Motherwell sweep aside Aberdeen to continue impressive run

Motherwell extended their unbeaten run to eight matches with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Fir Park.

Elijah Just opened the scoring in the 27th minute, but the hosts were made to sweat after passing up a host of chances to extend their advantage.

Although they were on the back foot for much of the afternoon, the Dons struck a post twice as Kevin Nisbet and Toyosi Olusanya both went agonisingly close.

The Steelmen finally sealed the three points in added time following a well-worked passing move between Emmanuel Longelo and Sam Nicholson, who saw his cross deflected into the net by Dons defender Tom McIntyre.

Motherwell were without Lukas Fadinger, serving the first of his two-match suspension following his dismissal against Rangers. The Austrian was replaced by Oscar Priestman, while Tom Sparrow came in for Stephen O’Donnell.

Peter Leven handed debuts to his four January signings as Aberdeen returned to action for the first time in over a fortnight. Goalkeeper Per Kristian Bratveit, McIntyre, Dennis Geiger and Afeez Aremu were all given their first starts for the Pittodrie side.

The match began in a downpour, with the Fir Park surface showing the impact of weeks of heavy rain.

Bratveit was called into action for the first time in the sixth minute when he batted away Priestman’s powerful strike.

The hosts were showing plenty of attacking intent and Callum Slattery was next to work Bratveit with an effort that was comfortably smothered by the keeper.

Aberdeen gradually worked their way into the game and in the 17th minute Nisbet’s low drive was tipped on to a post by Calum Ward, but much to the bemusement of the striker referee David Dickinson awarded a goal-kick.

The Steelmen broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. Stephen Welsh picked out Just with a superbly-weighted pass and the New Zealand international kept his composure to slam his finish beyond Bratveit.

Minutes later Just almost added a second after connecting with Longelo’s cross. His first effort was well saved before a combination of McIntyre and Liam Morrison made a crucial block from the rebound.

The home side were playing with a swagger. Tawanda Maswanhise’s sublime through-ball found Just, who cut the ball back for Ibrahim Said, but he somehow turned it wide with the goal gaping.

A lung-bursting run from Maswanhise saw him dart past McIntyre before arrowing a shot inches past a post.

Morrison spurned a huge chance to level in the 50th minute. Lyall Cameron’s free-kick skipped off the head of Priestman and into the path of Morrison, who was unable to direct his diving header on target.

Maswanhise had scored in six successive games before his streak ended against Rangers. However, he was looking in the mood to get back among the goals, firing just over, then narrowly wide during another spell of Well pressure.

An error from Ward almost gifted Aberdeen an equaliser midway through the second half. The keeper spilled a cross into the path of Olusanya, who blasted against a post.

Jens Berthel Askou introduced Eythor Bjorgolfsson and Regan Charles-Cook as he looked to put the game beyond doubt.

The latter almost provided a second goal when he fizzed the ball beyond Bratveit, only for it to travel along the goal line and away to safety.

Aberdeen were still very much in the contest, though, and Cameron’s charge forward ended with a powerful strike wide of the target.

The game was finally put to bed two minutes into added time when Nicholson’s cross into a sea of bodies was diverted into his own net by McIntyre.