Motherwell 4-0 Bradford: McGhee's men tear Bradford apart in first-half rout

Published on Saturday 26 July 2008 19:58

Motherwell 4 Clarkson 1; Porter, pen; Smith 31; Malcolm 40 Bradford 0

MOTHERWELL secured their first pre-season victory in resounding fashion with a first-half demolition of Stuart McCall's Bradford.

The home win was never in doubt from the first minute when David Clarkson converted Keith Lasley's cross at the near post.

Chris Porter converted a penalty and Darren Smith raced down the left before firing the third in the 31st minute. Smith then set up Bob Malcolm to stroke home from 10 yards five minutes before the break.

Well boss Mark McGhee made eight changes in the second half, bringing on three trialists. One of them, former Celtic winger Jim O'Brien, struck the post with a volley, while Togo international Souleymane Mamam made his second appearance in midfield as he bids to win a move from Royal Antwerp.

Gambian Seyfo Soley, who had a short spell with Preston last year, also got most of the second half in place of defender Mark Reynolds.

VILLA INTO UEFA CUP

ASTON Villa cheerfully waved goodbye to the Intertoto Cup and booked a place in next month's UEFA Cup final qualifying round with a 1-0 home win over Danish side Odense.

Ashley Young's sensational second-half effort secured a 3-2 aggregate win but the real spin-off for Martin O'Neill could revolve around Gareth Barry, whose introduction after Wilfred Bouma suffered a nasty looking leg injury, went better than the Northern Irishman had hoped, the cordial relationship between player and supporters fuelling belief that Villa could yet thwart Liverpool in their attempts to sign the England player.