Motherwell boss: 'Our cup fate was always in our own hands, despite sticky start'
The Steelmen nearly came a cropper in their opener at Clyde, drawing 2-2 before winning on penalties, but squeezed past Stenhousemuir at Ochilview this afternoon, having bagged a similarly narrow win over Peterhead in midweek.
Stephen O'Donnell's 41st-minute strike was enough to separate the sides in Larbert, leaving Motherwell on eight points as they prepare to host Dougie Imrie's Championship side.
Askou said: 'I think our destiny has been in our own hands the whole time, I haven't really felt it slip out of our hands, even though it was a rough start.
'But we have that firm grip around it and not let go, because nothing is done yet, and now we can look forward to a good game on Tuesday.'
Askou felt there was an improvement in his side, creating more chances, with Tawanda Maswanhise's header well saved by Darren Jamieson, and Callum Slattery had a terrific free kick brilliantly punched over by the Stenny keeper – even if referee Lloyd Wilson disagreed, awarding a goal-kick.
But Motherwell took the lead in 41 minutes when Slattery's corner from the right was side-footed in by O'Donnell at the back post.
The visitors should have doubled their lead in 64 minutes when Slattery's cross was met with a back-post volley by sub Eseosa Sule, but Jamieson instinctively blocked.
READ MORE: Stenhousemuir 0, Motherwell 1: O'Donnell strike keeps Well cup hopes alive
READ MORE: Lanarkshire derby kicks off KDM Evolution Trophy
Andy Halliday's corner was then headed off the line by defender Michael Anderson in 71 minutes.
And the Steelmen were nearly made to pay for that when defender Gregor Buchanan missed a shot from six yards that would have levelled the game in the 90th minute.
Askou said: 'You need to be clinical when the chance is there, and I think we should have been even more productive and created more chances, a higher volume, and good situations.
'There were a few situations where we should have been more clinical, for sure. Their keeper had a few good saves, I'll give him that.
'Our performance in the first half was a good tempo, at times, good desperation to score and chase, and we were dangerous in set-pieces, but we dropped too much in the second half, when we felt maybe too comfortable.
'It's something to improve, and it's not easy – I don't expect us to just go out and bang five or six goals against teams who do well, sit well and defend with their heart and everything they've got.
'But I expect us to be more productive, in terms of volume of chances and the size of chances we produced.
'When we don't, it's extremely important that we don't give away anything, like we've done in the first couple of games, and that was spot-on today, except for their last chance, which is unacceptable.'
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Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
Joel Klatt's 2025 College Football Rankings: Does Penn State Stay on Top?
Michigan. Ohio State. Now, Penn State? Following spring football, I ranked James Franklin's Nittany Lions No. 1 in my post-spring top 25 poll. Why? Because they're following the same championship blueprint that led Michigan and Ohio State to national titles in the past two seasons. That blueprint is still in place, but so is my growing fascination with another contender. As August arrives and fall camp kicks off, it's time to revisit the rankings. Will Penn State stay on top? Or has someone else earned the No. 1 spot? Here's a look at my preseason top 25. Utah is bouncing back this year. This is the exact type of year when I love the Utes — because no one is talking about them in the offseason, that's when they're at their most dangerous. Utah is coming off a season where it was better than what its 5-7 record indicated. It got snakebitten by injuries after its 4-0 start, starting four different quarterbacks. Utah's success is going to come down to QB play. Devon Dampier transferred from New Mexico after earning first-team All-Mountain West honors a year ago. Dampier is a dual-threat signal-caller, and I think that will help the Utes threaten to win the Big 12 title. I had some trouble filling out the last few teams on this list, so I went with the teams that I trust most. With Oklahoma, I also trust its quarterback: Washington State transfer John Mateer. I really like him. He's got a great arm, is accurate and very athletic and should improve Oklahoma right away. The offense was a disaster last year, but coach Brent Venables remade the Sooners' offense over the offseason. Venables is back to calling defensive plays, and that unit was in the top 20 last year. That schedule is brutal, though, having six games against teams you'll see later on this list. The Bears finished last season on a high note, winning their last six regular-season matchups. They lost their bowl game to LSU, but they found something with quarterback Sawyer Robertson. He threw for over 3,000 yards, and they now have Bryson Washington at running back, possibly giving them the best QB-RB duo in the Big 12. The defense should improve, too. I think we'll know what we need to know about Baylor when it takes on Auburn in Week 1. Continuing with the theme of teams I trust, Iowa is certainly a part of that group. I think the Hawkeyes could get to eight or nine wins, if not more, and they might even be underrated. The offense improved last year — granted it didn't need to do much to improve from 2023 — but I like new quarterback Mark Gronowski. He can turn the Hawkeyes around, and while I understand that you might have heard that before, Gronowski won the FCS version of the Heisman Trophy in 2023 and two national titles. He also has 55 starts under his belt. I think Ole Miss is going to be good, but I'm not certain about that. Lane Kiffin has to replace a lot of last year's team, including quarterback Jaxson Dart. I believe Austin Simmons is a good player, but I'm not 100 percent confident in saying that. I think Kiffin, the first Ole Miss head coach to win 10 games in back-to-back years in over 60 seasons, is excellent. He always replenishes the roster and was active in the portal again, landing 247 Sports' fourth-ranked class. It feels like when you're not talking about Iowa State, that's when the program has its best seasons. That's why I get a little nervous placing some expectations on the Cyclones here. Still, quarterback Rocco Becht returns after a strong year, but they're replacing his top two targets (Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel). I actually spoke with Becht this offseason about his new wide receivers, and he likes the guys that Iowa State brought in via the portal. The Cyclones' defense should be good, but I think the HC-QB duo is what should give the Cyclones an edge in the Big 12. There's a lot of momentum building up in Lubbock, Texas. I think the hype is real, as I bumped the Red Raiders into my top 25 after excluding them in the spring. Texas Tech's offense was excellent last year, but the defense was one of the worst in the country. So, it hit the portal really hard, and I think that could go a long way in the Big 12. Texas Tech had 247 Sports' second-best transfer class, bringing in guys that should make a huge impact right away. Behren Morton is back for his third year at quarterback after helping Texas Tech finish in the top 10 in passing offense last year. Ending the run of Big 12 teams, this is another ranking based on how much I like the HC-QB duo. Some might actually have the Sun Devils ranked higher after winning the Big 12 and giving Texas a strong run in the 2024 College Football Playoff. They bring back quarterback Sam Leavitt and one of the best wide receivers in the country in Jordyn Tyson. As much as I like those two and coach Kenny Dillingham, the loss of star running back Cam Skattebo is tough. He was second in the FBS in touches and scrimmage yards, so I can't say that they're going to be just fine without him. You can't just replace your heart and soul with a transfer. A slight step back from last year, but the Hoosiers are here to stay. There shouldn't be a major drop off. Their schedule is favorable, and coach Curt Cignetti has never had a losing season. He's 130-37 in his 14 seasons as a head coach. Still, you need players to succeed, but I trust Cignetti's roster-building skills, and I liked the decision to replace quarterback Kurtis Rourke with Fernando Mendoza. There are a lot of returning players there, too, with three All-American candidates on defense (DE Mikail Kamara, LB Aiden Fisher, CB D'Angelo Ponds). Texas A&M is a sleeping giant. The more I looked at it over the offseason, the more I liked A&M. Coach Mike Elko has been working to get this program back on track as he enters Year 2. I don't love how last season ended — losing four of its last five after getting out to a 7-1 start. Quarterback Marcel Reed was promising, though. The Aggies' entire offensive line returns, as well as multiple running backs (Le'Veon Moss and five-star recruit Roman Owens). Defensively, Elko should be able to get things going on that side of the ball. Texas A&M does have three really tough road games (Notre Dame, LSU, Texas) that hurt its ranking here, but I'd bet on them for the long haul. The Wildcats are my pick to win the Big 12. Chris Klieman's squad is the most dependable team in the conference, with quarterback Avery Johnson headlining the list of returning players. If you look at their losses from last season, it was really a matter of turnovers. They were minus-eight in those four losses, which I think they should be able to turn around. Defensively, they should have one of the best fronts in the conference. They've got some questions along the offensive line, but this is a program that develops really well along the offensive line. When I first did this, I had the Gators at No. 10, but the recent injury news about quarterback DJ Lagway caused some hesitation. Why does it seem like he's always banged up? Florida is very good, if not a borderline great team, but this injury-prone offseason for Lagway has me concerned for coach Billy Napier. Florida went 8-5 a year ago, winning its last four games as Napier fought off hot seat rumors. If Lagway isn't healthy, however, I don't love UF. If he is, Florida is a top-10 team. The season changed when he became the Gators' starting quarterback, going 6-1 as the one loss came to Georgia, and he left that game early due to injury. That schedule looks more brutal if Lagway isn't healthy. Similar to Florida, I was high on Illinois in the spring, but I've had some concerns recently. Still, I'm high on Illinois because it's returning 16 starters, including quarterback Luke Altmyer and its entire offensive line. Coach Bret Bielema established his style there, and this year is a favorable schedule for Illinois, avoiding Penn State, Oregon and Michigan. If it can win its games against USC and Indiana early, it should make the CFP. I'm bullish on the Hurricanes. I get it. The injury stuff with quarterback Carson Beck isn't great, but I can't get away from the fact that you can't recruit and add transfer portal talent at the level that Miami has and not be better. It went 10-3 last year after a 9-0 start, with that late loss at Syracuse essentially ending its CFP hopes. Coach Mario Cristobal has to get over that hump. Miami can lean on the run game and line of scrimmage, so I don't think Beck will need to be a savior. I like the new defensive coordinator, former Minnesota defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, and Miami hit the portal hard to fix its defense, particularly in the secondary. Rueben Bain is a potential star off the edge. I might be overrating South Carolina, but it has a quarterback (LaNorris Sellers) who I think is exceptional and arguably one of the best defensive players in the sport (Dylan Stewart). Just with those two players alone, the Gamecocks have something going. The defensive line had some losses over the offseason, but coach Shane Beamer has recruited well. The schedule is backloaded for South Carolina, so it'll have time to find its footing before taking on LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Clemson. The Wolverines had a tremendous end to last season, and their defense was able to put it all together even without their star players on the field. They can't be worse on offense than they were a year ago, right? Because of that, I think Michigan will be back among the elite in the sport. Michigan beat Ohio State and Alabama with little offensive production, as the only teams worse at throwing the ball than Michigan were the service academies. I'm interested to see how new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey fits in. Will Michigan start Bryce Underwood or Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene at quarterback? Keene missed all of spring practice due to injury. I know Michigan is replacing a lot of defensive talent, but it was able to handle Alabama without those players. Its game against Oklahoma in Week 2 could determine if Michigan is a playoff team or not. Coach Kalen DeBoer has to bounce back in Year 2. Alabama failed to win 10 games for the first time since 2007 last year. This isn't a program that's going to wait around for DeBoer, but he's an outstanding coach who has won everywhere else he has been. He's reuniting with his longtime offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb this season after he was with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks last year. That'll help out and should help projected starting quarterback Ty Simpson. He's a former five-star who has waited three years for this opportunity. Alabama will have stars all over the field, including two players I recently ranked in my top 10 for overall players in the country. The Crimson Tide defense was in the top 10 a year ago, so it should be fine on that side of the ball. The schedule is tough, but the bottom line is that DeBoer has to win at Alabama soon and this program has to reach the CFP. LSU hasn't accomplished as much as Alabama, but I trust Garrett Nussmeier more than I trust the Tide's quarterback situation. The urgency should be there for LSU and coach Brian Kelly. Kelly knows it as well, leading him to hit the portal hard and fill some holes with 247 Sports' No. 1 transfer class. Notre Dame can't be playing in the title game while LSU's not in the CFP. That's not why LSU paid Kelly. Linebacker Harold Perkins returns for the Tigers, and hopefully he can get back to the level he was at as a freshman. This should be a very good team that makes the CFP. This is an interesting team that's tough to project, but I'm giving coach Kirby Smart the benefit of the doubt. Gunnar Stockton is a question mark at quarterback, but Smart's teams have proven that they don't need an elite signal-caller to succeed. His teams just win, and there's never a shortage of talent there. The Bulldogs also got better at wide receiver, addressing that issue by adding Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas after leading the country in drops last year. Georgia also gets most of its big games at home — where it never loses, as it hasn't fallen at home since 2019. This is a team that should play for an SEC championship. When I made these rankings, I separated the top 10 into two tiers. Notre Dame is at the top of Tier 2. The Fighting Irish just beat up Georgia in the CFP, and their talent is way better than you think. Coach Marcus Freeman has recruited and signed a player with an average rating of 91.5, up from the average player rating (90) of Kelly's recruits in his final years at Notre Dame. That makes a difference, as they've essentially gone from being outside the top 10 in recruiting to seventh in the nation. Notre Dame has the players to succeed, with running back Jeremiyah Love headlining that group. The schedule is favorable, and it should make it to the CFP if it just splits the Texas A&M/Miami games. I don't really have many questions about this team. Freeman knows what this team is and has embraced it. Oregon is replacing a lot from last year's team after losing 18 starters, but this is a team that's built itself on recruiting well and has one of the most talented rosters in the sport. Coach Dan Lanning has also hit the portal well to help fill in the gaps over his time in charge. At quarterback, Dante Moore takes over for Dillon Gabriel. He's not experienced, but I think he's talented. He got to sit behind Gabriel last year and learn, transferring in after starting as a freshman at UCLA in 2023 after being a five-star recruit. I don't love the injury to wide receiver Evan Stewart, however. Five-star freshman Dakorien Moore is going to have to produce right away. Still, Oregon isn't going anywhere this year. I wanted to put Clemson higher, but I'm going to pump the brakes just a bit. I've loved Clemson all offseason. Cade Klubnik is my No. 1 quarterback entering the year. The Tigers also return 16 starters, with four of them being offensive linemen. They have legitimate talent at wide receiver, but their defensive line should be stellar. Edge rusher T.J. Parker and defensive tackle Peter Woods joined Klubnik on my list of top 10 players in college football. Tom Allen is their defensive coordinator after holding the same position for an impressive Penn State defense last year. As for Clemson's schedule, its first and last games should be its toughest. It opens at home against LSU before closing the year at South Carolina. The Tigers avoid Miami in ACC play, so I think they will almost certainly play in their conference title game. Watch out for Clemson and the victory lap that might come from Dabo Swinney. I would've put the defending champions higher, but they're replacing so many stars. Fourteen players from last year's team were picked in the 2025 NFL Draft. Both coordinators left, with Brian Hartline taking over for Chip Kelly at offensive coordinator and Matt Patricia replacing Jim Knowles as Ohio State's defensive coordinator. I don't have many questions about Hartline, but I wonder how long it might take Patricia to acclimate to the college game. OSU made some nice pickups in the portal, though, adding tight end Max Klare (Purdue), running back CJ Donaldson (West Virginia) and two potential starting offensive tackles. At quarterback, we'll see if Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz is the starter. I think it's going to be Sayin, but I keep asking Ryan Day who it's going to be, and he mentioned that Kienholz is still fighting for the job and doing great in practice. Whoever wins that job gets to throw to Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Can I win that job? My shoulder is toast and I can throw it to Smith. We know exactly what the standard is for Ohio State, even after winning a national championship. Ohio State's Week 1 opponent comes in right above it. Arch Manning mania has arrived. I think he'll be outstanding. He reminds me of the college version of Trevor Lawrence. As the noise is focused on Manning, though, Texas has a great chance to have the best defense in the country. Five of the last eight national champions had the best scoring defense in the country, and I think Texas has a chance to do that. The Longhorns have a star at each level, with Colin Simmons at edge rusher, Anthony Hill Jr. at linebacker and Michael Taaffe at safety. Texas hit the portal to address its needs at defensive tackle. Coach Steve Sarkisian has built something that is sustainable, but it's now time for him to cash in after falling in the CFP semis in each of the past two years. I think Texas will win the SEC and possibly steal the mantle of being the face of the conference from Georgia. In terms of the Week 1 matchup against Ohio State, I give Texas the edge in that game due to Manning. The Nittany Lions still have the No. 1 spot that I gave them in my post-spring rankings. I'm huge on blueprints, and I think Penn State best resembles the blueprints Michigan and Ohio State had when they won the national championship over the past two years. That blueprint is an experienced team with an experienced quarterback and a lot of guys who return rather than becoming an early-round pick in the NFL Draft. Just like those Michigan and Ohio State teams, those players are looking to rebound from a tough loss in the previous season. Alongside quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, four offensive linemen and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton are among the group of players returning. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is in Year 2 and doesn't need to establish an offensive system. Knowles was a great replacement at defensive coordinator after Allen left. PSU brought in three wide receivers via the portal as well to address its biggest hole last year. USC's Kyron Hudson, Syracuse's Trebor Pena (All-ACC slot receiver) and Troy's Devonte Ross (All-Sun Belt) should all be solid pass catchers for quarterback Drew Allar. The big question is if coach James Franklin can beat a top-five opponent. Penn State has games against Ohio State, Oregon and possibly the Big Ten title game and the CFP. Whether Penn State and Franklin can match up with those teams will continue to persist until it wins one of those games. Joel Klatt is FOX Sports' lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast "The Joel Klatt Show." Follow him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the "Joel Klatt Show" on YouTube. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Everton transfer latest as Tyler Dibling and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall deals progress
Everton are stepping up their pursuit of Southampton's Tyler Dibling while also considering a move for Chelsea's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Following the 2-2 draw with Manchester United in their final Premier League Summer Series game on Sunday night at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the ECHO asked manager David Moyes about transfers and he replied: 'I think there will be deals next week. I think we're getting much closer.' The Blues boss was vocal about the need for more deals to be done throughout the club's time in the USA, declaring at an on-stage event on July 25 that they needed 'nine or 10' new signings this summer. He subsequently qualified this statement by clarifying that the figure included the three acquisitions he has already made at the time (Charly Alcaraz, Thierno Barry and Mark Travers), while since then Everton have also brought in Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich who came on as a substitute to make his debut against the Red Devils. READ MORE: When Everton could complete next transfer as David Moyes reveals new injury READ MORE: What referee said to Everton players as apology issued after new Manchester United controversy Ahead of the Blues' final fixture against Manchester United, Moyes acknowledged that the right wing position had been a priority for the club all summer and the Blues boss sees Dibling, 19, as an emerging talent who could blossom under his stewardship. The ECHO understands that a third Everton bid in the region of £40million plus add ons is expected to be rebuffed by Southampton but Hill Dickinson Stadium chiefs are now tantalisingly close to meeting the Saints' £45million valuation with the Hampshire outfit needing to offload players following their relegation to the Championship. The Blues' interest in the Exeter-born prospect, who has played 43 games for Southampton and scored four goals goes back several months now and he has emerged as one of their priority targets as they look to reshape their squad for a new era on the Mersey waterfront. Everton are also interested in Chelsea's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Londoners value the former Leicester City midfielder at £30million and want a permanent sale rather than a loan for the 26-year-old who was also on the Blues' radar in the winter window following Moyes' appointment in January. According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, a deal has been reached for a £25 million transfer.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Local golf: Carlowden ends long wait for NNY 6-Man title; C-Way's Barton wins individual title
Aug. 4—The team from the Lewis County triangle of Carthage, Lowville and Denmark on Sunday used outstanding team depth to win the title for the third time in the event's 89 year history and the 11th time it was staged at the Gouverneur Country Club. Brandon Mothersell (75-69-144), Scott Taylor 73-72-145 and Kyle Nichols 71-76-147 led the way and team members Justin Taylor (156), Rob Hayes (171) and Anthony Burgess (160) rounded out the effort. Carlowden also produced the tournament's junior champion in Eli McCue and senior champion in Todd Slate with both golfers finishing at 145. Carlowden opened a 438-449 first day lead over the Partridge Run Country Club of Canton and finished with an 881-892 margin over Malone, which shared second day honors with Gouverneur at 440. Potsdam placed third with a score of 893 and Gouverneur took fourth at 897. Taylor said the methodically-won title came from an organized effort starting with a dramatic upgrade in the course. "We have had an influx of new members but it all started with our outstanding staff. our director of golf Matt Russell and Ken Hodge and Dana Hodge have really done an outstanding job," Taylor said. "It think we have the best greens and the best course in the area." Taylor also said the effort of the Gouverneur Country Club to host the tournament on its nine-hole tract was second to none. "Gouverneur did a great job and deserve a lot of credit," he said. Tournament director Bart Kidwell called the event three days of outstanding golf with countless hours of preparation by volunteers. "The course is owned an maintained by the members and a lot of members volunteered a lot of hours over the three days doing everything from spotting on the course to cooking food," said Kidwell. Club member Ken Augliano was quick to interject the role of Kidwell's leadership. "Bart Kidwell is a volunteer and directed the tournament. He didn't play and he put in a lot of hours getting things ready," said Augliano. "And I want to thank all the players who came in put on a great display on how to play golf." Nobody played better than Matt Barton of the C-Way Golf Club in Clayton who claimed the individual title with a two-day total of 139 and prevailed on the final hole with a one-stroke margin of Jack Finnerty of Partridge Run. The duel went down to the final shot on the par five 18th hole where Barton made a birdie putt and Finnerty was unable to get up and down after hitting the ball over the green on his second shot. Barton stayed in his comfort zone throughout his 36 holes on his first time playing the course. "I had never even seen the course before this weekend. For me it was all about wedges. I had a lot of 90 to 100 to 110 yard shots and wedge play was solid. Not a lot can go wrong if you have a lot of 10-foot birdie putts," said the former Thousand Islands standout. Raine Rumble of Gouverneur placed third at 141. Tom Smith of Potsdam took the super senior title at 151 one stroke ahead of Craig Woods of Gouverneur and Chris Denesha of C-Way won the director's title. Ryan Patenaude of Malone and Cooper Lovely of Potsdam tied for second in the junior division at 148. Deane Manning of Thompson Park of Watertown and Bruce Weiner of St. Lawrence tied fro second place in the super senior division at 157. Tournament leaders: Carlowden 438-444-882 (Brandon Mothersell 75-69-144), Malone 451-440- 891 (Blake Pritchard 71-73-144) Potsdam 450-443- 893 (Tyler Berkman 73-73-146), Gouverneur 457-440-887, (Raine Rumble 74-67-141), Partridge Run 449-449-898 (Jack Finnerty 69-71-140), Massena 442-448-900 (Colin Patterson 73-72-145), C-Way 446-455-901 (Matt Barton 139), Thompson Park 457-450-907 (Josh Woodward 70-74-144), St. Lawrence University 463-466-929 (Ryan Jones 76-78-154, Scott Nickerson 78-76-154), Ives Hill 491-476-967 (Kalani Zehr 79-77-156) and Tupper Lake 479-456-992 (Jim Boucher 77-72-149).
