Motherwell’s season is under way and it got off to the worst possible starts when they lost 1-0 at ‘home’ to Welsh side Llanelli in their First Qualifying Round Europa League tie. Motherwell entered the revamped competition thanks to their standings in th Fair Play league last season. Jim Gannon in his first match as Motherwell manager was looking for winning start to his reign.

However Llanelli put paid to any dreams that Gannon had and Stuart Jones capitalised on some poor defending midway through the first half to head home the solitary goal for Llanelli. The Welsh Premier League runners-up remained defiant in the second period and Motherwell struggled to create many clear-cut opportunities.

Gannon’s men will have to improve considerably in the second leg next week if they are to progress to face Albanian side Flamurtari in the second qualifying round. However the number of experienced players that have left the club, either by contracts ending or being sold off, has taken its toll on Motherwell and they will certainly struggle in the SPL let alone in Europe.

Motherwell: Fraser, Saunders, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, O’Brien (McHugh 74), Lasley (Slane 46), Forbes, McGarry, Sutton, Murphy.
Subs Not Used: Kosiorowski, Darren Smith, Fitzpatrick, Hutchinson, Page.

Llanelli: Ashley Morris, Legg (Warlow 51), Howard, Stuart Jones, Jarman (Thomas 16), Phillips, Mumford, Corbisiero, Venables, Griffiths, Craig Jones (Follows 65).
Subs Not Used: Craig Morris, Jenkins, Moses, John.

Goals: Stuart Jones 28.

Att: 4,307

Ref: Tero Nieminen – Finland

Tagged with: europa league, motherwell

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