30th Nov 1993 Motherwell 1 Partick Thistle 0 (SFL Premier Division - game 20)

matches:1993-94: ← 26game 2728 →

	Tommy McLean	John Lambie	52y, 8m, 28d

		George Shaw
		Chic Charnley

Phil O’Donnell (0-1, 71 mins)

Rab McKinnon (Paul Lambert, 22 mins); Tommy Coyne (Paul McGrillen, 65 mins)		Gerry Britton (Roddy Grant, 64 mins); George Shaw (Willie Jamieson, 2nd half)

	Sieb Dijkstra	Craig Nelson	22y, 6m, 2d
	Rab Shannon	Kevin McKee	27y, 5m, 20d
	Rab McKinnon	Callum Milne	28y, 3m, 3d
	Miodrag Krivokapic	Gregg Watson	23y, 2m, 9d
	future Jag Brian Martin	Grant Tierney	32y, 1m, 19d
	Chris McCart	Martin Clark	25y, 1m, 17d
	Stevie Kirk	George Shaw	24y, 9m, 20d
	future Jag Jamie Dolan	Alex Taylor	31y, 5m, 17d
	Dougie Arnott	Gerry Britton	23y, 1m, 10d
	Phil O'Donnell	Isaac English	22y, 0m, 18d
	Tommy Coyne	Ian Cameron [i]	27y, 3m, 6d

			26y, 1m, 15d

	former Jag Billy Thomson	Andy Murdoch	25y, 4m, 10d
	Paul Lambert	Willie Jamieson	30y, 7m, 3d
	future Jag Paul McGrillen	Roddy Grant	27y, 2m, 14d

TTA report

A dull first half saw top of the table Motherwell hit the post but Nelson saved the rebound (15). Luckily, a Tierney OG was chalked off (36). Chances came and went at both ends after the break then a defensive mix-up let in Motherwell for the winner (71) after which then they sat in and wasted time until the end.

Media report

01-Dec-1993, Glasgow Herald

MOTHERWELL had a surprise for their fans with the appearance of former Celtic player Tommy Coyne, signed from Tranmere Rovers for £150,000 earlier in the day. And he provided a further pleasant surprise with a fine display which earned them a deserved victory and kept their title challenge in full flow. ‘Well had been very much the dominant team before Phil O’Donnell put them in front 19 minutes from time but had found the diligent Thistle defence hard to overcome.

Coyne, who left Celtic for £350,000 nine months ago, had no trouble fitting in with the smooth attacking play which characterised Motherwell’s first-half performance and his enthusiasm lent an extra dimension for Thistle to cope with. Even though the Firhill’s team’s defence worked hard to keep Craig Nelson’s goal safe they could, and maybe should, have been a couple of goals down inside the first 10 minutes. In 22 minutes Motherwell’s momentum was halted temporarily by an injury to Rob McKinnon who had to be replaced by Paul Lambert. Thistle scarcely managed an attack worthy of the name in the first half but it was not through any lack of effort. Motherwell had taken control in midfield and were pushing forward at every opportunity. They did have the ball in the net when Grant Tierney knocked it past his own keeper as he tried to clear a low Coyne cross but the ball had gone over the byeline before the new man had reached it. Just before half-time Rab Shannon had his name taken for talking out of turn.

Although still on the receiving end most of the time, Thistle gradually showed signs of more penetration after the interval and one attack resulted in howls for a penalty by their fans when Isaac English went down close to goal. George Shaw was booked after Brian Martin fell over his legs, a bizarre decision, especially in a game happily free of macho nonsense. Amazingly, referee Douglas Smith then allowed what looked like a foul on Sieb Dykstra to go unheeded, and it required a great recovery by the keeper to save Motherwell. Thistle put on Roddie Grant for Gerry Britton after 64 minutes and a minute later Motherwell brought off Coyne and replaced the new signing with Paul McGrillen. Motherwell made the breakthrough they had been seeking in 71 minutes when O’Donnell scored from a Dougie Arnott pass, and a minute later had claims for a penalty denied. In the closing minutes all the disciplined play of earlier in the game disappeared as Thistle, who put on Willie Jamieson for Shaw, had three of their players’ names taken, Roddy Grant, Alex Taylor, and Kevin McKee.

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