Motherwell picked up a point at Easter Road on Saturday afternoon, as Kieron Bowie’s finish cancelled out Tawanda Maswanhise’s opener.
Jens Berthel Askou made two changes, one of which was enforced. Elliot Watt came out the side due to a knock, with Oscar Priestman rotated in. Tom Sparrow also came into the starting 11 in place of Callum Slattery.
Jordan McGhee returned to the matchday squad for the first time since August, as he looked to make his debut for the club. With Watt missing from the squad, and Regan Charles-Cook and Callum Hendry also absent, the Motherwell supporters were filled with even more concern when Stephen O’Donnell had to come off after just 20 minutes. He was replaced by Johnny Koutroumbis.
Both sides were keen to move up the league table going into this match, and with Hibernian knowing a win would mean they leapfrogged the Steelmen, they looked to open the scoring in the first period.
Jordan Obita blazed over the bar on the 22nd minute, in what was the best sight of goal for either side so far in the match. Obita was then involved again just four minutes later when his cross found Élie Youan in the penalty box, but the Frenchman couldn’t convert with his head.
That opportunity seemed to liven Motherwell up as they began to see more of the ball and control the flow of the game. Tom Sparrow did well to nutmeg his opponent before cutting inside and smashing a left-footed effort goalward that Raphael Sallinger had to save.
Just after the half-hour mark, Maswanhise was hacked down outside the penalty box, and from a central position, Elijah Just tried his luck, but Sallinger was equal to the effort.
Maswanhise was growing into the game and becoming a real handful. His amazing run caused the Hibernian backline all sorts of problems; he jinked into the right-hand side of the penalty box, faked a shot and blasted on target with his left foot, as Sallinger was called into action once again.
That was the last big chance of the first half and as the sides returned for the second, it didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken. With just three passes from Calum Ward’s penalty box, the ball made its way to Maswanhise via Just and Ibrahim Said. The Zimbabwean moved the ball onto his right foot and slotted it low into the bottom left corner.
The 1500 travelling crowd were jubilant as Maswanhise scored his 15th goal for club and country this season. 1-0 Motherwell after 52 minutes.
Said was then fouled on the edge of the box ten minutes later, as the Steelmen smelt the opportunity for a second. Emmanuel Longelo was given the ball, and his left-footed effort only just grazed Sallinger’s crossbar.
Unfortunately for Jens Berthel Askou’s side, that missed chance would prove costly as Bowie found the equaliser from Hibs’ biggest chance of the second half. A cross-field ball found Obita on the left-hand side; he drove forward and played the ball towards Bowie, who will count himself fortunate, as he swiped his left foot at the ball but didn’t connect. Fortunately for him, the ball remained in his possession, and he had the simple task of firing into the net past Calum Ward. 68 minutes, 1-1.
Motherwell, however, continued to work hard and tried to create more opportunities. A short corner was eventually worked to Callum Slattery; his teasing cross found Said, but the Nigerian couldn’t keep the effort on target.
The Steelmen continued to push. Slattery controlled Koutroumbis’ cutback on his chest and let go with his left foot, but the ball was always rising.
Motherwell had one more big opportunity to win the match in stoppage-time. Slattery again found space on the right-hand side and crossed into the box; following Hanley’s half clearance, Maswanhise couldn’t connect with the ball this time. Said managed to touch the ball to Longelo, and the left-back was denied the winner by Sallinger once again.
A strong showing from the Steelmen, who keep up the pace with those at the top end of the table, and they can now focus on Scottish Cup action against Ross County next Saturday at Fir Park.
Motherwell Team: Ward, Sparrow, O’Donnell, Welsh, McGinn, Longelo, Fadinger, Priestman, Just, Maswanhise, Said.
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Koutroumbis, McGhee, Gordon, Slattery, McAllister, Osong, Ross, Stamatelopoulos.
