Saints were eliminated from the Premier Sports Cup this afternoon as they lost 1-0 to Motherwell after extra time at McDiarmid Park.
Saints put in a battling performance and came close to winning the match in second half stoppage time when Jason Holt put his effort inches wide of the post.
Makenzie Kirk got the first chance of the match in extra time when his effort from a tight angle struck the post.
The only goal of the game came on 109 minutes as Lukas Fadinger got on the end of a threaded pass from Elliot Watt and slotted a low effort into the far corner of the net to seal the Steelmen’s passage into the quarter-finals.
Saints return to league action next Saturday as they welcome Arbroath to McDiarmid Park, kick off 3pm.
MATCH REPORT
Saints welcomed Motherwell to McDiarmid Park for a Premier Sports Cup second round match this afternoon. A late header from Uche Ikpeazu saw Saints defeat Ross County 1-0 last Friday night and Simo Valakari made one change to the side which started in Dingwall as Josh McPake dropped to the bench to be replaced by Morgan Boyes. Motherwell battled out a goalless draw with St Mirren in Paisley last weekend and manager Jens Berthel Askou made two changes to his starting eleven as Tom Sparrow and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos came in to replace John Koutroumbis, who missed out completely, whilst Callum Slattery was suspended.
Before the match got underway there was a minutes’ applause for former Saints player Sammy Johnston who sadly passed away this week.
Elijah Just got the match underway at a sun kissed McDiarmid Park and the New Zealand winger won the visitors a free kick on 4 minutes after he was fouled by Morgan Boyes. The free kick was taken by Elliot Watt and his delivery into the box didn’t trouble Toby Steward in the Saints goal.
Saints created their first chance of the match on 7 minutes as good passing move saw Jamie Gullan work the ball out wide to Matty Foulds who burst down the left channel before sending a dangerous delivery into the box. The ball then broke to Gullan on the edge of the area and the forward unleased a right-footed effort which went over the bar. Saints created another chance on 16 minutes as Stevie Mallan played in Adama Sidibeh however, the forward couldn’t make a clean connection as Calum Ward comfortably gathered the ball.
PHOTO: A minutes’ applause in memory of Sammy Johnston
On 23 minutes Ibrahim Said unleashed a right footed effort from distance which went wide of the target. Then on 31 minutes a good passing move by the Steelmen saw Tom Sparrow pass the ball to Tawanda Maswanhise and the Zimbabwean played in Just whose shot hit Cheick Diabate, as the Motherwell players appealed for a penalty, claiming the ball had hit the Saints defender’s arm however, referee David Dickinson wasn’t interested as play continued.
A lovely pass from Gullan on 33 minutes picked out Sidibeh who brilliantly chested the ball to control it before putting his effort over the bar.
Play quickly switched to the other end as a minute later Boyes made a brilliant block to turn a fizzing effort from Emmanuel Longelo over for a corner.
Four minutes were added on at the end of the first half and in the second minute of stoppage time Sidibeh won Saints a free kick out wide on the left after he was fouled by Stephen O’Donnell. Mallan took the free kick and his deep delivery into the Motherwell box was met by Boyes who headed the ball back across goal. The ball then broke to Diabate on the edge of the area, but the defender couldn’t find the target with his effort.
PHOTO: Sven Sprangler and Emmanuel Longelo
Saints made a double change at the break as Reghan Tumilty and Uche Ikpeazu came on to replace Sven Sprangler and Stevie Mallan.
On 48 minutes Saints were awarded a free kick after Ikpeazu was fouled by Lukas Fadinger. Gullan took the free kick as he sent a dangerous curling delivery to the back post however, the ball didn’t break for Diabate as it bounced off the defender before going behind for a goal kick.
The Steelmen created another chance on 54 minutes as they worked the ball to Just on the edge of the area however, his curling effort was saved by Steward. Then just after the hour mark Steward was called into action again as he palmed away a right-foot effort from Longelo. The ball then broke to Said but his effort was comfortably gathered by the Saints number one.
Saints then made a double change as Adama Sidibeh and Matty Foulds made way for Makenzie Kirk and Josh McPake.
PHOTO: Cheick Diabate shoots over the bar
Steward was tested again on 63 minutes as another good passing move from the visitors saw Maswanhise get on the end of a pass from Stamatelopoulos before seeing his left footed strike saved by Steward who got down well to the effort.
Gullan did well to win Saints a free kick shortly after when he was fouled by Fadinger. The free kick was taken by Kirk but, his effort from distance didn’t trouble Ward. Then on 67 minutes a brilliant header from Ikpeazu played in Kirk who was one-on-one with Ward however the Steelmen keeper made a good save to turn the ball behind for a corner.
Saints continued to create chances and a minute later McPake picked out Reece McAlear as the midfielder unleashed an effort at goal which went over the bar.
The Steelmen were awarded a free kick on 72 minutes following a handball from McPake, who was booked by David Dickinson. Just took the free kick however, his effort from 25 yards didn’t cause Steward any problems as he comfortably gathered the ball. Then a minute later Motherwell got another sight of goal as Just played in Said, who cut inside before seeing his effort deflected over for a corner by Tumilty.
PHOTO: Uche Ikpeazu gets the better of Elliot Watt
Boyes made another important block on 83 minutes turning the ball over for a corner from which the ball was played to substitute Andy Halliday who chested it before volleying goalwards however, his effort was straight at Steward who gathered.
Saints then made a further change as Jonthan Svedberg replaced Jamie Gullan.
Four minutes were added on at the end of the second half and in the first minute of stoppage time Tumilty came close to winning the match for Saints as he chested the ball before seeing his dipping effort go wide of the mark. Then a minute later Jason Holt came agonisingly close to scoring the winner. From a Boyes throw-in Ikpeazu flicked the ball into the path of Kirk and he raced down the left and cut inside before picking out Holt however, the Saints captain saw his effort go inches wide of the post.
The Steelmen also came close to winning the match in stoppage time as a Watt cross in the fourth minute of stoppage time was met by Esapa Osong but the header from the Motherwell substitute was saved by Steward.
PHOTO: Jason Holt clears from Ibrahim Said
With the deadlock not broken the match went to extra time. Saints would create the first chance in extra time on 92 minutes as McPake picked out Kirk with a long pass and the forward burst into the box before seeing his effort from a tight angle hit the post.
With the match being played in the hot summer sun it was starting to become more open as exhaustion began to set in for both teams. On 99 minutes Just showed good feet as he worked his way into the Saints box before slicing his shot wide of the target.
Whilst up the other end 2 minutes later Tumilty played a lovely pass to Svedberg whose effort was saved by Ward.
Just before half time in extra time Saints made a further change as Sam Stanton came on to replace Reece McAlear.
The deadlock was finally broken on 109 minutes as good build-up play by Motherwell ended with Watt playing a lovely weighted pass to Fadinger who fired a low ball across Steward and into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.
PHOTO: Josh McPake gets away from Tom Sparrow
On 113 minutes Stanton did well to work his way to the byeline before seeing his cross into the box cut out by Ward who gathered the ball. Then a minute later a cross from Svedberg was met by Ikpeazu who was inches away from finding the target.
Saints continued to push in the closing stages for an equaliser which would take the game to penalties. On 116 minutes McPake played a lovely one-two with Svedberg before cutting inside and unleashed a curling effort which was saved by Ward as the Fir Park saw the game out to end Saints Premier Sports Cup campaign.
Saints: Steward, Diabate, Boyes, Holt, Sidibeh (Kirk 62’), Gullan (Svedberg 87’), Foulds (McPake 62’), Baird, Mallan (Ikpeazu 45’), Sprangler (Tumilty 45’), McAlear (Stanton 104’)
Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Steven, Bright
Booked: Diabate, Gullan, Sprangler, McPake, Boyes
Motherwell: Ward, O’Donnell, Sparrow (Balmer 111’), Stamatelopoulos (McAllister 117’), Fadinger, McGinn, Maswanhise (Osong 78’), Watt, Just (Ross 111’), Longelo (Wilson 105’), Said (Halliday 78’)
Unused Substitutes: Oxborough (GK), Forrest, Gillies
Booked: O’Donnell
Scorer: Fadinger (109’)
Referee: David Dickinson
Attendance: TBC
Match Report by Daryl Scott
Picture: Jack Baird tackles Emmanuel Longelo
