Football Club

Motherwell

Motherwell have avoided what manager Craig Brown feared would be a nightmare trip to face Norwegian side Aalesunds in Europa League qualifying.

Craig Brown, whose side defeated Breidablik in Iceland on Thursday, had feared they would face a two-day trek for next week’s first leg.

They would have flown from Aberdeen on Monday then faced an internal flight.

But a 60-seat charter plane will now leave Glasgow on Wednesday and return immediately after Thursday’s game.

Brown had expressed initial concerns about how to reach the island sea port city of Alesund, 147 miles north east of Bergen.

The manager, speaking to BBC Scotland immediately after the 1-0 second qualifying round win in Iceland, thought they would face “a marathon trip” that would mean they were away from Scotland for four or five days.

However, the club have now found an easier way to reach by Wednesday the home of Aalesunds, who qualified for the Europa League by winning last season’s Norwegian Cup.

Having finished 13th in Norway’s top flight last season, Aalesunds lie fifth this term after 17 games of their present season but lost their last game, following up a 0-0 draw at home to Molde with a 1-0 defeat away to Start.

Brown is keen to have their opponents watched in their next match, on Saturday, at home to second-top Valerenga.

“Somebody, probably myself, will have to go in advance to watch them play,” he said.

“So it’s far from ideal, but we are pleased that the second leg is in Motherwell and we hope to have a good result to take there.”

Jamie Murphy’s first-half strike at the Kopavogsvollur Stadium ensured a single-goal victory in Iceland and a 2-0 win on aggregate.

And the goalscorer, who equalled Stevie Kirk’s record of five goals for Motherwell in European competition, was unconcerned about any long journey to Norway.

“It’s not the worst problem,” he said. “I’ve been with the Scotland Under-21s and we have been travelling for three or four days and getting four flights to go 100 miles, it seemed.

“So it will be no different and I’m sure we will be ready.”

Murphy was pleased to have equalled the record set up by midfielder Kirk, who had a nine-year spell with the Fir Park club from 1986.

“I am very proud,” he said. “When I started playing for Motherwell, it wasn’t something I thought I would get.

“So it is a great honour to be alongside someone like Stevie Kirk, who is such a nice guy as well.

“I will speak to him when I get back, but hopefully I can score again in the next round.”