BY all accounts, the jubilant atmosphere in the Motherwell dressing room after this commanding conquest was so electric, the National Grid reported the kind of power surges you used to get when millions of households simultaneously plonked the kettle on after a particularly jaw-dropping conclusion to an episode of Coronation Street. “I’m buzzing, we are all buzzing,” gasped Allan Campbell with more buzz than the Lanarkshire Beekeeping Association’s Christmas night out.
It was no wonder he was boggle-eyed with giddy exaltation. Motherwell’s thoroughly deserved victory over a dejected Aberdeen underlined the Steelmen’s admirable attributes as they secured a second cup final appearance of the season.
The sight of the Motherwell players pressing high up the park even when they were 3-0 ahead and chasing and harrying the startled, beleaguered Aberdeen defenders summed up the spirit and unwavering industry that are becoming hallmarks of this sturdy side. The style of football may be more tackety boot than tiki-taka but that general assumption does Motherwell a great disservice.
In this beautiful game, they have found a way to make bountiful gains and in the knock-out competitions this season, they continue to deliver a series of knock-out blows. “We’ll no’ change,” said Campbell of this effective approach. “We play to our strengths. It shows you the results we are getting that teams don’t like it. We keep winning games so we are going to keep doing it. “But we play some good football too. We may not pass it out from the keeper but we play in the opposition’s half. People maybe don’t see that but it’s the results that matter. As long as Motherwell are winning, that’s all that matters.”
In the aftermath of this ghastly defeat for Aberdeen, the club’s manager Derek McInnes, lamented his own recruitment policy. In stark contrast, the wheelings and dealings of Stephen Robinson, his Motherwell counterpart, continue to bear fruit. Curtis Main, a largely nomadic forward who was picked up from Portsmouth, scored a brace on Saturday and typified all the terrific characteristics of the Motherwell effort.
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“Louis Moult was a great player for us but Curtis came in and has been brilliant,” added Campbell as he mulled over the departure of cult figure Moult. “He has a great work ethic. He’s great role model to have around the club, especially for the young players.” At just 19, Campbell, whose socks around-the-ankles look exemplified the Motherwell endeavour, is very much one of the boys brigade at Fir Park and, having helped the club win the Scottish Youth Cup a couple of seasons ago, he is relishing the prospect of another silver lining. “Getting the real Scottish Cup would be a dream come true,” he said. “It’s what you dream of when you’re younger, especially for me coming through the ranks here. “Taking a club to two finals is very special. I came through the Academy. I’ve been here since I was nine. There were maybe 1000 at that Youth Cup final. It was a great night but next month will be something.
“I think we can win it. Everybody has great faith and the boys have a great spirit. You can see that on the park. There are no individuals. We are a team. That’s been part of our success this year. We work together. “We showed at the start of the season against Aberdeen that we were capable of beating them. We played them, what 10 days ago, and we were disappointing. In the semi we wanted to prove to the fans that we are a good team, that we could go to Hampden and get the business done.”
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They certainly did that. From the moment Main opened the scoring on 20 minutes, the writing was on the wall for a wretched Aberdeen. It may have looked like Richard Tait had handled when controlling a cross into the box but Dominic Ball’s decision to stop and appeal to the referee instead of playing to the whistle would have been pilloried at an under-12s game. Tait was allowed to nip clear and cut the ball back for the lurking Main who stroked it home.
Two minutes later, the Aberdeen defence, which continued to creak like a shoogly outhouse door in a stiff breeze, were spooked again and Scott McKenna’s attempted clearance spun into menacing territory. Amid the I think we can win it. Everybody has great faith and the boys have a great spirit general pandemonium that ensued, Ryan Bowman pounced. The introduction near half-time of Gary Mackay-Steven at least gave Aberdeen an injection of creative verve and had Stevie May capitalised on his teammate’s delightful through ball then things may have been different. It was business as usual after the resumption, though. Kari Arnason made a desperate hash of a routine punt upfield and Main raced clear to put the tin lid on affairs with a classy finish of total authority. It summed up Motherwell’s day of joy. And Aberdeen’s afternoon of utter woe.
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