Stenhousemuir stun Motherwell as Euan O’Reilly secures quarter-final place
· Gavin McCafferty; Press Association · 2026-08-16T15:46:12+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Euan O’Reilly earned Stenhousemuir a Premier Sports Cup quarter-final place after his extra-time strike sent Motherwell out with a shock 1-0 defeat at Ochilview.
The substitute netted the only goal in the 114th minute after Motherwell failed to deal with Ross Meechan’s long throw. O’Reilly got the better of Jamie Knight-Lebel before firing home from eight yards.
The hosts had earlier hit a post while Motherwell did not do enough as an attacking force.
The defeat is the first blow of Alfred Johansson’s Motherwell reign and playing an extra 30 minutes on the artificial pitch was another outcome the Swede would have been desperate to avoid before Freiburg visit Fir Park on Thursday in the Conference League play-offs.
Both sides went into the game with unbeaten six-game records under new managers after Marvin Bartley guided Stenny through the group stage before starting their William Hill Championship campaign with four points.
Johansson made eight changes following the midweek win over HJK Helsinki and handed starts to five homegrown players: goalkeeper Matty Connolly, full-backs Luca Ross and Ewan Wilson and midfielders Olly Whyte and Mikey Booth.
Motherwell had some decent early possession but virtually all in their own half and the home side started forcing corners and throw-ins in the final third. Connolly dealt well with a number of deliveries and made a comfortable save from Michael Anderson.
Motherwell rarely threatened in the first half and their only shot on target came from long range from Whyte, who helped Stenny win promotion while on loan last season.
Emmanuel Longelo and Alex Lowry came on at half-time for the visitors, who finally produced a penetrating move 10 minutes into the second period. Tawanda Maswanhise swept a left-footed effort just wide from 18 yards.
Stenny striker Lewis Hodgkiss was stretching Motherwell with his movement and he forced a save on the break before making way for Gus Stevenson.
The substitute also proved a handful, quickly making Connolly work again before volleying wide when a cross flashed in front of him and then dinking the ball wide late on when played through.
The visitors’ best chance of the 90 minutes fell to Booth from substitute Regan Charles-Cook’s cross but the 19-year-old’s header lacked conviction.
Motherwell centre-forward Willy Vogt came close from 18 yards and Charles-Cook could not get a proper connection on his shot on the break as the Steelmen were forced into an extra half hour.
Worse nearly followed for the visiting fans when Lewis O’Donnell curled a 25-yard strike which bounced off the inside of a post.
Lowry had a couple of sights of goal in the first period, firing over first time with his left foot before failing to get a shot away.
But Motherwell still struggled to find a way through and O’Reilly sent Stenny into the last eight.