Match Report

Two goals a half saw Annan run out 4-0 winners against a young Motherwell B side at Galabank in the Scottish Challenge Cup.

Annan entered the cup tie off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Kelty Hearts on Saturday, and a 2-2 draw as their most previous result in the cup. Motherwell B on the other hand had lost their two most recent games in said cup.

Four changes were made to the Annan lineup to the weekends defeat as Milosz Silwinski, Josh Dixon, Ally Roy, and Cameron Cooper came in for Charlie Albinson, Keith Watson, Aidan Smith and Steven Buchanan.

Motherwell would kick off for the first half and it would be clear that the young team would be keen to play out from the back from the get-go.

However, it would be Annan that would look the more dangerous team in front of goal early on, when a Paul Smith freekick would narrowly go over the bar to mark the first shot of the game in the 4th minute.

Just a minute later Annan would open the scoring for the day, when Dixon would hound down a Charlie Maxwell flick on pressuring the Motherwell back four. Confusion between keeper Lewis McGahey and right back Zander Mcallister saw Dixon take it away from both and square it low across the box. The cross was met by the arriving Ally Roy who finished into an open net to make it 1-0.

Motherwell looked to level the scoring, when they let their first shot of the game fly after 10 minutes. Aaron Buchanan turned away from Wullie Gibson and shot on his right foot from outside the area, yet his shot would go wide.

The next major chance of the game would come for the away side yet again just three minutes later. Buchanan involved again would slice a cross from the right-hand side goalwards, which would hit the bar. The ball bounced back into the area for Samuel Ngandu to head the second back on target, but Sliwinski would push wide.

Roy would be heavily involved in the second half, having the next two big chances of the game. An outside the box thunderbolt looked to trouble keeper McGahey but would whistle wide of the post, and a header inside the box would go wide too.

Just five minutes before the half time break Annan would double their lead, as Roy would grab his second of the game. Cammy Clark would collect a loose ball on the left-hand side and work it inwards to Dixon. Dixon passed the ball into Roy’s feet, whom with his back to goal flicked it up and swivelled on the volley to fire into the bottom right corner.

Half time: Annan 2-0 Motherwell B

The second half resumed, and Motherwell still looked keen to attempt to get the ball down and play, this time with slightly more attacking intent.

On 51 minutes Sliwinski’s reactions were put to the test, when he saved a close-range snapshot from striker Guy Bainbridge to keep Motherwell at bay.

Annan’s response however would essentially seal the deal, making it 3-0 just minutes later through a Tommy Muir header. Gibson would swing a freekick into the back stick from the right-hand side which would be met by the rising Muir to bullet home a third.

On the hour mark Annan would put the final nail in the coffin adding a fourth to their tally. Motherwell would be caught out again trying to play out from the back, when tireless work from Cooper would win the ball for the home side on the edge of the box. Maxwell would slide the stray ball through to debutant O’Donnell who calmy finished into the bottom left to make it 4-0.

Motherwell didn’t give up throughout the last half hour, yet despite their efforts Annan were able to see out the game and keep a clean sheet sending the visitors away home empty handed.

Report by Owen Clanachan