Source: Team_Talk
St Mirren v Motherwell reaction
Tom Hateley admitted he deliberately ignored orders to score the injury-time winner against St Mirren that keeps Motherwell top of the SPL.[LNB] Hateley curled a free-kick past the excellent Craig Samson and into the far corner from 20 yards to earn Motherwell a 1-0 victory at St Mirren Park.[LNB]Well manager Stuart McCall wanted Hateley to roll the ball to a team-mate but the player was well rewarded for his gamble.[LNB]"I was due one anyway, it's been a while coming as the gaffer has been reminding me every day," Hateley said.[LNB]"It's what you're in the game for, those feelings. I fancied it, the gaffer was shouting at me to move the ball but I felt I could get it in that corner and it has come off.[LNB]"A few of the boys ran over and said 'the gaffer says move the ball'. I thought I would just take an ear-bashing in the changing room if it hadn't come off.[LNB]"It's always nice to score a winner in the last minute but it doesn't take away the work and graft all the boys put in over the 90 minutes."[LNB]McCall could not complain - although he did remind Hateley it was a year ago in the Europa League when he last succeeded with a free-kick.[LNB]"When Tom gets that I think it's going into Row Z," McCall joked.[LNB]"He's living off that goal in Odense. I've told him from now on, especially in skiddy conditions, to roll the ball to the side, not chip it into the 'keeper's hands or Row Z.[LNB]"That will be his one for the season no doubt, but it was a good finish."[LNB]St Mirren had cause to complain about the winner though - Gary Teale looked to have won the ball as he slid in on Nicky Law, although referee Iain Brines had penalised Motherwell for some fair-looking challenges earlier.[LNB]When asked if he was disappointed with the award, Saints boss Danny Lennon said: "I was, but not just in that one, I even felt for Motherwell when they had a couple of good tackles.[LNB]"I think we have to be careful we don't take that passion out of the game, without going over the top."[LNB]McCall sympathised with his opposite number.[LNB]"Teale certainly got a bit of the ball," McCall said.[LNB]"In my day if I had made that tackle I would be very disappointed to concede a free-kick.[LNB]"In this day and age, even if you get the ball and take the man, it's a free-kick. I'm not saying it's right.[LNB]"But I understand that's the law now. I understand their grievance though."[LNB]McCall added: "I think on play it was equal, we certainly had the better chances.[LNB]"I was thinking just before the boy put the one minute (injury time) up that it was another quite entertaining 0-0.[LNB]"Nicky Law had a one-on-one, their 'keeper had three or four good saves, Darren (Randolph) has had one comfortable one but they put a lot of dangerous balls into the box.[LNB]"I thought (Stephen) Craigan the captain was outstanding but all the defenders stood up to it and made a lot of good blocks and challenges.[LNB]"It's the first time I have had four clean sheets, even as a player probably. That's what we have been built on.[LNB]"Our midfield to front players weren't at their best but if we can come away from home and win 1-0 when that's the case, then I've got to be very happy."[LNB]Lennon, who lost midfielder Steven Thomson in the morning to tonsilitis, added: "I think we self-destructed on one or two occasions and gave them chances.[LNB]"I asked them to try to get people in and around the box in the second half. We looked more of a threat in the final third.[LNB]"It was a terrific game of football, both sides tried to play."[LNB]
