EUROPA LEAGUE FIRST ROUND, FIRST LEG: MOTHERWELL 1 BRIEDABLIK 0
After a slightly disappointing World Cup, League football came back with a bit of a bang as The Mighty Well kicked off on their preparations for the new season. 3 friendly wins from 3 set us up for a competitive run out against Icelandic upstarts Breidablik. Currently 11 games into their domestic season where they are top of the league, much was said pre game of their match fitness and sharpness versus The Well's lack of both. New signing Darren Randolph ran out as the only summer signing to make the first team, with Cypriot Angelis Charalambous making the bench. Chris Shuker is yet to be added to the squad, while other loanee, Carlos Gazapo failed to impress versus Forfar and Brechin. While winning all 3 of our friendlies, it cannot be forgotten that we conceded goals in each of those games, and to concede at home in a Europa game could have been costly.
Fortunately that wasn't to happen. Apart from the addition of Randolph, a fairly familiar line up started Motherwell's foray in to Europe. Tommy Hateley resumed the right back position behind Chris Humphrey on the wing, with John Sutton playing wide left of Jamie Murphy up front. The midfield comprised of Jennings Lasley and Forbes, with Reynolds, Craigan and Hammell doing the majority of defensive duties. Resplendent in our Choose Life sponsored spanking new Puma kits, we looked the part on the new bowling green surface gracing Fir Park. While our new keeper had little to do over 90 minutes, he looks like he could fill John Ruddy's gloves. However, it is obvious that last season's other star men, O'Brien and Jutkiewicz, need to be replaced.
The rain before kick off had me hoping for a deluge of goals ala Flamurtari last year and in the first 45 minutes, we could easily have wrapped the game up. A lack of precision after effort from Humphrey, coupled with a lack of strikers instinct meant we went in level at the break. Hindsight is a magnificent thing, but had O'Brien been out right and The Juke been in the box, then I'd wager my overtime that we would have won more convincingly. Humphrey, for all his pace, still can't cross a ball and the decent ones he did put in had no one near them. Maybe the forward line were caught by surprise at his few quality efforts. Hateley came close after a mazy run down the wing, with the rebound being headed over by Forbes. Murphy and Sutton also made probing runs in to the area, but a lack of composure saw efforts go wide or blocked.
As is the norm for a Well Fan, set pieces from the opposition give us heart in mouth moments, and 2 at the start of the second half almost saw us go behind. A free header from a free kick by Someone Someonesen and then a glorious chance when an unmarked Somoene Elsenson caught the defence napping and kept us in the game. Despite being top of their domestic league, that was all the Icelander's threw at 'Well. The game degenerated in to a midfield battle, and half way through the second half, Fir Park breathed a sigh of relief when finally we scored.
Ross Forbes, who like last year, has had a free scoring pre season, whipped in a corner that was cleared back to him. His cross back in to the box evaded everyone and bounced in at the far post. Cue scenes of joy in the East Stand as memories of the 6-6 game v Hibs at the end of last season came back to me. We now expected glut of goals to make the game more comfortable. Alas they did not come. Gary Smith, who came on for Humphrey just before Forbes struck, looked lively up front, while Steven Saunders came on and almost scored twice. Firstly his back post header was bulleting in, if not for a Briedablik back. Then in the final minute, a speculative shot from distance forced their keeper to look lively.
At the final whistle, the Well players applauded the crowd as the Briedablik players made their way to the 50 or so fans housed in the Phil O'Donnell Stand. Happy with the win and a clean sheet, but feeling we could have got more goals, means that the onus is on us to finish the job in Iceland next Thursday. A jaunt to Norway awaits the victors of this tie to face Aalesand after today's second round draw. Confidence will be high, but must not come before a fall. Both teams know what to expect from each other, but hopefully we will shade it.
Up The Well.
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