Andy Halliday’s second-half penalty was the difference as United fell to defeat in their pre-season opener.
The Blues headed to Fir Park to face Motherwell in a behind-closed-doors contest in their first outing of the 2025/26 pre-season calendar.
Mark Hughes named two sides, one for each half of the game, with David Ajiboye, Regan Linney, Junior Luamba and Sam Murray involved for the first time - Morgan Feeney missed out through injury.
The clash against the Scottish outfit also provided the opportunity for several youth team players to be involved.
Elliot Embleton looked to forge pre-season’s first opening for United. After receiving the ball centrally on the edge of the area, he drove forward and looked to curl a pass into the path of Sam Hetherington, but the young midfielder was unable to connect.
Tawanda Maswanhise had a brilliant chance on the break to open the scoring moments later, however, he pulled his low driven attempt wide of Harry Lewis’ far post.
Former Motherwell man, Luke Armstrong would try his luck from distance on 10 minutes - his deflected effort from range went out for a corner which came to nothing for the Cumbrians.
Hayden Atkinson connected with an Embleton delivery from a free-kick three minutes later, which landed in the arms of the hosts’ shot-stopper, Calum Ward.
Motherwell looked to pile on the pressure in the ten minutes that followed, forcing United to stand firm at the back with Atkinson and Cameron Harper both having clearances to make.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Callum Slattery both came close to breaking the deadlock as we approached the half-hour mark, with Maswanhise also continuing to cause issues down the Steelmen’s right.
Josh Williams sent a delivery into the box on 36 minutes, searching for Armstrong, but the attacker was unable to get the desired touch.
Before Regan Linney stole the ball from Motherwell’s defence a minute later, and found Armstrong - the forward could only fire over the bar, prior to Linney seeing his own chance roll into the arms of the ‘keeper.
Mark Hughes’ men continued to force the issue in the last knockings of the opening 45, with Williams drifting inside from the right where he had a brilliant chance to pull the trigger, however, he failed to do so and the Motherwell defence cleared.
HALF-TIME: Motherwell 0-0 United
Gabe Breeze was called into action early in the second-half, denying one of the hosts’ attackers turning home a header at the near post.
On 50 minutes, Maswanhise cut inside onto his left-foot and fired a powerful attempt over United’s crossbar.
Soon after, the Blues went from back to front smoothly, with the ball finally ending at the feet of David Ajiboye, who aimed to find Cedwyn Scott at the far post but the ball rolled out for a goalkick.
Archie Davies looked to send a ball into the Motherwell area on 54 minutes following a tremendous ball from Junior Luamba but the hosts cleared the danger.
Freddie O’Donoghue was found down the line by Davies one minute later, the youngster beat his man on the right but his cross landed into the arms of Ward.
Johnny Koutroumbis found himself in plenty of space on Motherwell’s left after plucking the ball out the sky with ease, but after cutting inside, his curling cross evaded his teammates and went out for a goalkick on 65 minutes. Before firing over himself following a free-kick nine minutes later.
Eseosa Sule won Motherwell a penalty on his debut for the club after closing down Gabe Breeze on 75 minutes, the goalkeeper looked to clear the ball and caught the hosts’ man in the process. Andy Halliday then dispatched into the top corner calmly to break the deadlock.
Slattery looked to double the hosts’ lead in the dying embers, but his shot was blocked by Jonah Lowes and their resulting corner was cleared by the Blues.
FULL-TIME: Motherwell 1-0 United
Teams:
Motherwell - Ward, Koutroumbis, Gordon, McGinn ©, Wilson, Miller, Watt, Slattery, Fadinger, Maswanhise, Stamatelopoulos
United (first-half) - Lewis, Williams, Atkinson, Hayden, Harper, Whelan, Hetherington, Hopper, Embleton, Armstrong, Linney
United (second-half) - Breeze, Davies, Ellis, Thomas, Murray, Robson, Ajiboye, Luamba, Lowes, O’Donoghue, Scott
Goals:
Motherwell - (Halliday 75’)
United - N/A
Yellow cards:
Motherwell - N/A
United - N/A
Red cards:
Motherwell - N/A
United - N/A
