[tab:Match report]
Grant Russell at Tynecastle
Motherwell showed plenty endeavour but ultimately came up short as they lost out 1-0 to Hearts at Tynecastle in the Ladbrokes Premiership.
Stephen Robinson rang the changes through the enforced absences of Trevor Carson, Peter Hartley and Louis Moult. Russell Griffiths and Alex Fisher were the direct replacements, while Carl McHugh was also reinstated to the team but at centre back. Elliot Frear replaced Craig Tanner.
The Steelmen were also forced to go without a substitute goalkeeper as league rules blocked the return of Peter Morrison, who is on loan at Clyde.
The first half as a contest was slow to get going, with neither side fully able to get a grip on the game. Chris Cadden’s shot from outside the area was the first 17 minutes in, but it was safely gathered by Jon McLaughlin.
Ten minutes later, the visitors had the first clear chance of the game. Frear beat two men on the left flank to drive inside, but his low shot from the edge of the box was straight at the ‘keeper.
Immediately up the other end, Hearts worked a chance from a corner. McHugh’s slip meant he could only half clear, but Kyle Lafferty steered the ball wide from 12 yards.
The hosts then passed up a golden chance to open the scoring. A long ball to the back post was met on the volley by an unmarked Moore, but his shot from an angle was high and over the bar.
Their pressure then told after 38 minutes. Campbell appeared to be fouled as he tried to play his way out of midfield, with the ball then being played in to Lafferty. The Northern Irishman played his way past Kipre and McHugh before turning the ball past Griffiths.
Fisher, who picked up a heavy blow to his cheek in the first half, was placed at the break by Craig Tanner. Gael Bigirimana had earlier replaced Chris Cadden through injury.
Motherwell had the first chance of the second half. Tanner’s corner was met by Ryan Bowman on the penalty spot, but his header under pressure went over the bar.
The Steelmen continued to threaten. Tanner’s free kick from 25 yards out took a deflection which briefly troubled McLaughlin, and Petravicius was introduced to add yet more pace in attack.
Tanner then had another free kick chance with 65 minutes gone. This time 30 yards out, to the left of goal, his dinked effort to the back post was met by McHugh but he was adjudged to be offside, with Lafferty also blocking the chance.
The chances kept on coming. And the unlikely next goal threat was Kipre. Winning a loose ball in midfield, the big centre half had options but elected to take a drive at goal from 20 yards, and only narrowly put the ball past the top of the post.
Motherwell kept on pushing to try and make something from a positive second half and send the 691 fans who made the trip to Gorgie home happy.
But despite plenty of the ball in the closing stages, Robinson’s men couldn’t create the clear opportunity needed to give them a shot at taking a deserved point.
Motherwell: Griffiths; Tait, Kipre, McHugh, Dunne, Frear; Rose (Petravicius 62), Cadden (Bigirimana 36), Campbell; Bowman, Fisher (Tanner 45).
Hearts: McLaughlin; Randall, Berra, Souttar, Smith; Walker (Milinkovic 30, Stockton 88), Djoum (Callachan 63), Buaben, Cowie, Moore; Lafferty.
[tab:As it happened]
Alastair Reilly at Tynecastle
Live Blog Live: Hearts v Motherwell
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[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: