Motherwell ended a turbulent few weeks by taking all three points from their
final game of the season - sparking a pitch invasion by a large section of the
home support.
James McFadden missed a penalty early in the game but that was forgotten when
Dirk Lehmann nodded home just four minutes later and Stuart Elliott doubled the
lead shortly before the break.
Fabian Caballero pulled a goal back for Dundee from the penalty spot in the
second half but it wasn't enough to spoil the party atmosphere as the Motherwell
supporters tried to put the recent difficult times behind them.
Motherwell manager Terry Butcher had made several appeals for a large crowd to
pack into Fir Park for the final game of the season after the club - now in the
hands of administrators - lost 19 players following their last league outing.
Locals responded and 6,574 supporters poured into the three home stands at the
ground and even those affected by the recent troubles at the club - such as
former chief executive Pat Nevin and ex-player Kevin Twaddle - were among those
in the crowd.
But, despite the problems surrounding Motherwell's own financial future, there
was little sympathy for local rivals Airdrie from the fans, who went out of
business earlier this month, as a vocal section of the home support chanted
'Let's all laugh at Airdrie'.
But the cash crisis sweeping Scottish football remains all too serious for
players such as Eric Deloumeaux and Lehmann.
Both had been asked to take pay-cuts to ensure their futures at the club but
Deloumeaux - acting captain for today's game - had already refused, meaning he
could have taken part in his last game for Motherwell.
Lehmann, however, put his financial woes behind him, for 90 minutes at least,
when he gave Motherwell the lead after 14 minutes.
The home side had missed a penalty just four minutes earlier when McFadden
claimed he was felled by David Mackay in the box only to fire the spot-kick
straight at Dundee goalkeeper Julian Speroni.
But Lehmann made amends when he managed to connect with a Derek Adams cross to
nod home from just six yards out.
Dundee tried to hit back and Enrique Torres and his replacement, Beto
Carranza, both came close but the Dens Park side were left with a difficult task
for the remaining 45 minutes of the game when Motherwell extended their lead
just two minutes before the interval.
Elliott took advantage of a poor attempt at a passback by Mackay to intercept
and bullet home past the helpless Dundee goalkeeper.
It was Dundee who enjoyed the first chance of the second half and they were
threatening within two minutes of the re-start.
Carranza played the ball through to Caballero and he tried his luck with a
shot from 20 yards but Woods made an impressive save to block the effort.
Dundee had another chance to pull a goal back after 51 minutes when
Caballero's cross was met by Lee Wilkie, only for the defender to nod just past
the upright.
Elliott was looking dangerous for Motherwell and his cross was met by Stephen
Pearson at the far post - the youngster attempted the shot only to watch in
agony as the ball smacked off the crossbar.
The rebound fell to Elliott, who just managed to squeeze the ball over the
line, but by that point the referee had already awarded a foul in Dundee's
favour.
Elliott was determined to grab Motherwell's third goal, though, and he did
well to meet a long ball from Deloumeaux out on the left flank. He tried the
shot from a tight angle but sent the ball spinning across the face of goal and
out of play.
But Dundee pulled a goal back when referee Willie Young handed out the second
penalty kick of the day when he ruled that Beith had been brought down in the
area by Dougie Ramsay.
Caballero stepped up for the spot kick and he hauled Dundee back into the game
when he sent the ball under the Motherwell goalkeeper and into the back of the
net after 65 minutes.
Dundee suffered a blow when they were left with only 10 players when Carranza
picked up a knock after Bonetti had used his three substitutes.
Motherwell tried to take advantage when McFadden played the ball to Lehmann
and he picked out Elliott for the header but the Irishman nodded just wide after
78 minutes.
David Clarke replaced Lehmann and he almost had an immediate impact on the
game when his well-struck effort forced Speroni into a superb one-handed save
after 82 minutes.
Teams:
Motherwell: Woods, McFadden (McDonald 86), Deloumeaux,
Kinniburgh, Hammell, Lasley (Fagan 61), Ramsey,
Lehmann (Clarke 80), Pearson, Elliott, Adams.
Subs Not Used: Dubourdeau, Quinn.
Goals: Lehmann 15, Elliott 44.
Dundee: Speroni, Smith, MacKay, Wilkie, Marrocco (Del Rio 75),
Nemsadze, Rae, Torres (Carranza 30), Kemas, Forbes (Beith 45),
Caballero.
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Milne.
Goals: Caballero 66 pen.
Att: 6,574
Ref: W Young (Scotland).
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