Motherwell 1 - 0 Rangers
By Paul Marshall
December 26 2002
Motherwell stretched their unbeaten run with a fine performance and result against the league leaders.
Motherwell ended Rangers domestic unbeaten record with a fine 1 - 0 win courtesy of a James McFadden strike after 65 minutes, the youngster once again rose to the big occasion for the live BBC cameras like he did when we defeated the other half of the Old Firm.
No one had given Motherwell a chance ( even me ) before the match but our recent form has been great and it showed early on, most of the early chances fell to McFadden but he failed to convert any of them. McFadden who was a menace to the Rangers defence all afternoon created a great opportunity for himself to put us in the lead, the young forward dispossessed Malcolm after he hadn't controlled the ball at the edge of the Rangers box, McFadden raced into the Rangers box only to slice his shot wide under pressure from Craig Moore who sensed the danger quickly.
Motherwell goalkeeper Francois Dubourdeau being named man of the match tells you it wasn't all one way traffic, the big stopper kept the home side in the match all day, excellent saves from two Michael Mols header's in either half went a long way to getting his award but his best save was surely in the second half, Ferguson beat Pearson outside the box and unleashed a shot which Dubourdeau saved well.
Amazingly it wasn't until the 65th minute that Motherwell opened the scoring, panic in the Rangers defence allowed Cowan to head the ball into the path of McFadden and the Scotland winger poked the ball beyond Klos who wasn't having his best of games.
The visitors then piled the pressure on the Motherwell defence, Amorouso, Dodds and Mols having chances late but we hald on for a memorable victory against Rangers ( our first since our 2 - 0 win in May 2000 ).
We're now off the dreaded bottom spot and now face relegation rivals Livingston away on Sunday and Partick Thistle at home next Thursday before the winter break starts.
Motherwell Dubourdeau, Kinniburgh, Corrigan, Partridge, Hammell, Adams, Cowan, Leitch, Pearson, McFadden, Lehmann.
Rangers Klos, Malcolm, Moore, Amoruso, Muscat, Ricksen, Ferguson, Lovenkrands, de Boer, Mols, Caniggia.
Referee Willie Young
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