Motherwell 1 Ross County 1: ‘Well get last-gasp point

IN THIS era of false number nines, it is almost reassuring to realise that some sides still rely on men with a poacher’s instinct.
Motherwell's Louis Moult celebrates at full time. Picture: SNSMotherwell's Louis Moult celebrates at full time. Picture: SNS
Motherwell's Louis Moult celebrates at full time. Picture: SNS

Louis Moult is quickly making himself indispensable at Fir Park and it was his fourth goal in four games which salvaged a point for Motherwell here. Their performance over the piece probably didn’t merit a share of the spoils but, if he was embarrassed about that, the former Wrexham striker did well to hide it.

“It was good to get on the end of something in the dying minutes,” he said. “That shows the character we have in the changing room. But I’m confident that I can score goals and I’m proving that, too. You can’t allow yourself to think: ‘This is one of those days’. It’s mind over matter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I just kept telling myself that the chance would come. It did – and I put it away. I love scoring goals and I think you could see that in my celebrations.”

The visitors were the slicker ­outfit throughout the opening period, although their admirable approach play foundered on the lack of an end product.

Motherwell were forced on to the back foot for most of the first half but almost broke the deadlock in the 29th minute when full-back Marcus Fraser played a square pass which was intercepted by Moult.

The striker had options on either side of him but elected to go for glory and his shot from 20 yards was saved, at full stretch, by Scott Fox.

Four minutes later County scored the opener. A deep, looping free-kick by Jamie Reckord caused mayhem in the home defence and Michael Gardyne seized on Steven Hammell’s weak headed clearance to fire home from 12 yards.

Clearly concerned by his side’s lack of penetration, Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough introduced new signing Theo Robinson for Scott McDonald at the interval.

However, neither that change nor the others made in the second half appeared to help before the two later substitutes, ­Marvin Johnson and Liam ­Grimshaw ­combined to fashion the equaliser in stoppage time.

Johnson was released by Grimshaw and his cutback was ­prodded home from two yards by Moult.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was two points chucked away,” said disappointed County manager Jim McIntyre. “We were dominant in the second half and had other chances, too.

“Unfortunately, when you don’t take those chances it often comes back to bite you and that’s what ­happened – we switched off for a second and they scored.”

McIntyre said midfielder Craig Curran was absent yesterday because he is still suffering dizzy spells after being concussed against ­Kilmarnock three weeks ago.

Baraclough could have been forgiven for feeling a little light-headed himself as he savoured the unexpected point. He said: “Last season we might have allowed this game to peter out but we showed character to come back and take something.

“I’m pleased that we got the reward and it came from our best move of the game. It wasn’t the prettiest of games but we kept knocking on the door and asking questions.

“This was a case of two teams ­giving absolutely everything. They got their break from a set-piece but we don’t give up.

“It wasn’t pleasing on the eye at times during the first half but we were a little bit better after that.

“We deserved something because we worked hard and we had more strikes at goal than they did.”