v Motherwell U20’s (A) Apr 2015

Two quick-fire second half goals gave Motherwell U20s a comfortable win over Partick Thistle this afternoon.The Steelmen, flush with first-team experience, got their noses in front just before the hour when Conor Grant smashed a low shot through goalkeeper Connor Cullin.Ninety seconds later and Steven Higgins had doubled the advantage and that was enough for ‘Well to see it through and take all three points.Jonatan Johansson made just two changes to the side that drew with Ross County last midweek. Zaine Francis-Angol and Dylan Mackin dropped out, replaced by Stuart Carswell and Conor Grant.The game took some time to really get going – the pitch was dry and neither side could really get their foot on the ball. Ben Hall had a half chance on the eleventh minute, heading Grant’s corner just over.Thistle took twenty minutes to register an effort at goal but two quick-fire efforts from Matthew McInally and Dale Keenan both ended up in the Davie Cooper Stand.The closest any side came during the first-half was on the half hour when McInally’s shanked cross from the left almost caught out Long, but the young Northern Irishman was grateful the spinning ball came back off the frame of the goal.Fraser had a shot straight at Long and, likewise, Grant had a free kick straight at Cullin but neither side managed to get themselves ahead before the break.The Jags made a positive start to the second forty-five and only an excellent close-range save by Long denied midfielder Dominic Docherty, who had made a late run into the area.‘Well responded immediately through MacLean, who got on the end of a wonderful Stevie Hammell cross from the left but his low shot was deflected just wide by the charging Thistle rear-guard.Fraser had another shot straight at Long and Jack Leitch swept a MacLean shot just wide of target before the Steelmen eventually got their noses in front.Leitch’s inviting channelled ball down the left had Higgins on the scamper with former Hamilton defender Ryan Finnie. After a coming together, Higgins emerged with the ball, squared it inside for the supporting Conor Grant who drilled it low through Cullin and into the net.Incredibly, ninety-second later, ‘Well doubled their lead. Substitute Dylan Mackin, brought on at the interval in place of Craig Moore, fired a low shot that forced Cullin to palm away. Higgins was quick on the follow up and he slotted home into the net.‘Well could and should have made it three just sixty-second later. Ross MacLean’s deep cross to the back post almost found Mackin on the stretch but he couldn’t get a good connection and the chance was gone.Other than a Fraser shot from distance that flew wide, that was the end of the chances. Both teams made changes but as the weather took a turn for the worse, the game soon ended with ‘Well holding out for the win.Motherwell:B.Long, Watt, Hammell, Carswell, O’Brien, Hall, Grant, J.Leitch, Moore (Mackin – 46mins), Higgins (R.Leitch – 79mins), MacLeanSubs:Currie, McNulty, McCall, Watters, Mackin, McMillan