Lennon Miller says his penalty winner against Dundee United was a reward for fans' backing throughout their Premier Sports Cup quarter-final (Image: SNS Group)

Lennon Miller: Motherwell cup winner was reward for fans' backing

The 18-year-old held his nerve to bag a last-gasp penalty winner against Dundee United

by · Daily Record

Lennon Miller was delighted to score Motherwell’s crucial winner against Dundee United, and says it repaid the support given from a bumper Fir Park crowd on Friday night.

Miller showed great composure to step up and confidently slot a last-gasp penalty to send Motherwell into the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals at the expense of Dundee United.

That goal edged Motherwell through, after Louis Moult’s volley had cancelled out Zach Robinson’s spectacular opener, and the 18-year-old says he simply took it in his stride.

“Thankfully it went in, and the scenes at the end were brilliant.

“To score a last-minute winner is probably the best way to win it, and I’m really happy.

“The penalty is something I practice in training every day, so for me there were no nerves.

“I probably thrive on the pressure and I enjoy it, so for me it was just a case of doing what I do every day in training.

“But the fans were excellent all night, so it was nice to reward them for their support.

“The fans were massive for us, they came out in massive numbers.

Miller races away to celebrate with Moses Ebiye after scoring Motherwell's winner (Image: SNS Group)

“We know as players that they will back us from the start of every game, so we need to put on a show for them.

“I thought we did that, they responded brilliantly, and got us over the line in the end.

“That win was massive, getting the chance to go back to Hampden after a while not being there.”

Moult’s volley looked like sending the game into extra-time, until Luca Stephenson fouled Moses Ebiye in the box, and Miller did his thing.

The teenager said: “That was massive. They scored, it’s squeaky-bum time, if you like, and we’ve probably seen that story loads of times, that they score, we’re under pressure, and they maybe nick another one.

“But to nick one before extra-time was good for us, and we look forward to Hampden.

“It’s massive to be in the semi-final, not just for us players and the staff, but the whole club, and the fans probably deserve their chance to go to Hampden again.

“Hopefully we can put on another show like tonight and maybe even get to a final.”

Miller says Motherwell reaching a semi-final is massive for the club (Image: SNS Group)

Motherwell continue their Premiership campaign with a visit by St Mirren next weekend, and Miller says the focus will be on that.

He said: “It’s another game. We knew tonight was a big one, we need to get back to league form and get over the Aberdeen result.

“We can take positives from it, go into the game against St Mirren and take it to them.

“Tonight was always going to be a big one. We’re going to take the positives, and the negatives that happened, and hopefully correct them for Saturday.”

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