Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell says the displays of Fir Park youngsters and the return from injury of Nathan McGinley were the huge positives from their pre-season trip to Holland last week.
The Steelmen defeated HSC Haaksbergenand 1-0 on June 27 and backed that up with a thumping 6-0 victory over SV Longa ‘30 on Friday night.
Mark Ferrie (17) bagged a brace against Longa, as fellow teenagers Lennon Miller (16), Robbie Garcia (17) and Luca Ross (16) also impressed.
Blair Spittal was also at the double, while Ross Tierney and Callum Slattery were also on target in the rout.
But it was a big day for English defender McGinley as he made his first appearance for the Steelmen since March 2022, which earned him a heroes’ welcome from his team-mates in the dressing room at full-time.
Kettlewell told the club media: “When you are a manager you hope you have a togetherness and just going into the dressing room, we’ve played a friendly match, second game of pre-season, and I wait to hear the players and see their reaction when we go in the dressing room.
“Over 15 months out of the game, looking a real bleak period for a spell, it shows his strength of character.
“And to hear his team-mates applauding him in the fashion they do, looking out for him, it brings a smile to my face.
“It’s nice when you see a guy like Nathan McGinley, who has been through such a tough period of time, get back on the pitch and go and show us what he can do. It’s now a stepping stone for Nathan to kick on.”
On the display of his young players, he added: “There was no hesitation in bringing out some of the young lads.
“I know them well, I know what they’re capable of or what they will be capable of.
“And I’ve actually seen some of them grow on this trip, which is great. The intensity we train at, the demands of playing with senior players has been really helpful to them.
“Young Mark got to play up front with Jon Obika for 60 minutes, he found the back of the net a couple of times and he’s one that we think is a bright prospect for the future.
“But there’s a number of them in there. Lennon Miller plays another 70 plus minutes and I thought he was exceptional, he was really good.
“Robbie Garcia, Luca Ross, who shows that ability, that acceleration that he’s got that lights up games of football, so they’ve all added to what we’ve had on this trip. It’s been great.”
The Steelmen are building towards their first competitive fixture on July 15, which sees them travel to League Two Elgin City in their opening group game of the Viaplay League Cup.
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