A comfortable 3-0 win in the Fir Park drizzle was the least the home side deserved. They had the advantage of an extra man for most of the game but they made the most of it and rarely gave the visitors any hope.
Jardell Kanga and Seb Palmer-Houlden gave Charles-Cook and Ibrahim Said some well deserved rest from their intense start to the season and the Steelmen got the game underway.
In the fifteen minutes while the teams were equally matched Motherwell looked sharp and they might have had an early goal when Alex Lowry tested Jack Walton. The ball fell to Emmanuel Longelo and his effort hit the woodwork.
Emmanuel Agyei dealt his team the fatal blow when his over enthusiastic challenge on Lowry earned a straight red card. It did not take long for the vital first goal arrive. Palmer-Houlden opened his ‘Well account with a right footed half volley from Tom Sparrow’s cross.
The goal was just what the eleven men needed and they commanded the rest of the evening with the fine passing style that has become their hallmark.
Alex Paulsen had a quiet evening as visitations into his area were few and far between. Kanga played the full game and already has won the appreciation of the crowd for his excellent contribution.
Two goals after the hour sealed the points for the Steelmen. Alex Lowry produced a wonderful drive from 20 yards to thrill the Cooper end crowd and they had barely settled after ‘Standing up for Motherwell’ when Dylan Levitt added the third.
Levitt had been on the Motherwell books for only 24 hours and inside ten minutes of his appearance from the bench he send the ball across the box and into the far corner.
To the visitors credit they did not give up and charged forward when the rare opportunities arose but the contest was over.
This fine display by Motherwell will set them up nicely for a trip to Govan at the weekend.
Motherwell 3 Dundee United 0
Attendance: 6,412 (617)
Team: Paulsen, Sparrow (O’Donnell 69), Knight-Lebel (Girdwood-Reich 46), Moorman, Hodge, Longelo, Fadinger (Levitt 59), Lowry (Vogt 69), Kanga, Palmer-Houlden (Bjorgolfsson 59), Maswanhise
Wednesday 2 September 2026
