[tab:Match report]
Phil McGhee Fir Park
Motherwell returned to winning ways with a thoroughly impressive 1-0 win over Hearts, making it six wins in their last seven fixtures.
Commanding the game from the start, the only criticism would be that the Fir Park side failed to add to Lionel Ainsworth’s first half strike.
Having earned a top-six finish, the ‘Well players were relaxed and confident from start to finish against a Hearts side still with ambitions of overtaking Aberdeen.
Connor Ripley missed his first game of the season, the ‘keeper’s throat infection allowing Craig Samson to make his debut. Lionel Ainsworth also earned a starting place in a front three with Louis Moult and Marvin Johnson.
With hopes of erasing the memories of their six goal drubbing at Tynecastle when the sides last met in January, the Fir Park men made a positive start, pressing Neil Alexander’s goal from the start.
On the break the Edinburgh side produced the first shot, Sam Nicholson dragging his shot wide of the post. Two minutes Moult did likewise at the other end, sclaffing his shot across the visitor’s goal.
After 11 minutes Samson was forced into his first save getting down to hold a bouncing effort from Prince Buaben.
Following that, though, the action was largely confined to the Hearts’ half with the home side steady in possession and looking to make the breakthrough.
It almost came in the 27th minute when Josh Law did well to pull the ball back from the goal-line allowing Moult to tee up Chris Cadden, but his controlled shot down the centre of the goal was blocked in the six yard box.
The Tynecastle men failed to clear their lines and when Scott McDonald was given time to collect Stevie Hammell’s throw in, he played a weighted ball in front of Ainsworth. Cutting in from the angle of the box, his finish was low and accurate whizzing across Alexander and into the far corner of the net.
Having exerted himself in the initial build up, Law limped off six minutes before the break allowing Ben Hall to come on and join Stephen McManus in the heart of the home defence.
Keith Lasley failed to come out for the second half with Jack Leitch taking his place.
That failed to change the pattern of play with ‘Well comfortable in possession and patiently probing for an opening.
That looked to have paid off on the hour when McDonald, at the heart of everything, fed the ball to Johnson whose clever pass sent Moult through the middle. His low shot, though, bounced off the foot of the post and behind with the ‘Well striker claiming that Alexander made a fingertip save.
Four minutes later McDonald passed up another great chance to double the home lead. The Aussie striker did well to rob Buaben at the edge of the box, but with only Alexander to beat he curled his finish over a begging target.
Hearts almost punished ‘Well for that miss when Callum Paterson’s powerful volley rebounded high and was heading under the bar until Samson threw himself across goal to claw the ball away.
Desperate to take something back to Edinburgh, Robbie Neilson made a double substitution with eleven minutes remaining. And although Hearts showed more urgency in the closing stages, Motherwell were comfortable and if anything more likely to score.
A trademark move from Johnson, dragging the ball in from the touch line before firing in a left foot drive, forced Alexander to smother the ball low to his left.
Openings for McDonald and Johnson might have made the win more emphatic but the fans’ applause at the full-time whistle acknowledged ‘Well as worthy winners.
[tab:As it happened]
Ally Reilly at Fir Park
Motherwell 1 – 0 Hearts.
Ainsworth’s first-half strike enough to hand the Steelmen all three points at Fir Park!
FULL TIME
88′ | 1-0
Wide open passage of play the. Chance for Reilly but McManus does superbly to make the block, which Hammell then clears.
83′ | 1-0
Motherwell sub, Chalmers on for Ainsworth.
82′ | 1-0
Great turn from Johson to craft some space for a shot. He takes it on but Alexander is equal to it, saving low to his left.
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Buaben also makes way, replaced by Cowie.
79′ | 1-0
Hearts sub, Reilly on for Juanma
77′ | 1-0
Chance for Juanma but McManus is alert to the danger and knocks it wide for a corner.
70′ | 1-0
Smith booked for a trip on Cadden well inside the Motherwell half.
68′ | 1-0
Hearts sub, Dauda on for Nicholson
66′ | 1-0
Great save by Samson to deny Paterson whose volley bounces awkwardly in front of him
65′ | 1-0
Glorious chance for McDonald as he robs Buaben but with only Alexander to beat, he fires over the bar!!
62′ | 1-0
Cadden booked which enrages the Motherwell crowd. Inconsistency of decisions is frustrating both sides
60′ | 1-0
Moult with a great chance but Alexander makes the save. Surely a corner?!
52′ | 1-0
Great ball over the top from Leitch but Ainsworth can’t quite get on the end of it and Alexander gathers.
50′ | 1-0
Walker tries to pick his spot but curls it straight at Samson from 20 yards.
Motherwell get the ball rolling for the second 45.
Half-time sub for ‘Well, Lasley makes way for Leitch…
HT: Motherwell 1 – 0 Hearts
Lionel Ainsworth with the only goal of a low-key first half.
39′ | 1-0
Motherwell sub, Josh Law hobbles off for Ben Hall.
36′ | 1-0
Walker tries the spectacular with a flying volley but can’t get it right and it sails well wide and over
29′ | 1-0
AINSWORTH drives into the box and fires a low unstoppable shot past Alexander. 1-0 to the Steelmen!
GOOAALLL!!!
22′ | 0-0
Hammell booked for a foul on Nicholson inside the Hearts half. Looked harsh.
15′ | 0-0
Law’s headed clearance falls to Buaben 20 yards out but he can’t get any power in his volley to test Samson.
7′ | 0-0
Chance for Hearts there. Nicholson cuts in from the left but his shot trickles just wide of the post.
5′ | 0-0
Nice bit of play down the left leads to Souttar heading Hammell’s cross out for a corner.
2′ | 0-0
Hammell whips in a free-kick from the right which Paterson has to nod back to Alexander.
Juanma and Walker get the game underway. COYW!
Out come the teams; Motherwell in claret and amber, Hearts in white and maroon.
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:
“We would have liked another goal just to give us breathing space, because 1-0 is always a dangerous score and they came on to us in the last 10 minutes, but I thought it was a very good performance.
“They have trained so well all week that I would have been disappointed if they didn’t take that into the game and they did. They trained the way they played and I was well pleased with it.”
Hearts manager Robbie Neilson
“We didn’t deserve to get anything out the game. Motherwell were the better team, they had a better attacking threat than us, they worked harder than us.
“It wasn’t acceptable for us. We brought a huge crowd down and we didn’t do enough to excite them.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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