Motherwell 2-1 Kilmarnock: Match Report
Motherwell 2-1 Kilmarnock: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.
Sutton at it again for Well
John Sutton scored a second successive winner as Motherwell came from behind against Kilmarnock to move into third place in the Scottish Premiership with a 2-1 win.
Sutton followed his strike against Partick Thistle when he netted from close range with the last kick of the first half after a blunder by Killie centre-back Jackson Irvine.
A headed own goal by Stephen McManus had given the visitors a 17th-minute lead, but the unmarked Henri Anier levelled three minutes later.
Motherwell were never entirely comfortable after the break and Kris Boyd came close several times before Killie were boosted by the sending-off of Simon Ramsden in the 87th minute.
However, Lee Hollis made two excellent late saves to deny the Ayrshire side their third point of the season.
Motherwell almost scored straight from kick-off when Vigurs ran on to a ball over the top but sliced wide from 14 yards.
Kilmarnock midfielder James Fowler got a shot on target before Darren Barr rescued the visitors with a slide tackle as Anier burst through on goal.
Killie took the lead after referee Craig Charleston gave them a free-kick wide on the left as Motherwell defender Shaun Hutchinson battled with Rory McKenzie for the ball.
Barry Nicholson's free-kick did not find a Killie player but the ball skidded off the head of McManus as he and Hutchinson tried to clear and flew into the net.
Motherwell quickly responded when Keith Lasley's reverse pass put Anier through and the Estonian slid the ball between Craig Samson's legs.
Hollis saved from Nicholson after a good passing move from Killie but Motherwell got on top in the final 10 minutes of the half.
Samson parried from Vigurs and then produced an excellent diving stop after Sutton had volleyed from a tight angle following Ramsden's lofted ball.
The pair linked up again a minute later to even better effect. The ball came to right-back Ramsden after some patient build-up play and he crossed across the face of goal.
Irvine was well placed to clear but he took a fresh-air swipe that allowed the ball to reach Sutton at the back post and the striker reacted quickly to finish.
The same two players combined less than two minutes after the break and almost doubled Motherwell's lead. Sutton attacked Ramsden's cross at the back post and headed down from six yards but Samson produced a great block.
Motherwell had a scare when Hollis left a deep Sean Clohessy cross and Boyd turned the ball towards goal from a tight angle but Hutchinson diverted the ball over the bar as the home fans feared another own goal.
Motherwell had a penalty claim rejected in the 65th minute when Ramsden got in front of William Gros to attack Lasley's cross and was barged out of the way, but Charleston was unconvinced.
Boyd almost made Motherwell pay moments later when he turned on the edge of the D but his curling effort was wide. Hollis then saved from Gros after Hutchinson lost the ball in a similar area.
The former Rangers striker then fired just wide of the far post after a good burst from Michael Gardyne, who joined on loan from Dundee United 24 hours earlier.
Motherwell introduced their new loan signing, Rotherham winger Lionel Ainsworth, in the 78th minute and played him up front alongside Sutton.
Boyd came close again with a 25-yard free-kick that almost curled inside the far post before Samson tipped a Vigurs long-ranger over.
Motherwell were put further under pressure when Ramsden, who had been booked for dissent when denied a penalty, was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Killie sub Rabiu Ibrahim.
Killie threw men forward but Hollis blocked Boyd's close-range effort and then produced a superb one-handed stop from the resulting corner after McManus and Jeroen Tesselaar had thrown themselves at Nicholson's delivery.
Source : http://www.football.co.uk/motherwell/motherwell_2-1_kilmarnock__match_report_rss4389642.shtml
