Scottish Cup
AlbionAlbion Rovers1MotherwellMotherwell0

Albion Rovers 1-0 Motherwell

Albion manager James Ward and scorer Gary Phillips

Albion Rovers stunned Scottish Premiership Motherwell by scoring a late winner in their Scottish Cup fourth-round tie.

After a quiet opening 75 minutes, Mark McGuigan came close for the League Two side with a shot wide.

Well responded and John Sutton had a header kept out by goalkeeper Neil Parry.

And then, in the final minute, Gary Phillips' left-foot shot beat Gunnar Nielsen to give Rovers victory.

So the team sitting third bottom of the Scottish Professional Football League stunned the side who are third top of it.

The Coatbridge side had not beaten Motherwell outside the Lanarkshire Cup in 34 meetings in the league and Scotland's two major cup competitions.

And they ceded home advantage by moving the tie to New Douglas Park, with the Motherwell support forming the vast majority of the 2,950 crowd.

Scott Chaplain, Neil Parry and Barry Russell celebrate
Albion Rovers players Scott Chaplain, Neil Parry and Barry Russell celebrate

The game was briefly held up in the early stages when a smoke bomb was thrown on to the pitch from the Motherwell support.

Apart from several runs from Zaine Francis-Angol, Well did not threaten to break through before Rovers wide player Liam Cusack shot on target.

Motherwell's Bob McHugh headed over and Stuart Carswell dragged a shot wide from the edge of a crowded box.

And Rovers had the best chance of the half when Philips' bouncing cross reached Chris Dallas, who got in ahead of Shaun Hutchinson but could not keep his half-volley down.

Motherwell got their first effort on target just after the restart but Lawson's powerful strike took a deflection that saw the ball loop into the hands of Neil Parry.

But the Scottish Premiership side had another scare when McGuigan beat Stevie Hammell on the right wing and fired just wide of the near post.

Motherwell finally forced Parry into some serious action when Sutton met Lawson's corner but the Rovers goalkeeper proved up to the task with a save to match his name before scrambling the ball to safety.

Albion stunned Motherwell when Ryan Tiffney laid the ball back for Phillips to fire a left-footed shot into the corner of the net, with Nielsen getting a hand to the ball but being unable to keep it out.

Anier had a good chance in injury-time but sliced well wide and the Motherwell fans vented their anger at McCall and the players before applauding the underdogs.

Line-ups

Albion

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Parry
  • 2Reid
  • 3Dunlop
  • 8Chaplain
  • 5Donnelly
  • 4Russell
  • 7Cusack Substituted forFloodat 82'minutes
  • 6Dunlop
  • 10Dallas Substituted forTiffneyat 71'minutes
  • 9McGuigan
  • 11Phillips

Substitutes

  • 12Tiffney
  • 14Mercer
  • 15Flood
  • 16Maguire
  • 17McGinley
  • 18Innes
  • 19Walker

Motherwell

Formation 4-4-2

  • 12Nielsen
  • 20Kerr
  • 3Hammell
  • 8Lawson
  • 5Hutchinson
  • 6McManus
  • 7McFadden Substituted forLeitchat 71'minutes
  • 18Carswell
  • 24Anier
  • 16McHugh Substituted forSuttonat 45'minutes
  • 17Francis-Angol Substituted forLasleyat 71'minutes

Substitutes

  • 9Sutton
  • 14Lasley
  • 15Cummins
  • 21Stewart
  • 26Leitch
Referee:
Euan Anderson
Attendance:
2,950

Match Stats

Home TeamAlbionAway TeamMotherwell
Possession
Home43%
Away57%
Shots
Home5
Away11
Shots on Target
Home2
Away1
Corners
Home2
Away6
Fouls
Home8
Away13

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Albion Rovers 1, Motherwell 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Albion Rovers 1, Motherwell 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Henri Anier (Motherwell) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Alan Reid.

  5. Goal!

    Goal! Albion Rovers 1, Motherwell 0. Gary Phillips (Albion Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ryan Tiffney.

  6. Post update

    Foul by Ryan Tiffney (Albion Rovers).

  7. Post update

    Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Shaun Hutchinson (Motherwell) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  9. Post update

    Gary Phillips (Albion Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Fraser Kerr (Motherwell).

  11. Post update

    Barry Russell (Albion Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  12. Post update

    Foul by John Sutton (Motherwell).

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Albion Rovers. Joshua Flood replaces Liam Cusack.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Neil Parry.

  15. Post update

    Attempt saved. John Sutton (Motherwell) header from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Ross Dunlop.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Mark McGuigan (Albion Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Keith Lasley (Motherwell).

  19. Post update

    Alan Reid (Albion Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Stephen McManus (Motherwell).