Scottish roundup: Motherwell woes continue with defeat at Partick Thistle
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Version 0 of 1. The Partick Thistle full-back Stephen O’Donnell scored one goal and set up another as a 3-1 victory over Motherwell sent the visitors into second-bottom spot in the Scottish Premiership. The Jags were largely comfortable after Stuart Bannigan gave them a 16th-minute lead, although the game might have been different had Henrik Ojamaa’s early header been inches lower rather than hitting the underside of the crossbar. O’Donnell played in Kris Doolan for the second after the break and took advantage of an inept Motherwell defence to score a late clinching goal on the counterattack. The visitors briefly threatened a comeback following a sensational 40-yard strike from substitute Lionel Ainsworth, but they were again lacking in confidence as an attacking side, despite signs that Ojamaa is regaining his sharpness. Tommy Wright accused his St Johnstone players of “criminal” defending and the match officials of making two important errors in their 2-1 Premiership defeat by St Mirren at McDiarmid Park. The Buddies defender Jason Naismith opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a superb strike but only after Michael O’Halloran had given up possession in his own half. Five minutes from the interval St Johnstone’s midfielder David Wotherspoon had the ball in the net but Brian Graham was ruled to have fouled keeper Marian Kello by the referee, Don Robertson. Steve Anderson did draw the home side level with a header in the 67th minute and Graham appeared to put them ahead when he converted a cross from Simon Lappin but the offside flag went up. St Mirren’s Adam Drury, on loan from Manchester City and on as substitute for James Marwood, struck a winner on the counterattack. Wright said: “We dominated the second-half and at worst we should have come away with a point but we didn’t because we commit too many men forward and don’t react quick enough.” Hearts, the Scottish Championship leaders, maintained their momentum with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Queen of the South. Osman Sow opened the scoring in the 39th minute, the Swedish frontman taking the ball down on his chest and rattling in a volley off the underside of the bar from 25 yards out. Prince Buaben made it 2-0 three minutes later with another wonderful solo effort, slaloming down the centre of the pitch and slotting the ball past Queens’ goalkeeper Alexander Clark. Hearts were in cruise control in the second period and Jordan McGhee added the third on the hour, converting Billy King’s pinpoint cross from the left. Sow, who was excellent all afternoon, had chances to add to the rout but he was denied a stunning second after Clark saved his curling effort expertly. Lewis MacLeod’s incredible overhead kick handed off-form Rangers some pride back as they beat Livingston 1-0 at the Energy Assets Arena. The Ibrox men were dreadful as they conceded three first-half goals to Hibernian last Monday but showed a measure of improvement as they kept themselves within six points of the top of the Scottish Championship. Macleod, who was returning after ankle problems that led him to miss two weeks of action, scored his stunner after eight minutes. It was a carbon-copy of the wonder goal he scored against Ayr United last term but Rangers blew a host of second-half chances to add to their score. East Fife beat Threave Rovers 7-0 and Bo’ness United beat Culter 7-1 in the Scottish Cup second round. |