Dundee Utd 0 - 4 Motherwell: Motherwell rediscover top form to ruin Levein's 100-game milestone

Published on Sunday 18 January 2009 21:52

THE hundred games which Craig Levein has presided over since his appointment as Dundee United's manager can collectively be considered a major success.

How ironic it is, then, that his players chose yesterday, as their manager reached that particular milestone, to produce a performance completely detached from all of the characteristics he has so far instilled in them.

That is not to detract from Motherwell's work, though, as they clinically dispatched their opponents with goals from Marc Fitzpatrick, Maros Klimpl, David Clarkson and Chris Porter to record a result which has enhanced their chances of challenging for a European place once more.

United, who saw defeat once in 19 games prior to this encounter, were unrecognisable to the team seen most weeks this season. Their usual level of hard work was there, but in place of their normal composure and organisation they were afflicted by a breakdown in communication and nerves, especially during a short first-half window in which the Steelmen breached their net three times.

"The damage was done in a ten-minute spell where we allowed them to score three goals," admitted Levein, whose side now drop below Aberdeen into fourth place.

"With each goal we took a bit of a psychological blow and when you give a team like Motherwell a three-goal lead at half-time it's always going to be difficult to get it back.

"The players have been great for me recently but today we just had that period where it went against us. I tried to change things in the second half by shuffling people about and making changes but, to be honest, even the Great Waldo couldn't have helped us today.

"I don't think this will affect our confidence because it's not as though they battered us. We had a spell in the first half, contributed to our own downfall a bit and lost the game there."

Ironically, it was United who dominated the opening exchanges and looked the more likely side to score. A redeeming feature of their play is usually their ability to break at speed and this almost caught Motherwell out on 12 minutes when a lovely move between four players transferred the ball from one end of the field to the other. Paul Dixon slipped a pass into the feet of striker Jon Daly, who sucked his marker in before laying off a deft backheel for Morgaro Gomis, who, in turn dragged the ball back before setting up Warren Feeney with an opportunity to volley.

Feeney, who rejected overtures from clubs in England during the early days of the transfer window, did his best to snap a shot on target but the height the ball arrived at him made it difficult and, therefore, his effort lacked sufficient power to trouble Graeme Smith, Motherwell's goalkeeper.

The Northern Irish international spurned another opportunity two minutes later, heading wide a Dixon cross which was perfectly weighted to flick into the net. It was a moment United were left to rue, as they were overcome by a kamikaze streak which saw Motherwell ruthlessly punish them with a trio of goals.

First they allowed Fitzpatrick to drift in at the back post unhindered and when Paul Quinn managed to dig out a cross from the right-hand touchline, his colleague was positioned to direct a header beyond Lukasz Zaluska.

The goalkeeper, who is destined to join Celtic in the summer, was left exposed once more when David Clarkson tried to nod a looping header into the net but Scott Robertson was able to clear off the line.

United were weighed down under incessant pressure at this moment in proceedings, with Zaluska called into service to block a ferocious shot by Klimpl.

However, on 27 minutes he could not repel his fellow Eastern European any longer, as, with good fortune on his side, the Slovak international cannoned a shot off Willo Flood 22 yards out before it spun into the net.

Amazingly, Motherwell scored a third on 33 minutes, punishing United for what was another display of sloppiness. Defender Garry Kenneth, who will sign a new three-year deal today after agreeing to stay over the weekend, lost possession to Porter inside his own half and he fed Clarkson, who skipped past a backtracking Lee Wilkie before angling a fine shot into the top corner from 16 yards.

As the referee blew for half-time, the Tannadice fans were vociferous in their displeasure at the team's performance until, in a show of defiance, Levein walked onto the park motioning them to support the team, at which point their attitude changed somewhat.

The players' approach had also altered by the time play resumed following, presumably, a stern few words from their manager. Those who had previously looked listless as Motherwell tore through them had discovered a new verve.

It did not last, though, as more frailty allowed Motherwell to score their fourth. A woeful ball by Danny Swanson, a substitute, was picked up by Fitzpatrick in midfield and with United's defence once more non existent, he rolled a pass in for Porter, who drew Zaluska before slashing a shot across him into the far corner.

"I said we had to beat Dundee United to give ourselves any hope of catching them and we have done that," said Mark McGhee, the Fir Park manager. "United are still big favourites to get third place but we believe we can catch them.

"I felt we were ready to produce a performance like this because I've watched the players in training and they've really been going well.

"To come here and score four goals is pretty convincing and it's up there with the best work we've done since I came to the club."

McGhee, whose team had slumped to joint-bottom of the league earlier in the season but are now up to seventh, was also pleased to see Porter sweep aside speculation linking him with Huddersfield and Hearts to produce another impressive performance. "It's not affected him in any way other than positive," he added. "He was terrific again and got a goal as well which I thought he deserved."