Motherwell
earned three points against stubborn Dundee thanks to a late header from Callum
Slattery.
It took a
while but in the end justice was served when Slattery headed home to relieve
home fans from a nail-biting climax. It
was one of those afternoons when it seemed that Motherwell’s dominance might
not deliver the victory but persistence paid off and a Merry Christmas is
assured.
With Tawanda
Maswanhise in Morocco Regan Charles-Cook was given a rare start and Emmanuel
Longelo stood in for the benched Stephen
O’Donnell.
The first
half was not a pretty affair. Motherwell
had most of the ball but repeated misplaced passes as they entered the visitors’
last third meant that chances were few and far between.
Callum Slattery's in there somewhere
The risky
side of Jens Berthel Askou’s style was exposed early when a careless break down
of possession in front of Callum Ward presented the opposition with a half
chance. The ball was soon dispatched
upfield.
There were a
few unconvincing efforts on McCracken’s goal but he was not truly tested.
The second
period was a different affair. An early
double substitution (Ibrahim Said and Tom Sparrow for Charles-Cook and Johnny
Koutroumbis) was the catalyst. Suddenly
the pressure on the Cooper end goal intensified and there were a series of
golden chances.
Said jinked
through centre midfield and served Callum Hendry but he missed the far post target. Said followed that with a cut back from the
dead ball line but Lukas Fadinger failed to convert the clear opportunity. Hendry had a goal bound header saved at close
range by McCraken and the home crowd urged the team for more.
Dixie Deans remembered
The game
moved in to the final ten minutes and although Dundee had yet to produce any major
threat on Ward’s goal there was a fear of slip up against the run of play
lurking. Fortunately that dread was
ended when a move on the right by Longelo allowed Elliot Watt to deliver a
short cross that connected with Slattery.
The header was inch perfect and McCracken was beaten at his right hand
post.
Dundee made
a valiant push forward but it was all too late.
Motherwell had secured the win and a sixth consecutive clean sheet. A glass or two of Christmas cheer will be
raised to the men of claret and amber who have provided such success and
entertainment this season.
Next up, a
trip to Ibrox.
Motherwell 1
Dundee 0
Attendance 6,659
(463)
Team: Ward, Koutroumbis
(Sparrow 57), McGinn, Welsh, Longelo (O’Donnell 85),Fadinger, Watt, Just, Slattery(Priestman
85), Charles-Cook (Said 57), Hendry (Stamatelopoulos 83)
Saturday 20
December 2025
