Wright finally finds finishing touch

Motherwell 1 Aberdeen

Mothekenny Wright scored the only goal six minuted from time last night as followed through on their weekend victory over Kilmarnock with another 1-0 victory in this rearranged Premier League game.

Motherwell's manager, Terry Butcher, made one change from Saturday, the midfielder Derek Adams dropping out of the squad to be replaced by the youngster Shaun Fagan. David Clarkson and Alex Burns again spearheaded the attack.

His counterpart, Steve Paterson, kept faith with the same starting 11 who performed so professionally against Dunfermline, with the veteran Scott Booth and David Zdrilic leading the visitors' strike force.

The visitors had the first chance of the game with only a minute played when Booth's header to Zdrilic inside the Well box found the Australian unmarked but the Dons striker's volley from 16 yards was comfortably saved by Gordon Marshall.

The Dons midfielder Paul Sheerin worked a clever one-two with Booth after seven minutes but his angled shot from inside the penalty area sped across the six-yard box and away from the danger area.

After that Mothwerwell sttled to the task and in the 25th minute the substitute Kevin MacDonald, on in the 10th minute for the injured Jason Dair, had a snapshot from 30 yards but the ball sailed high over the bar.

The first half ended goalless, and the hardy supporters freezing in the stands would have expected a better second half. A minute after the break the Well striker Alex Burns, playing slightly deeper than usual, drove at the heart of the Dons defence but was easily dispossessed.

There was little evidence to suggest the second half was about to improve as both sides continued along the same lines, more tenacity than talent on show. In the 49th minute Sheerin picked up a pass from Dons defender Scott Morrison and tried his luck from 25 yards but his well-struck shot went straight into the arms of the well-positioned Marshall.

In the 55th minutes it seemed that Motherwell had missed their chance of victory when they wasted the best opportunity of the match thus far. The industrious midfielder Keith Lasley's slide-rule pass split the Dons defence to find Burns clear but the former Partick Thistle striker, under pressure from Russell Anderson and Alexander Diamond, could only fire his shot from 12 yards straight at the advancing David Preece.

The goal attempt boosted Well's spirits but they then wasted another chance when David Clarkson, unmarked only 10 yards from goal, headed Kevin MacDonald's cross weakly. Finally, though, Wright found a finish to secure the points.

Motherwell: Marshall, Quinn, Craigan, Corrigan, Hammell, Lasley, Burns, Fagan, Dair, Scott McDonald, Clarkson. Substitutes: Corr, Craig, Kevin McDonald, Kinniburgh, Wright.

Aberdeen: Preece, Diamond, Anderson, McGuire, Morrison, Clark, Heikkinen, Sheerin, Zdrilic, Booth, Hinds. Substitutes: Tosh, Foster, Prunty, Muirhead, Esson.

Referee: C Murray (Scotland)