Motherwell killed off plucky Sevco’s hopes of a third successive promotion by beating the Ibrox men 3-0 at Fir Park.
After winning 3-1 in the first leg two second half own goals from Lithuanian ace Marius Zaliukas settled the issue with Motherwell’s Premiership experience proving just too much for last season’s runaway League One champions.
After a goal-less first half the tie was changed seven minutes into the second period when marvelous Marvin Johnson picked the ball up deep inside the Sevco half. With one step over he sold Dick Foster a dummy with his drive for goal being deflected high into the air by Zaliukas.
It should have been a routine save for Cameron Bell but for reasons best known to himself he tried to punch the ball away with his weak right hander putting the ball into his own net to the delight of 8,000 home fans.
The first half had been a nervous affair with neither side able to put their foot on the ball with the importance of the first goal obvious to all.
After Zaliukas had opened the scoring Motherwell knocked the ball around with greater confidence while the chins of the visitors fell as their dream of top flight football slipped away.
Johnson was the architect of the second goal, opening up the Ibrox defence before laying the ball off to Lionel Ainsworth whose low drive crashed off Zaliuskas and beyond the reach of the despairing Bell.
Zaliuskas was immediately replaced by Tunisian ace Bilel Mohsni as the Motherwell fans realised that their side was safe to enjoy another season of top league football.
ln stoppage time John Sutton, whose been freed by the club, tucked away a penalty with Mohsni led off the pitch after striking out at Motherwell’s Lee Erwin.
The future for Sevco is less assured with the club crippled by debt, with no mechanism for a share issue, no auditor and living off crisis loans from month to month.
Stuart McCall was given the job till the end of the season with Kris Boyd, Foster, Mohsni, captain Lee McCulloch all out of contract while Haris Vuckic and Shane Ferguson return to Newcastle United with their loan deals over.
