Dunfermline 0 - 2 Motherwell: Steelmen edge out Pars but Stuart McCall wants more

Stuart McCall has warned his Motherwell players that a repeat of their first-half performance against Dunfermline could cost them progress in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Motherwell defeated Dunfermline 2-0 at East End Park to extend the Pars’ miserable run without a home victory in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League to 15 matches.

The Fir Park side can now look forward to their home cup quarter-final clash with Aberdeen this Sunday but McCall is demanding better from his team.

“We just have to concentrate. If we play like we did against Dunfermline in the first half we will be out of the cup,” said McCall. “I felt in the first-half the forwards and a couple of other players didn’t perform.

“You have to give Dunfermline credit, they came out and had a go. We told the guys at half-time they had to be better.”

Dunfermline goalkeeper Chris Smith gifted Motherwell the opening goal when he let Michael Higdon’s weak shot slip through his grasp in the 64th minute.

Estonian forward Henrik Ojamaa then doubled the visitors’ lead when he rocketed a shot beyond the helpless goalkeeper six minutes later.

Victory for Motherwell moves them within three points of Rangers in second place, while Dunfermline are now four points adrift at the foot of the SPL table.

“In the second-half we performed much better and we told the guys that needed to be case,” McCall added. “The lads have been consistent, though, and improved in the second-half. We now have a little switch off from the league and can look forward to what will be a very good game against Aberdeen.

“We won’t be talking about the Champions League until the end of the season, if at all.”

Pars boss Jim McIntyre was frustrated after Smith’s error helped Motherwell inflict more home misery on his team.

“He knows he has made a mistake and that obviously proved crucial,” said McIntyre.

“It’s just the way things have gone for us this season, a lot of the home games we haven’t put our chances away and then made a mistake for the opposition’s goal which gave them a huge lift. A lot of individual errors have cost us. We have to keep believing and do the right things.

“There were a lot of positives about the performances and we have to build on them and start to do the basics better.”