Motherwell shared the points in a six-goal Scottish Premiership thriller with St Mirren this week, a result that left supporters lamenting missed chances. The 3-3 draw at Fir Park saw the Steelmen squander opportunities to build a commanding lead before being pegged back by defensive issues.
Stephen Welsh's continued absence this season was felt as the middle of the defence was identified as a problem area. Fan Ian echoed a common sentiment after the final whistle. "Clearly need to sort out the middle of the defence, as most of what St Mirren threatened us with came that way," he said. The visitors capitalised on those frailties to score three times in an end-to-end contest.
How did Motherwell let the lead slip?
Motherwell had the chances to be 4-0 up before half-time but failed to convert their dominance into a secure lead. Their profligacy proved costly after the break. St Mirren's first goal came from a sequence where VAR might have overturned a couple of fouls, but the equaliser stood. Despite the frustration, there was a moment of brilliance for the home fans to celebrate. Jardell Kanga scored a stunning strike to put Motherwell back in front during the second half, a goal worthy of winning any match.
Where does this leave Motherwell in the table?
The single point keeps Motherwell in fourth place in the Premiership with eight points from four games. Their record shows two wins and two draws, with a recent form of WDDW. They have scored eight goals and conceded four, giving them a solid +4 goal difference at this early stage. The title race sees them four points behind leaders Celtic. You can see the full picture on the league standings page.
What's next for the Fir Park squad?
Attention now turns to preparing for the next fixture, a home match against Dundee on December 19th. Dundee currently sit fifth, making it a key clash in the upper half of the table. Manager Stuart Kettlewell will be drilling his side on converting chances and shoring up the back line ahead of that encounter. The club's squad list shows the options available to address those defensive concerns.
Despite the dropped points, the match provided plenty of entertainment. Another supporter, Ross, summed up the spectacle. "Thoroughly entertaining game all round. Our football gets a bad rep, but there was some great play today from both teams," he said. Motherwell's next chance to turn performances into three points comes against Dundee at Fir Park.
