The rain and wind was no surprise to new Motherwell keeper Aaron Chapman on Saturday – but he’s hoping his full debut is the start of a road to emulation.
The towering stopper was in fine form over the weekend, looking solid between the sticks and launching throws of 75 yards in length as Stephen Robinson’s side beat Livingston 2-0.
Success for Robinson. (Photo by Ewan Bootman/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Conditions in West Lothian were awful as Storm Aidan hit the central belt but Chapman was prepared: “That was the weather I expected when I came to Scotland!
“It’s a credit to the boys. You can see how hard they have been working and they do that every day in training. It shows on the pitch. In the first half the wind helped us and it was the opposite in the second half. They like to play the ball in the box.
“I didn’t have much to do but I just put that down to the boys in front of me. They made my job a lot easier by heading the ball out of the box so full credit to them. It was a good performance and it was what we needed. We needed to stay a run going into next weekend’s games.
Chapman is the new man in town. (Photo by Andrew Vaughan – CameraSport via Getty Images)
“That’s what we were aiming for and it’s what we have done. It’s important to keep the run going.”
Chapman was making his first start in claret and amber after a debut from the bench the week before in a 4-0 win over Ross County. Number one Trevor Carson has picked up a knee injury and will be out till 2021.
Now it’s Chapman and another new keeper in Jordan Archer fighting for the gloves, with other deputy Scott Fox out for the season with an ACL injury.
Established keepers like John Ruddy and Darren Randolph have made their names at Fir Park in recent times, last term’s number one Mark Gillespie now at Newcastle United. With Carson in his corner, Chapman hopes to be the next hit keeper.
Gillespie is the latest success story. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
“When I came in he was on international duty and he’s been nothing but brilliant for me,” the former Peterborough keeper said of Carson. “He’s wishing me luck and sending me texts.
“I didn’t expect to get my chance after half an hour last week. I just want to take it. I’ve come up here to challenge and it’s up to me to take my chance now. The whole league is a good platform and Motherwell are a great club as well.
“Hopefully, I can do as well as some of the great keepers who have been here in the past.”