Motherwell made it a hat trick of wins with an impressive 1-3 victory over Hibs in Edinburgh this evening.
The Steelmen, who have already disposed of Hearts and Dunfermline in recent weeks, took the lead shortly before the break when Dylan Mackin tucked home his third of the campaign.
The same player doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half with a stinging drive from distance before Steven Higgins finished a lovely passing move to make it 3-0 just two minutes later.
Hibs added a late consolation through Jason Cummings but ‘Well held on for all three points.
Jonatan Johansson made three changes to the side that edged out the Pars seven days ago. Max Currie, Ben Hall and Ross MacLean dropped out and had to settle for a place amongst the subs and were replaced by Ross Stewart, Adam Cummins and Jack Leitch.
It was a fairly slow start to the match, it took 21 minutes for either side to register a chance and it fell to ‘Well. Dom Thomas played in Chris Cadden with a neat reverse ball, but the midfielder took an extra touch inside the area allowing Kleton Perntreou to race off his line and make the block.
Hibs replied quickly though Danny Handling, who collected a loose ball in the middle of the park, surged forward but could only send his low shot fizzing past the post.
‘Well were starting to take control of the match and Higgins was almost in on goal but the chance was gone after a heavy touch. Shortly after, Thomas shinned a volley wide of target but it only delayed the inevitable as ‘Well eventually got their noses in front.
The Steelmen worked the ball down the right and when it eventually landed at the feet of Thomas, he cut inside and sent a blistering effort at goal. Perntreou got down to make the save, but it squirmed loose and Mackin was on hand to tuck home from close range.
Two minutes later, the Fir Parkers almost made it two. Leitch’s neat ball over the top had Higgins in behind the Hibs backline and with the ball bouncing; he smashed a volley at goal that was turned away in style by the Greek youngster.
‘Well finished the forty-five on top, but started the second half on fire and extended their lead with two quick fire goals.
Mackin grabbed his second of the night with a piledriver from the edge of the ‘D’ before Steven Higgins grabbed his fourth of the campaign, rounding off a lovely passing move between Mackin and Jack Leitch, to prod home from close range.
Eddie May’s men looked shell-shocked but almost reduced the arrears through Cummings, his long-range effort crashing back off Ross Stewart’s right-hand post with the keeper at full stretch.
Motherwell continued to threaten though and looked dangerous with every attack. Thomas almost added his name to the scorers list, weaving past a few challenges only for his low shot to be well held by Perntreou.
Hibs shot wide via Lewis Alan and Higgins was unlucky not to grab a brace, but his curling shot dropped just the wrong side of the far post.
The hosts did eventually grab a consolation when Cummings latched on to a short Morgyn Neill back pass to slot home.
They also spurned two late chances when Handling fired wide and Alan headed over in the closing stages, but it remained 1-3 as ‘Well saw out the match for a deserved three points.
Motherwell: Stewart, McMillan (Watt – 76mins), Ferguson, Cummins, Neill, McCall, Mackin, Cadden, Higgins (MacLean – 76mins), Thomas, J.Leitch (R.Leitch – 83mins)
Subs Not Used: Currie, Hall, Campbell
