Stuart Kettlewell has urged his Motherwell players to embark on a special Premier Sports Cup run after beating 10-man Kilmarnock 1-0 to move into the quarter-finals.
Moses Ebiye scored an extra-time winner with a brilliant header for Well, who dominated after Stuart Findlay was dismissed for the visitors in the 50th minute.
Motherwell were rewarded with a kind last-eight draw against Dundee United at home with Hampden on the horizon.
“Going through was the ultimate goal and it doesn’t matter how you get there,” Kettlewell said.
“Both teams would acknowledge that there could be more quality and chances created. Kilmarnock had another game on Thursday and we had more time to prepare so it was so important to get in the last eight.
“You want to go into the last eight of the cup and I spoke to the players about how little those opportunities can come around.
“We are in the draw and that brings excitement as it’s been a difficult start to the season because of the injury disruption.”
The big talking point pre-match was the return of Tony Watt after his acrimonious exit for Dundee United in January 2022 and subsequent social media posts.
Some sections of the Motherwell support still resent the former Celtic striker but he received an overwhelmingly positive reaction on his introduction after 60 minutes.
“I’m delighted with that,” Kettlewell admitted.
“I don’t think it would’ve affected him either way but I heard when he warmed up he got a tremendous reception.
“They will know that he’s a good player and he’s served the club really well in the past. That’s the intention of him coming back but I thought he gave plenty when he came on.”
Derek McInnes made nine changes after Kilmarnock’s European heroics against Tromso in midweek but preparations for the UEFA Conference League play-off against Copenhagen on Thursday were not helped by playing 70 minutes with 10 men after Findlay’s dismissal.
“Today we tried to play our freshest team rather than maybe our strongest team,” McInnes said.
“We’re having to deal with a schedule at the minute which we’re not used to as players and a club. We’re not complaining about it because we’d rather have the schedule.
“But it does make us a bit more vulnerable. Sunday to Thursday’s a bit easier, clearly, because you’ve got those extra days.
“But Thursday to Sunday after travelling, two away games back to back, it’s always more of a stretch and hence that was the team picked today to try to give us the freshness part of it.
“We’re disappointed to be out of the cup but we felt today was a day we could get a result with the team picked – going down to 10 men had a huge impact on that.”
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