Date: 20th August 2005
Venue: Fir park, Motherwell, 3.00pm kick-off

Score:
Motherwell 4
Dundee United 5

Attendance: 4,706

Well's Marc Fitzpatrick and Jim Hamilton, and United's David Fernandez and Miller all netted in the second half, making the outcome impossible to predict until Terrors skipper Grant Brebner grabbed a double.

The result will serve as a major confidence boost ahead of United's UEFA Cup qualifier against MyPa-47 next week, following their goalless draw in Finland in the first leg.

Motherwell manager Terry Butcher had lamented an injury crisis ahead of the game after goalkeeper Graeme Smith suffered a broken finger in training, forcing him to field his third goalkeeper - Colin Meldrum - in four games.

But he could not have predicted how busy both goalkeepers would be kept throughout a hectic afternoon.

Motherwell fired out the early warning signs when McDonald surged into the box, only to glance his header just wide.

But the United defence were not quite so fortunate in the sixth minute when McDonald set up on-loan midfielder McCormack to head his first goal for Motherwell from six yards.

United barely had time to catch their breath before Motherwell were slicing open their defence again.

Jim Paterson fired a dangerous ball into the box but Hamilton headed harmlessly wide.

Paterson was involved again as Well went two up in the 12th minute. The former United midfielder's shot was cleared off the line by Brebner, but goalkeeper Derek Stillie was still recovering from the initial shot when McDonald pounced on the rebound to squeeze the ball under his body.

The Terrors were being terrorised and they should have been three behind when McDonald squared into the path of Hamilton, but he missed the ball completely from a yard out.

Instead of killing the game off, Motherwell allowed Dundee United to mount a fightback.

Miller showed why he had been courted by both Hearts and Aberdeen over the summer when he bulleted a header past Meldrum from 12 yards three minutes before the break.

Motherwell made two changes at the break - David Keogh and Fitzpatrick replacing Paterson and Kinniburgh - and they had an immediate impact.

The second half was just three minutes old when Keogh's cross was nodded into the path of Fitzpatrick and he stabbed home from just outside the six-yard box.

Their joy was short-lived as United pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute when Crawford knocked the ball into the path of Fernandez and the Spanish hitman drove home.

But Motherwell were determined not to allow United to snatch anything from the game and, three minutes later, Hamilton headed home Steven Hammell's pinpoint free-kick.

The goals continued to come with Mark Wilson setting up Miller to head his second of the day in the 67th minute.

United then had their noses in front against all the odds when Brebner grabbed two quick goals.

The first came in the 71st minute when substitute Collin Samuel squeezed the tightest of passes into the path of the United skipper, who tapped home from less than a yard.

His second, three minutes later, was another simple finish after brilliant build-up play from Miller.

The game ended controversially when McDonald claimed he had been brought down in the box, but referee Mike Ritchie ignored the last-minute penalty shout.

Motherwell: Meldrum, Paul Quinn, Craigan, Kinniburgh (Fitzpatrick 45), Hammell, Kerr, McCormack, O'Donnell, Paterson (Keogh 45), McDonald, Hamilton, Fitzpatrick (Andy Smith 80). Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, Clarkson, Fagan, Darren Lee Smith.

Booked: Paul Quinn, Kerr.

Goals: McCormack 6, McDonald 12, Fitzpatrick 49, Hamilton 57.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, Wilson, McCracken, Archibald, Duff, Kerr, Brebner, Robson (Samuel 61), Miller, Crawford (McIntyre 67), Fernandez. Subs Not Used: Samson, Dodds, Kenneth, Robertson, Cameron.

Booked: McCracken, Brebner.

Goals: Miller 42, Fernandez 53, Miller 67, Brebner 71, 74.

Ref: M Ritchie