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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Paul Thomson

Motherwell 3 Dundee United 2: Record-breaking Kevin van Veen helps Steelmen seal 7th as Tangerines relegated

Kevin van Veen broke the record for goals in consecutive games as he helped secure a seventh place finish for Motherwell on the final day of the season.

The Dutchman netted for the 11th game in a row during the Steelmen's 3-2 win over Dundee United to break the post-war record set by Celtic's Mark Viduka - and smash a Motherwell club record set by Hugh Ferguson that had stood for 103 years.

It took the striker just five minutes to grab the goal that secures legendary status in ML1 and it sees him finish the campaign on 29 goals.

But Motherwell had to come from behind after a Jamie McGrath and a Steven Fletcher strike either side of the break had them trailing before Blair Spittal rifled in a 69th minute equaliser and Max Johnston's 82nd minute header won the game.

Van Veen netted 14 goals in the 11 game run and it helped ensure 'Well finished above Livingston finish the campaign as the best of the bottom six.

And boss Stuart Kettlewell deserves much of the credit for that, having taken over at the club with them joint-bottom of the table in February.

United came into the game needing to win and hoping for a six-goal swing over Ross County to avoid relegation, but they didn't pick up the result they required and will face Championship football next season.

The Steelmen made two changes from Wednesday’s draw at Livingston, as injured Callum Butcher dropped out alongside Dean Cornelius and 16-year-old Lennon Miller came in for his first start in the midfield, while Bevis Mugabi slipped into defence.

Inside 25 seconds, van Veen teed up Blair Spittal for a strike that stung the hands of Jack Newman in the United goal, and had to collect his fierce strike at the second attempt.

That was a very early warning for the Tangerines and within five minutes they were a goal down.

Sean Goss slipped a perfectly-weighted ball into the box for the run of van Veen, who rounded Newman and kept his cool to pick his spot, firing the ball past the backtracking defenders to open the scoring.

United almost levelled things up in nine minutes when Glenn Middleton had only Kelly to beat in the box, but the Steelmen's skipper stood up well and produced a fine save to deny the visitors.

In 19 minutes Kelly again came to the rescue and again denied Middleton when the Steelmen were cut open. This time his outstretched legs kept the ball out of the net and Motherwell held onto their lead.

Dundee United were getting closer and two minutes later Steven Fletcher saw his effort cleared off the line by Paul McGinn as the Steelmen continued to hold firm.

Down the other end, van Veen came agonisingly close to his milestone moment in the 24th minute when Stephen O'Donnell scooped the ball towards the back post. The striker got his head on it but his looping effort landed wide of the target.

On the half hour mark United finally got their equaliser from the penalty spot, following a VAR check. Bevis Mugabi was judged to have handled the ball in the build-up to a strike from Steven Fletcher that went wide, and when referee Steven McLean was asked to look at the pitchside monitor to review the incident, he pointed to the spot.

McGrath stepped up and swept the ball under the diving Kelly to restore parity, which was no less than United deserved for a dominant spell.

On the stroke of half-time Fletcher almost turned the game on its head when his header from Freeman's cross clipped the outside of the post and the sides went in level at the break.

During the interval, the Steelmen had a presentation to officially rename the South Stand 'The Tommy McLean Stand' in honour of their legendary boss, who guided them to the Scottish Cup in 1991.

United may have been on the way down to the Championship, but they were going out fighting and they took the lead four minutes into the second half. Peter Pawlett broke down the left and when he drove into the box and slipped the ball into the path of the unmarked Fletcher, the striker made no mistake.

In 54 minutes only an outstanding stop from Newman denied Mugabi getting a leveller for 'Well. Spittal's cross from the right picked out the Ugandan international and his header looked destined for the net, but Newman clawed it away and United cleared.

Moments later James Furlong's deflected strike hit the post as Motherwell pushed for that equaliser.

On the hour mark, Fletcher should have put United 3-1 up when he was him out in the six-yard box but his diving header was straight at Kelly.

Nine minutes later that came back to haunt United as Motherwell equalised. The ball was worked out to Spittal on the edge of the box and he rifled a lowe strike beyond the despairing dive of Newman to haul 'Well level heading into the latter stages.

Max Johnston thought he'd put the hosts ahead moments later when he blasted home the rebound from a van Veen effort, but the youngster was flagged for offside.

In 76 minutes it looked like van Veen would grab his 30th goal when Goss just need to slide the ball to him for a tap in, but the midfielder overhit the pass and van Veen couldn't turn the ball past Newman, much to the disbelief of everyone in Fir Park.

The third goal did come for Motherwell in 82 minutes but it was Johnston who got it, rising at the back post to bullet home a header from Furlong's cross and put the Steelmen back in front.

But van Veen would end the season just a goal shy of that 30-goal milestone he so craved.

Will he be back for more next season? Only time will tell.

MOTHERWELL: Kelly, Mugabi, Blaney, McGinn, Furlong, Goss, O'Donnell (Johnston 65), Miller (Slattery 65), Mandron (Obika 65), van Veen, Spittal (Cornelius 90).

Scorers: van Veen 5, Spittal 69, Johnston 82

Bookings: Miller, Blaney

Subs not used: Oxborough, Tierney, McKinstry, Ferrie, Aitchison.

DUNDEE UTD: Newman, Graham, Freeman, Ayina, Behich, Levitt (Fotheringham 66), Middleton (Cudjoe 65), Pawlett (MacLeod 71), Sibbald, McGrath, Fletcher (Thomson 86).

Scorers: McGrath 31 (pen), Fletcher 49

Bookings:

Subs not used: Birighitti, Mulgrew, McMann, Harkes, Niskanen.

Ref: Steven McLean

HT: 1-1

Att: 5,971

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