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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Andy McGilvray

Motherwell 2, Morton 1: Well leave it late to book Scottish Cup slot

Liam Donnelly was the hero as he sent Motherwell into the Scottish Cup fifth round, but his side needed 120 minutes to see off Championship side Greenock Morton.

Morton took the lead on the stroke of half-time in extra-time as Gozie Ugwu set up Robbie Muirhead and he cut in from the right before ripping a shot into the bottom left corner.

But a push on Ross Tierney gave Kevin Van Veen a spot-kick, which the Dutch striker blasted past Jack Hamilton in 108 minutes.

But Donnelly ripped a shot high into the top left corner to win it for Well, after Tierney's shot was blocked on the line.

For a second successive season, these sides couldn't be separated in 90 minutes and it went to extra-time.

While Motherwell had dominated in normal time, they did very little with it.

Motherwell boss Graham Alexander made two changes to the side that lost 3-1 at Ross County on Tuesday. Jake Carroll and Connor Shields came in for Bevis Mugabi and Kevin Van Veen.

Recent signings Liam Shaw and Ross Tierney were on the bench.

Dougie Imrie kept faith with the Morton side that beat Ayr United 2-0 last weekend, with

Motherwell dominated in the first half but didn't do a lot with it. Other than long-rang efforts from Sean Goss and Connor Shields they didn't have a lot to show for it.

Jordan Roberts looked lively for Motherwell in the first half, but couldn't inspire a goal (SNS Group)

The second half was much the same, with Jack Hamilton not forced into too many saves.

These sides met last season at the same stage of the competition, with a 0-0 draw followed by 1-1 in extra-time, and Motherwell eventually won 5-3 on penalties.

This time around, Motherwell didn't need spot-kicks.

Morton created a decent chance inside four minutes when Gavin Reilly found himself in the Motherwell box, but Sondre Solholm got back to clear and did well to avoid conceding a corner.

But Motherwell should have taken the lead in 12 minutes when Shields was sent down the right and his low, angled shot was palmed past the far post by Jack Hamilton.

A Barry Maguire shot from distance was well blocked in 16 minutes as Motherwell tried to force their way into the game.

And the hosts should have led in 21 minutes when Shields narrowly failed to connect with a free kick at the left post corner, when a touch would've done.

Moments later, Jordan Roberts let fly with a shot from distance that flew past the right post.

Sean Goss tried his luck from distance with a howitzer, but Hamilton got two hands to it to beat the ball away to safety.

Morton nearly took the lead in 59 minutes when Lewis Strapp's free kick fell to Alan Lithgow at the left post corner, but he couldn't get enough on it to divert the ball past Liam Kelly.

Play raged up the other end and Shields saw a header from close range blocked and saved by Hamilton.

Motherwell's Kaiyne Woolery sees his effort blocked by Morton's Lewis Strapp (SNS Group)

Kevin Van Veen replaced Kaiyne Woolery in 62 minutes and was involved up front inside a minute when he twisted and turned to make space for himself, but his low shot was saved.

The Dutchman tried his luck again three minutes later, but fired well over.

Liam Donnelly tried his luck with a long-range effort in 82 minutes, but it was well over.

At the other end Gozie Ugwu tried a similar effort from distance, but sliced his shot wide of the right post.

Motherwell should have won the game in 86 minutes when Van Veen was sent through on goal, but saw his shot blocked by Hamilton.

Motherwell's Sean Goss and Gary Oliver of Morton in action (SNS Group)

Stephen O'Donnell tried his luck with an angled drive two minutes later but saw his shot saved.

A slack pass-back gave Roberts a chance but Hamilton slid out to block.

Into extra-time we went, and Ross Tierney tried to become an instant hero, but his rising shot kept going over the bar.

Roberts nearly broke the deadlock 12 minutes into the first period with a shot on the turn that flew just wide of the left post.

Morton took the lead just before half-time in stoppage time through sub Muirhead, but just minutes into the second half Van Veen blasted a penalty into the bottom left corner after being decked inside the box.

Van Veen nearly won it for Well late on in extra-time but saw his shot from a tight angle deflected past the left post.

MOTHERWELL: Kelly, O'Donnell, Solholm, McGinley, Carroll, Goss, Maguire (Slattery, 106), Donnelly, Shields (Tierney, 76), Woolery (Van Veen, 60), Roberts (Amaluzor, 106).

Subs (not used): Fox (GK), Shaw, Ojala, O'Connor, Cornelius.

Booked: Goss (79)

MORTON: Hamilton, Ledger, Lithgow, McLean, Brandon (McEntee, 77), Lyon (Jacobs, 95), Blues, Oliver (Muirhead, 95), Strapp, Reilly, Ugwu (King, 106).

Subs (not used): Bysouth (GK), Russell, Hynes, Garrity, Easdale.

Booked: Brandon (26), Blues (34), Jacobs (101), Lithgow (113)

Referee: Nick Walsh.

Attendance: 4735.

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