest.
Callum Hendry fluffed his chance to get on the scorer’s list when he headed high from an inviting cross.
We had to stay patient for the third and it was worth the wait. Charles-Cook rounded off a fine afternoon with a run in on goal from his right. He slipped the ball across to present Emmanuel Longelo with the simplest of tap ins.
Given the relative standings of the teams a home win was expected yet the fact that Motherwell delivered the result with apparent ease speaks volumes for the progress made under the Danish manager.
The team can enjoy their Christmas outing across the Irish Sea before they return for a trip to Tannadice next week.
Motherwell 3 Livingston 0
Attendance 5,683
Team: Ward, O’Donnell, McGinn, Gordon, Koutroumbis (Longelo 70), Fadinger, Watt (Priestman 70), Just (Slattery 70), Charles-Cook (Said 89), Maswanhise, Stamatelopoulos (Hendry 67)
Saturday 6 December 2025
