Motherwell boss: 'Our cup fate was always in our own hands, despite sticky start'

Yahoo

24-07-2025

Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou insists their Premier Sports Cup fate was always in their own hands as they head into a final game showdown against Morton on Tuesday.
The Steelmen nearly came a cropper in their opener at Clyde, drawing 2-2 before winning on penalties, but squeezed past Stenhousemuir at Ochilview this afternoon, having bagged a similarly narrow win over Peterhead in midweek.
Stephen O'Donnell's 41st-minute strike was enough to separate the sides in Larbert, leaving Motherwell on eight points as they prepare to host Dougie Imrie's Championship side.
Askou said: 'I think our destiny has been in our own hands the whole time, I haven't really felt it slip out of our hands, even though it was a rough start.
'But we have that firm grip around it and not let go, because nothing is done yet, and now we can look forward to a good game on Tuesday.'
Askou felt there was an improvement in his side, creating more chances, with Tawanda Maswanhise's header well saved by Darren Jamieson, and Callum Slattery had a terrific free kick brilliantly punched over by the Stenny keeper – even if referee Lloyd Wilson disagreed, awarding a goal-kick.
But Motherwell took the lead in 41 minutes when Slattery's corner from the right was side-footed in by O'Donnell at the back post.
The visitors should have doubled their lead in 64 minutes when Slattery's cross was met with a back-post volley by sub Eseosa Sule, but Jamieson instinctively blocked.
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Andy Halliday's corner was then headed off the line by defender Michael Anderson in 71 minutes.
And the Steelmen were nearly made to pay for that when defender Gregor Buchanan missed a shot from six yards that would have levelled the game in the 90th minute.
Askou said: 'You need to be clinical when the chance is there, and I think we should have been even more productive and created more chances, a higher volume, and good situations.
'There were a few situations where we should have been more clinical, for sure. Their keeper had a few good saves, I'll give him that.
'Our performance in the first half was a good tempo, at times, good desperation to score and chase, and we were dangerous in set-pieces, but we dropped too much in the second half, when we felt maybe too comfortable.
'It's something to improve, and it's not easy – I don't expect us to just go out and bang five or six goals against teams who do well, sit well and defend with their heart and everything they've got.
'But I expect us to be more productive, in terms of volume of chances and the size of chances we produced.
'When we don't, it's extremely important that we don't give away anything, like we've done in the first couple of games, and that was spot-on today, except for their last chance, which is unacceptable.'