WE’RE WELL READY FOR EUROPE

That means Well will also clinch a European place today if his best mate Gordon Strachan can steer his Celtic side to victory over Hibs.

It would happen 25 years to the memorable day that they were part of the Dons team which won the European Cup-Winners’ Cup in Gothenburg.

McGhee has had enough disappointments in the game, though, to know that nothing is guaranteed — and that’s why last night he BANNED his Fir Park stars from going on the lash to toast their fantastic achievement.

McGhee said: “I’m not putting a dampener on it because we’ve done our part today. But you know what football’s like — you just can’t take anything for granted.

“I’ve told the lads to keep a lid on it for now. We’ve got a supporters’ do tomorrow night and if Hibs get beaten then we can all have a wee celebration but it’s all on hold until we know it’s certain.

“This was a nerve-wracking day but we’ve come through it. We’ve put Dundee United and Aberdeen out of the equation and we still have Hibs to play so it’s still in our hands.”

It was a nervous affair, with both teams desperate for the win and that anxiety was obvious, particularly in a dour first half.

David Clarkson had the best chance during the opening period but he fired over from a decent position after a smart one-two with Porter.

The Dons, who needed to take all three points to stand a chance of claiming that UEFA Cup slot, were on the defensive for most of the game.

Indeed, they only came out of their shells after Well had finally gone in front. That goal came when supersub Darren Smith, below, got on the end of a Porter knockdown from a Stephen Hughes cross and poked home the rebound after his first shot had been blocked.

 

Aberdeen equalised with their first effort on target just five minutes later. Brian McLean should have cleared Darren Mackie’s cross but mistimed his jump and the ball fell for Sone Aluko, below, on the pitch for only three minutes, to volley firmly past Graeme Smith.

The most controversial moment of the afternoon came in the 72nd minute when Barry Nicholson’s shot from another Mackie delivery looked to be well over the line before Smith scooped it back out.

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood was raging with linesman Martin Cryans over the incident, claiming he had cocked it up.

He said: “It wasn’t the referee’s decision this time but it was definitely the linesman’s. It’s happened a couple of times with that linesman but I’d better watch what I say about him.”

The failure to award that goal was a huge let-off for Well and they took full advantage to score a deserved winner just nine minutes later.

Richard Foster gave the ball away to McLean and he, Clarkson and Hughes combined to play in Porter, who managed at full stretch to send a first-time left- foot drive high past keeper Jamie Langfield and into the net.

Darren Smith picked up a booking for pulling off his shirt when he scored but the 20-year-old couldn’t have cared less.

He said: “I’m not bothered. It was a mixture of a whole lot of emotions, including relief. After the season we’ve had there was a lot to let out.

“So many things have been thrown at us but we’ve kept bouncing back and we’ve played some amazing football.

“The gaffer deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s turned the club around and if he can do that in one year then what can he do in two?

“We needed a lift at half time when I came on and we needed that first goal. I was disappointed not to start but the boss said that he was looking for three players to come on and make an impact so I was really pumped up.

“Even when they came back at us and scored and our fans got a bit apprehensive we knew that we had the quality to dig it out.

“Now we’re all going to watch the Celtic-Hibs game together tomorrow and we will be hoping for the right result. However, we’ve still two games to play so we can always get the points we require from them if need be.”

McGhee revealed he can’t get over how his boys have matured into men since the tragic death of club captain Phil O’Donnell in the match against Dundee United on December 29.

He added: “If we do get there then our lads deserve a lot of credit. Post Christmas they’ve had to deal with a lot, they’ve helped each other and shown a tremendous spirit to get through it.

“There are a lot of boys who remain quite disturbed and emotional about those events. However, Chris has come up with important goals for us.

“I don’t think he had a great game today but he scored and that’s what strikers are all about. I had some nightmares in my time but if you nick a goal then you justify yourself.

“If we do get there then it will be up there with anything that I’ve achieved in the game, given the starting point that we had here.

“And it’s not a miracle because these boys are good enough to do it. Aberdeen had nothing to lose today so they came here and had a right go. It wasn’t always pretty and on this pitch we had to be a bit more direct.”

Calderwood believed that his side had bossed the early part of the game, although they created nothing, and he refused to be too disappointed by the death of his Euro dream.

He admitted: “We were sloppy in the first 20 minutes of the second half. We just couldn’t get into our rhythm at all and they deserved to go in front.

“That meant we had to go for it and we got the goal but in the end it wasn’t to be. It was still a wonderful advert for Scottish football."

MOTHERWELL: G Smith, McLean, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, McGarry (McCormack 65, Lappin 84), Hughes, Malcolm, Fitzpatrick (D Smith 46), Porter, Clarkson. Subs not used: Daniels, Lasley, Murphy, Meechan.
ABERDEEN: Langfield, Maybury, Severin, Considine (Bus 16), Foster, Nicholson, Walker (Aluko 63), Touzani, Duff, Mackie (Maguire 80), Miller. Subs not used: Soutar, Lovell, De Visscher, Ross.