Dundee United 1 Motherwell 3: McCall's men keep Celtic celebrations on hold

This resounding victory over Dundee United not only strengthens their hold on second place but means that Celtic will need to take at least a point from their home match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle tomorrow before they can officially get their hands on the trophy once more. It may prove more satisfying for Neil Lennon and his players anyway to achieve it under their own steam.

This turned out to be a great day for Michael Higdon. Not only did the Englishman score two goals to take his tally to 25 for the season, he also scooped £750 in the club lottery.

"It was a triple rollover or something," revealed McCall. "That sums him up at the moment. It's normally a fiver when I win it."

Higdon is one of a number of Motherwell players out of contract in the summer and he strengthened his negotiating hand here with another brace of goals. The former St Mirren player has not always been everyone's cup of tea at Fir Park but his goal return this year will surely have silenced even the fiercest of critics.

Motherwell supporters of a certain vintage might splutter into their pints at the mention of Higdon in the same breath as a bona fide legend like Willie Pettigrew, but his two goals here nudged him beyond Pettigrew's post-war record for league goals in a season. Chuck in another strike in the Scottish Cup and it adds up to an impressive 25-goal return, making Higdon surely a deserving candidate for a player of the year nod.

McCall is hopeful his leading striker may yet remain a Motherwell player beyond the summer. "He's certainly made all the right noises about staying," added the Motherwell manager. "I know Leeann [Dempster, Motherwell chief executive] has been talking to his agent and hopefully before he gets to 30 goals we'll get him signed up."

Motherwell's manager is less confident about holding on to Darren Randolph and the Irishman will surely not be short of offers should he choose to move on come the end of the season. Motherwell were the dominant side for most of this game but they still had Randolph to thank for helping protect their lead, the goalkeeper reacting quickly to get a paw to Jon Daly's near-post flick before also blocking Gary Mackay-Steven's driven effort when a goal looked almost inevitable, and then keeping out a shot from the same player late in the game. He may prove hard to replace should he move on.

This was only a second league defeat in 10 games for United manager Jackie McNamara since succeeding Peter Houston, Motherwell becoming only the second team after Celtic to inflict a loss on United in that period. They remain seven points behind Inverness in third place having played a game more, making the prospect of European football next season appear increasingly slim.

"When you look at things defensively, there are a few things we need to improve on," sighed McNamara. "The lads have proved they have the ability but we need to work on mental toughness and responsibility. We have to switch on as a team, concentrate and do our jobs."

Higdon's first strike after just two minutes set the tone for what was to follow. James McFadden was the creator, slipping a ball to his right and Higdon barely hesitated before walloping a shot into the far corner of Radoslaw Cierzniak's net from around 25 yards.

Ryan Gauld could have equalised for United and after that there followed a period of sustained Motherwell pressure, during which Chris Humphrey and Keith Lasley both came close to scoring.

The visitors soon had a second, however. Henrik Ojamaa was barely impeded as he ambled through the middle of the United defence, the cavalry arriving too late to prevent the Estonian executing a crisp shot beyond Cierzniak.

United survived another scare when McFadden could only pull his shot wide, before hauling themselves off the canvas to belatedly offer more of an attacking threat in the latter stages of the first half.

The next goal was likely to be pivotal and once more it fell to Motherwell. Higdon showed strength and mobility to turn away from Sean Dillon before rifling a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner after 55 minutes.

Daly's goal after 69 minutes –poking the ball through Randolph's legs – offered United late hope, but it would prove to be no more than a consolation. This was Motherwell's and Higdon's night.

CELTIC are going to have to do it for themselves. The Scottish Premier League's rather curious post-split scheduling had meant Neil Lennon's side would have been crowned champions for a second successive season without kicking a ball had Motherwell failed to win at Tannadice, but Stuart McCall's side had other ideas.

This resounding victory over Dundee United not only strengthens their hold on second place but means that Celtic will need to take at least a point from their home match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle tomorrow before they can officially get their hands on the trophy once more. It may prove more satisfying for Neil Lennon and his players anyway to achieve it under their own steam.

This turned out to be a great day for Michael Higdon. Not only did the Englishman score two goals to take his tally to 25 for the season, he also scooped £750 in the club lottery.

"It was a triple rollover or something," revealed McCall. "That sums him up at the moment. It's normally a fiver when I win it."

Higdon is one of a number of Motherwell players out of contract in the summer and he strengthened his negotiating hand here with another brace of goals. The former St Mirren player has not always been everyone's cup of tea at Fir Park but his goal return this year will surely have silenced even the fiercest of critics.

Motherwell supporters of a certain vintage might splutter into their pints at the mention of Higdon in the same breath as a bona fide legend like Willie Pettigrew, but his two goals here nudged him beyond Pettigrew's post-war record for league goals in a season. Chuck in another strike in the Scottish Cup and it adds up to an impressive 25-goal return, making Higdon surely a deserving candidate for a player of the year nod.

McCall is hopeful his leading striker may yet remain a Motherwell player beyond the summer. "He's certainly made all the right noises about staying," added the Motherwell manager. "I know Leeann [Dempster, Motherwell chief executive] has been talking to his agent and hopefully before he gets to 30 goals we'll get him signed up."

Motherwell's manager is less confident about holding on to Darren Randolph and the Irishman will surely not be short of offers should he choose to move on come the end of the season. Motherwell were the dominant side for most of this game but they still had Randolph to thank for helping protect their lead, the goalkeeper reacting quickly to get a paw to Jon Daly's near-post flick before also blocking Gary Mackay-Steven's driven effort when a goal looked almost inevitable, and then keeping out a shot from the same player late in the game. He may prove hard to replace should he move on.

This was only a second league defeat in 10 games for United manager Jackie McNamara since succeeding Peter Houston, Motherwell becoming only the second team after Celtic to inflict a loss on United in that period. They remain seven points behind Inverness in third place having played a game more, making the prospect of European football next season appear increasingly slim.

"When you look at things defensively, there are a few things we need to improve on," sighed McNamara. "The lads have proved they have the ability but we need to work on mental toughness and responsibility. We have to switch on as a team, concentrate and do our jobs."

Higdon's first strike after just two minutes set the tone for what was to follow. James McFadden was the creator, slipping a ball to his right and Higdon barely hesitated before walloping a shot into the far corner of Radoslaw Cierzniak's net from around 25 yards.

Ryan Gauld could have equalised for United and after that there followed a period of sustained Motherwell pressure, during which Chris Humphrey and Keith Lasley both came close to scoring.

The visitors soon had a second, however. Henrik Ojamaa was barely impeded as he ambled through the middle of the United defence, the cavalry arriving too late to prevent the Estonian executing a crisp shot beyond Cierzniak.

United survived another scare when McFadden could only pull his shot wide, before hauling themselves off the canvas to belatedly offer more of an attacking threat in the latter stages of the first half.

The next goal was likely to be pivotal and once more it fell to Motherwell. Higdon showed strength and mobility to turn away from Sean Dillon before rifling a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner after 55 minutes.

Daly's goal after 69 minutes –poking the ball through Randolph's legs – offered United late hope, but it would prove to be no more than a consolation. This was Motherwell's and Higdon's night.