Clarkson: That Was Goal Of Season

Mar 30 2008 By Euan Mclean

DELIGHTED David Clarkson reckons he scored Motherwell's most important goal of the season yesterday as the three-way battle for Europe swung back in their favour.

Clarkson's decisive third-minute strike not only sunk Euro rivals Hibs but also pulled Well level with third-place Dundee United.

Now the picture that looked so bleak last weekend after United had beatenWell 2-0 has been transformed with one majestic sweep of Clarkson's right foot.

And the striker reckons they could look back on yesterday's strike as the turning point that propels them to that third-place finish.

Clarkson said: "That goal could prove so valuable in the long run. It's good to get a win again and put pressure on the other teams.

"It was in the back of our minds we hadn't won in a while but I didn't sense confidence dipping because we always knew we could do it.We showed we have got through this bad patch because it would have been hard for us to make Europe if we hadn't won."

Hibs never got going on a threadbare Fir Park pitch - but boss Mixu Paatelainen refused to blame the poor surface and banned his players from discussing it.

He said: "The pitch is more sand than grass but we got on with it and I have no complaints about that. Defeat is a blow though. They started much brighter than us, wanted to dominate and I wasn't happy with our sharpness. The goal was from a bad mistake and cost us the game."

Well boss Mark McGhee praised the work of the Fir Park groundsmen for making the biggest quagmire in the SPL playable again and insisted it will get better.

He said: "The pitch was alright. There's been a remarkable turnaround from four weeks ago and it's solid. There are a few bounces and we'll keep working on it but it didn't have an effect on the outcome.

"This was a crucial game but was never going to be decisive for third place.

"Last week after the Dundee United defeat I told the lads to stay calm because next Saturday it could look totally different.

"And again next week it could all change again. It's a good result that keeps us in there and the performance was better so hopefully that's a sign of the form we will find."

MATCH STATS

4 SHOTS ON 1

10 SHOTS OFF 3

3 OFFSIDE 1

12 FOULS 12

7 CORNERS 2

2 BOOKINGS 0