Late goal keeps Well in tie

Tom Hateley
By grabar
August 19 2010

Tom Hateley's stoppage time goal could prove priceless when Well take on Odense in the second leg next week....

Just as it looked as though Motherwell would be heading for an undeserved 0-2 defeat away in Denmark tonight Tom Hateley's 20 yard free kick left Roy Carroll helpless to send the Well fans into raptures!

Motherwell had controlled the game for long spells and it was hard to believe they were two down going into stoppage time, but once again it was sloppy defending which let us down.

Chris Sorensen's free kick from the right was flung into the six yard box and was missed by everyone before nestling in the bottom right hand corner of the net.

The referee then upset Well players and fans when he refused to award a couple of decent penalty shouts, firstly when Murphy was fouled in the box and the second what looked a blatant hand ball.

His use of the yellow card was also confusing with Well players receiving them for little contact while the home side were let off with some real rough house tactics, especially Djemba Djemba who was lucky to stay on.

Otaka made it two midway through the second half when he capitalised on poor play in midfield, he left two or three defenders in his wake before firing past a gaggle of defenders on the line.

This eventually led to Steve Jennings being sent off with minutes left, and this looked to have spoiled what looked lie being a half decent night.

But the icing was put on the cake when Hateley scored in stoppage time. His initial effort 2 minutes into stoppage time was pulled back as the referee stopped some pushing and shoving in the box. As the Odense defence expected him to repeat his cross from the first effort he fired it over the wall and into Carroll's top right hand corner.

This was a vital goal and gives us a great chance going into nex Thursday's second leg.