Iain Vigurs wonder goal invigorates Motherwell

ON THURSDAY he could barely tie his own shoelaces, such were the pulses of pain shooting through his back.
Graham Carey battles for possession with Josh Law, left, during Saturdays game in Dingwall. Picture: SNSGraham Carey battles for possession with Josh Law, left, during Saturdays game in Dingwall. Picture: SNS
Graham Carey battles for possession with Josh Law, left, during Saturdays game in Dingwall. Picture: SNS

Ross County 1-2 Motherwell

Scorers: Ross County - Boyce (78); Motherwell - Vigurs (49), Sutton (54)

Come Saturday? Iain Vigurs was in fine enough fettle to stick those laces through the ball to spectacular effect and soothe a little of the agonies of Motherwell’s ailing season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Fir Park midfielder told how a recovery as swift and mysterious as the back injury itself was prelude to his memorable moment in Dingwall.

Revelling in the surroundings of his former club, the Fir Park midfielder’s wonderful flash of the boot ended his team’s run of more than seven hours without a goal.

But the swirling, pin-point free-kick early in the second half said nothing of the agony Vigurs had been in only a couple of days before.

The 26-year-old Aberdonian was initially told he had no chance of even travelling to the Highlands after a sudden back spasm immobilised him through Wednesday and Thursday.

Vigurs, who then saw John Sutton net an even more spectacular second, said: “I wasn’t even meant to be travelling to the game. I had a spasm in my back and came in on Friday in my normal gear fully expecting to miss the trip.

“But I had a word with the physio because I suddenly felt a lot better. So I went down to training, had a wee kick about to see how it was and then had to shoot back for my trackies.

“It just cleared, although it still hampered me a little bit against Ross County.”

The opener brought personal delight, but Vigurs knows just how important it was to Stuart McCall’s toiling team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Motherwell came north to tackle Jim McIntyre’s new charges after failing to score in four straight league defeats.

“Moments like that just spur on the boys a little bit and kicks us to life – it was exactly what was needed,” Vigurs said.

It was never likely to be easy for McCall’s men in the Highlands. There was a buzz of anticipation at the Global Energy Stadium just a few days after McIntyre’s unveiling as Derek Adams’ successor.

County had installed a singing section in one corner of the East Stand after consultation with supporters and, through a very positive first half performance, it seemed to enliven the ground.

The small section of fans sang their hearts out and made a right old racket and the notoriously quiet support in other parts of the ground were occasionally roused to join in.

The players did their bit, too. Barring an early Sutton attempt that curled around the post, County were in charge through most of the half.

McIntyre set them up solidly but with attacking intent, with a mobile trio of Michael Gardyne, Melvin De Leeuw and the excellent Joe Cardle buzzing behind big man Jake Jervis.

Skipper for the day, Rocco Quinn, formed a solid midfield unit behind them with new signing Jackson Irvine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But while County’s energy and creativity threatened to open Well up, the goal never came despite debutant Gardyne, Cardle and Graham Carey all going close.

Instead, the game turned on it’s head early in the second period.

Motherwell had begun to threaten late in the first period and took control when Jordi Balk gave away a foul 25 yards out. Up stepped Vigurs and his old County supporters probably knew what was coming even before he swerved a brilliant dead-ball strike high past Antonio Reguero.

The Spanish goalkeeper could hardly be blamed, but there was at least a hint of fault as County fell two behind.

From more than 30 yards out, the opportunist Sutton produced a phenomenal hit to catch the County keeper off-guard.

The home side, to their credit, overcame the dispiriting shock and came back at Motherwell strongly towards the end.

But while Irish predator Liam Boyce did spring from the bench to pounce and score from a Carey cross, the Staggies remain empty-handed at the bottom of the table with no points from six opening matches.

That equals Aberdeen’s infamous start to the top flight campaign back in 1999.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Statistics such as those won’t bother McIntyre or assistant Billy Dodds at this early juncture in their Dingwall careers.

The new man would have learned much about where his team have been falling short of late, notably a need for more ruthlessness when chances beckon.

It was a theme Joe Cardle, McIntyre’s former Dunfermline charge, was quick to address. He said: “If you look back at the first half, we played some quality stuff. It was unfortunate we didn’t get the goal. When you are top in a game like that, you need to be scoring goals.”