Ross County 3 Motherwell 0: A fairytale ... but not for McFadden

Sunday 24 February 2013

THE crusade north may have been lengthy – 148 miles to be exact – but it was a pilgramage that a hardy band of dedicated followers were not going to miss as James McFadden's second coming with Motherwell continued.

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Scott Mullen

Their commitment to the cause, though, was worthy of much more than what was awaiting them.

The fans congregated behind Mark Brown's goal before the match – around 250 of them – were in full verse, singing Take Me Home Country Roads in tribute to the 29-year-old's return. They rose to their feet as he trotted up and down at the side of the pitch wearing a bright green bib and a claret woolly hat. A smokebomb was even let off in his honour.

What was to play out in front of them once the smoke had cleared, however, was far from what they wanted to see as their side succumbed to their second defeat on the bounce since their prodigal son returned. Much like the pre-match pyrotechnics, Motherwell's spark was extinguished by the generous helping of sand that had been dumped on the weathered Victoria Park surface. Attack after attack from the visitors, who surrendered their second place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League as a result of this defeat, bobbled to a halt as Chris Humphrey, Henrik Ojamaa and Nicky Law, to name but a few, struggled to find their feet.Even the half-hour cameo from the man himself failed to bring divine inspiration, as goals from Ivan Sproule, Richard Brittain and Iain Vigurs showed Motherwell how it was done. "We've not given as limp a performance for a long, long time," said manager Stuart McCall, whose side now have the daunting prospect of Celtic rolling up at Fir Park on Wednesday. "County wanted it more, they played the condition of the pitch far better than we did, and all over the park they were hungrier."While McCall's men worked in vain to get to grips with the beach-like surface, County may as well have been building sandcastles on it. Derek Adams' well-drilled troops weathered an early storm and in the end, it was an easy day in the sun for them. This was the Highlanders' eighth game undefeated on the trot, their 11th clean sheet of the season.Impressive as the latter stat may be, it was their attacking prowess which impressed the most, with Sam Morrow and Sproule combining with the industrious Brittain and Paul Lawson to carve out their ninth league win of a historic campaign, and their fifth since the turn of the year.Former Hibernian winger Sproule opened the scoring with a calm finish under Darren Randolph after racing on to a Vigurs through ball on 34 minutes. After the interval County's dominance took its toll on Motherwell side despite McFadden's introduction, which was made in the hope he would lend assistance to Michael Higdon. He made no impact, though, with Brittain sweeping in a fine curling shot from the edge of the box high beyond Randolph to make the game safe for the hosts. Vigurs' smashed volley a minute from time was simply the icing on the cake."After the first goal it was probably never in doubt, we maybe should have scored a couple more," said Adams, who will now turn his attention to his side's match at Pittodrie on Tuesday. "I'm happy with the progress we're making. It's a fairytale, that's what it is."

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Ross County 3 Motherwell 0: A fairytale ... but not for McFadden

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