Fadinger gives Motherwell extra-time win at St Johnstone

Lukas Fadinger's extra-time strike sent Motherwell through

Lukas Fadinger was the hero with an extra-time winner against St Johnstone as Motherwell edged into the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup.

The Austrian midfielder netted from a tight angle in the 108th minute to secure a hard-earned but deserved victory for the top-flight visitors, who face a trip to Aberdeen in the last eight next month.

With both sides taking some strong form into the tie, a tight encounter transpired at McDiarmid Park.

Motherwell were unlucky not to break the deadlock as the interval approached, when Emmanuel Longelo's goal-bound low shot was turned over the bar by Saints defender Morgan Boyes from a yard out.

Paul McGinn, Stephen O'Donnell and Elliot Watt also went close for the visitors, who had the better of the opening 45 minutes, while their hosts were restricted to a handful of efforts that flew over the bar.

St Johnstone were under the cosh for large spells of the second half and goalkeeper Toby Steward had to produce quickfire saves to deny Longelo and then Tawanda Maswanhise.

At the other end Calum Ward did brillantly to block substitute Makenzie Kirk's prodded effort as he bore down on goal in what was the home side's first real chance.

Saints should have won it in second half added time. Kirk squared the ball to Jason Holt, who somehow screwed his shot wide from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy.

Kirk smash an angled shot off the near post in extra time, but it was Motherwell who finally found the breakthrough as Fadinger's angled shot was helped into the net by home defender Boyes.

What they said

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou: "One of the last messages I gave the players before we went out is that we don't expect goals to come easy.

"Sometimes you have to work really hard, sometimes you have to miss lots of chances or opportunities or crosses to get there.

"We had to use every calorie in the body to get there, which is exactly what some of our players need."

St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari: "Our players, they gave everything. For 120 minutes, they put in everything they had.

"We suffered some moments, we needed to defend. We had our moments where we did very, very good. It was a very, very tight cup match, and Motherwell took their chance very, very well and we didn't.

"And I have to say, the intensity of Motherwell's press, how they pressed when we had the ball, it was not easy. They pressed so hard on us."