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[tab:Match report]

Alan Burrows at Tynecastle

Motherwell made it back-to-back wins with a terrific 2-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle this afternoon.

Michael Higdon smashed in the opener after three minutes, and the Steelmen were in dreamland after eight as a Dylan McGowan own-goal made it two.

‘Well could and should have extended that lead before the interval but Hearts held out.

John Sutton brought the home side back into things on the hour with a poacher’s goal from a corner.

Gary Locke’s side saw plenty of the ball in the closing stages but never really threatened Darren Randolph’s goal.

‘Well boss Stuart McCall was forced into one change from the side that beat Celtic in midweek. Simon Ramsden picked up a knock and wasn’t risked, Tom Hateley slotted into his familiar right-back role.

The Motherwell manager will have sent his side out to try and stifle the early Hearts enthusiasm and, where possible, kill the crowd.

Even he couldn’t have wished for the start the Steelmen made!

Just three minutes were on the clock when Michael Higdon opened the scoring.

The mercurial James McFadden was the creator, turning inside McGowan and prodding it through for Higdon despite a scything Wilson tackle.  It was a great advantaged played by referee Craig Thomson and Higdon slammed it under MacDonald with his left foot, his twentieth goal of the campaign.

It went from good to great for the visitors just five minutes later when a Dylan McGowan own-goal doubled the lead. Henrik Ojamaa turned on Higdon’s cushioned header for Nicky Law who had broke through the Hearts defence. MacDonald blocked the midfielder’s initial shot but the rebound was inadvertently turned into his own net by the young Aussie defender.

Shell-shocked, Hearts did their best to work themselves back into the match but were forced into long-range efforts from the edge of the area, none of which posed Darren Randolph any problems in the home.

In truth, Motherwell could and probably should have extended the advantage. The lethal Higdon even rounded MacDonald but the angle was too tight and his attempted cutback was hooked clear by the well-placed Webster.

Estonian Ojamaa also went past MacDonald in a foot race but was unable to take advantage in spite of good numbers in the opposition box.

Hearts’ only real chance of the first forty-five fell to on-loan Liverpool striker Michael Ngoo shortly after the half-hour mark.

The big striker did well to get on the end of a John Sutton knockdown but Randolph brilliantly turned his spin and shot round the post.

Two minutes later, one-time Motherwell target Ryan Stevenson might have performed better after getting a fortunate break off Hateley inside the area, but lacked composure and lashed the ball high and wide.

The Steelmen looked comfortable in the first fifteen minutes of the second half but were pegged back on the hour by former ‘Well hitman John Sutton.

Stuart McCall may have had cause to feel a little aggrieved though. The Motherwell boss was unhappy his team were not awarded a throw-in before substitute Arvydas Novikovas won and delivered the corner from which the former Fir Park favourite nodded home from close range.

That goal gave Hearts fans encouragement and the decibel level inside Tynecastle certainly increased. In truth though, the last half hour, for all Hearts possession, was fairly fruitless for the home side.

Randolph was rarely troubled at all. In actual fact, it was ‘Well who came closest with a neat turn and shot from Higdon was saved well by MacDonald.

‘Well managed to hold out for the three points and further consolidate their top-six spot. Another difficult away trip awaits next weekend with the long journey north to Pittodrie to take on Aberdeen.

[tab:As it happened]

Ally Reilly at Tynecastle

FULL TIME!!!!! Hearts 1 – 2 Motherwell

3 minutes added on

83mins: Higdon gets on the end of McHughs square ball. shoots straight at MacDonald!

80mins: Into the last 10 minutes, still 1-2 #nervy

77mins: Motherwell sub, McFadden off for Carswell

75mins: Hearts sub, King on for Walker.

71mins: Motherwell sub, McHugh on for Ojamaa

70mins: McFadden booked or dissent. Cummins with a fine block at front post to deny Sutton

66mins: Hearts manage to clear Law’s crossed free-kick just as Cummins was about to connect!

62mins: Hearts really pressing for the equaliser! ‘Well holding firm though.

57mins: GOAL , Sutton makes it 1-2 with his head

49mins: Ojamaa booked for simulation. Not sure about that!

Teams back out. Novikovas on for Tapping.

HT: Hearts 0 – 2 Motherwell

39mins: Hearts should have scored there. Stevenson blazed well over and wide from close range after Sutton’s knockdown.

34mins: Fantastic save from Randolph as Ngoo hit his shot on the spin just inside the box. Corner cleared too.

28mins: Higdon goes around MacDonald but the angle is too tight for a shot and his cut back is cleared by Webster.

Second was when Nicky law found some space in the box and at the second attempt stuck it in the net via McGowan

23mins: Looks like we’re back in action. Higdon’s finish was superb for the first! On his left foot into the corner after McFadden supplied

Very patchy signal on 3G and wireless. Still 0-2, Motherwell well on top.

Horrible Internet issues here! 2-0 Motherwell, Higdon and Law the scorers!

Game is underway!

Webster and Lasley lead the teams out on to the currently sun drenched Tynecastle pitch.

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:

“It was a big result because it was probably the lowest I felt last Saturday, it just shows you the highs and low of football.

“We’ve bounced back, two gritty performance as much as anything and the table looks a little bit rosier now.

“All managers ask for a good start, it was important to start well. With Lockie in charge, I knew the crowd would be up for it.

“I was delighted with the start and then the pitch began to cut up. We played some good football and we knew it was always going to be a battle in the second half.

“Coming in 2-0 at half-time was great. They scored and they put a lot of balls in the box but we stood firm.”

Hearts interim manager Gary Locke:

“I think we can be pretty positive about the second half.

“I’ve told the players we can’t do that for 45 minutes, we need to do it for 90, especially with the run we’re going through.

“Certainly, the second half was more like the Hearts team we need to see at Tynecastle.

“We had stressed how important it was to come out of the traps and, if you do get off to a good start, the fans get right behind you.

“I was really disappointed at going two down so early. The great thing from my point of view is that it would have been easy for the players to put their head down and not react, but they reacted in the right manner.

“We changed a couple of things at half-time and I’ve said to them that the second half was the type of performance we’re expecting.

“We certainly have to work on one or two things in training but hopefully on Tuesday we can start the game better.

“If we play for 90 minutes like we did in the second half here, hopefully we can turn the corner.”

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

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After two close matches between the sides already this season, Stuart McCall is expecting another close match when ‘Well visit Tynecastle tomorrow.

A long-range Danny Grainger strike gave Hearts a narrow 1-0 win the last time the Steelmen were in Georgie in October.

Just over one month later, it was a 0-0 stalemate at Fir Park with both teams cancelling each other out.

And Scotland coach McCall is sure there will be very little to choose from when the sides lock horns for a third time tomorrow afternoon.

“We’ve had two really tight games against Hearts this season; not a lot of goals,” he said.

“In fact, it was a wondergoal from Danny Grainger that separated the sides the last time we were at Tynecastle then we had a 0-0 at Fir Park.

“It’s a shame how things went for John (McGlynn). I don’t know him that well, but enough to be certain he will be hurting.

“He gave everything to the job. If you compare the squad Paulo Sergio had to John’s and take into consideration their terrible run of injuries, he was really unfortunate.

“What is certain is that Hearts will be up for it to try and work hard for Gary Locke. We need to ensure we match their endeavour and continue some of the excellent football from midweek.”

-WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE ONLY ON MFC TV-

Adam Cummins insists Motherwell will concentrate only on themselves when they face managerless Hearts at Tyencastle tomorrow.

The Scottish Communities League Cup Finalists parted company with manager John McGlynn yesterday following midweek defeat at St Mirren Park.

Former captain Gary Locke and Under 20s boss Darren Murray will be in the dugout tomorrow and are sure to dominate the pre-match chat.

However, 19-year old former Everton defender Cummins hopes to build on Wednesday’s excellent win over Celtic and strengthen ‘Well’s battle for a top-six spot.

[pullquote]They’ll put a team out and expect to win and so will we; we’re concentrating more on what we are doing rather than what is happening to them.[/pullquote]

He told the press at the Steelmen’s pre-match media conference: “Their change of manager might have an effect on the game but we can’t focus too much on what is going on there.

“They’ll put a team out and expect to win and so will we; we’re concentrating more on what we are doing rather than what is happening to them.

“They might be unsettled but, at the same time, Gary Locke might be the one who takes over and the players might be looking to impress him in the first game.

“Although they are second bottom, they have a very strong team and are fighting to get up the table. From our point of view, we’ve just got to go about our business and try to get the three points.”

-WATCH THE FULL CONFERENCE ONLY ON MFC TV-

Extended highlights from Rugby Park as Motherwell Under 20s slip to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Kilmarnock.

-WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV-

Jonatan Johansson was proud of his young side despite their 4-2 defeat at Rugby Park this evening.

The Fir Parkers had to play the whole second-half with ten men after Steven Saunders was dismissed seconds before the half-time interval.

Killie, containing the likes of Kris Boyd, Rabiu Ibrahim and Garry Hay, took the lead but were quickly pegged back thanks to goals from Lee Erwin and a spectacular Lee Ashcroft own-goal.

However, substitute Kiltie grabbed a double and Ibrahim rounded off the win to hand the Ayrshire side all three points.

Whilst frustrated at the manner in which his side lost goals, the Finn was proud at the effort and endeavour of his young side.

[pullquote]There was a lot of good stuff and I am proud of the effort, but when your most experienced player gets sent off on the biggest park in the league, it’s going to be really hard and we knew that.[/pullquote]

Speaking exclusively to MFC TV, he said: “I’m obviously disappointed, but more so with the manner in which lost the goals; that’s the only thing that annoyed me.

“There was a lot of good stuff and I am proud of the effort, but when your most experienced player gets sent off on the biggest park in the league, it’s going to be really hard and we knew that.

“After that you can only hope that if they did score, they would be really well-worked but they weren’t and that is disappointing.

“Losing the first one so early and having the character to get back into it, it’s so poor to lose those sort of goals and come away with nothing.

“We’ll go and analyse the goals and look forward to Sunday’s game where we can hopefully keep our first clean sheet of the season.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ONLY ON MFC TV-

Ten-man Motherwell slipped to a 4-2 defeat against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park this evening.

Both teams played out a fairly even first forty-five minutes, but when Steven Saunders was red carded for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity seconds before the interval, it changed the match.

The hosts came out the traps at the start of the second period and took just three minutes to get their noses in front, Craig Slater slamming home.

Incredibly though, Motherwell roared back into the game and equalized through Lee Erwin and went ahead when Lee Ashcroft headed a Josh Watt cross into his own net.

However, Killie made their extra man count and substitute Greg Kiltie leveled before putting his side ahead for the second time.

Despite being a man down, ‘Well went pushing for another equalizer but left themselves open at the back. That was to prove crucial as Rabiu Ibrahim confirmed the win with a clinical counter-attacking goal nine minutes from time.

Jonathan Johansson made three changes from the side that beat Hibs 4-1 in Edinburgh two weeks ago. Lee Hollis, Zaine Francis-Angol and Bob McHugh all dropped out, and were replaced by Ross Stewart, Ross Kellock and Lee Erwin.

Killie had returning striker Kris Boyd in their starting eleven and he was joined by recognizable names such as Garry Hay and January buy Rabiu Ibrahim.

And it was the hosts who started the game on the front foot; Davidson fired wide and Slater blazed over as the Ayrshire side looked to grab an early lead.

‘Well soaked up the early pressure and gradually worked their way into the match. Watt brought out a good save from Calum Dillon before Saunders fired the resulting corner high over the crossbar.

Killie’s Mark Taylor made Ross Stewart work for the first time in the match after twenty minutes with a stinging low shot; Motherwell replied through Jack Leitch but he ballooned an effort after industrious wing play from young Kellock.

Kris Boyd will provide superb attacking fodder for Killie before the end of the season but the SPL’s record scorer looked like a player short in match practice. His shot from the edge of the box, after some patient build-up from the impressive Ibrahim, was the easiest Stewart would deal with all evening.

At the other end, Dale Shirkie thought he had Motherwell in front when he bundled home a corner but the match official was in close attendance to rule it out for what appeared to be a push.

As the half-time interval approach, Kellock fired a shot narrowly wide and Lee Erwin’s goalbound effort was smartly blocked by both Killie centre-backs.

With seconds left to the break, the game was turned on its head with the dismissal of Steven Saunders for pulling down Taylor as he raced in on Stewart. The referee was left with little option and the Steelmen would play the whole second half a man light.

Johansson introduced Morygn Neill at the break in place of Dale Shirkie with Lee Erwin asked to plan the lone striker role.

Killie looked lively and they scored just three minutes after the restart. Ibrahim released Slater on the right hand side of the penalty area. He showed excellent composure to step inside his marker and curl a left-footed shot into the far corner leaving Stewart helpless.

It was the goal Killie were desperate for and when Kris Boyd was denied a return goal by the feet of Stewart just minutes later, you may have been forgiven for thinking the game was a forgone conclusion. Motherwell had other ideas.

Some indecision in the home rearguard allowed Paul McCafferty to nip in and steal the ball. He teed it up for Erwin who shifted the ball onto his left foot and drilled it low under Dillon.

Astonishingly, the visitors took the lead three minutes later. Watt collected a loose ball on the left flank and his attempted cross for Erwin was bulleted into his own net off the underside of the bar by the unlucky Ashcroft.

Kilmarnock replaced Hay and the otherwise ineffectual Boyd with Hendry and Kiltie and it changed the match completely.

Indeed, Kiltie was to prove an inspired change as he equalized with his first touch. The youngster got on the end of a lovely Ibrahim reverse ball and smashed it home despite the best efforts of Stewart.

The same player got his second, and Killie’s third, ten minutes later, pouncing on a miscued shot by Taylor to tuck home from close range. It was incredibly fortunate turn of events but a neat finish from the substitute.

Despite the setback, ‘Well continued to push for a second equalizer. Watt must have thought he was going to get it after a lovely one-two with Erwin on the edge of the box, but somehow the home side survived.

It was to prove a pivotal moment as Kilmarnock almost immediately went up the park and scored the decisive fourth. Ibrahim burst clear and with the defenders standing off, he slotted it past Stewart. It was the last real action of a thoroughly entertaining match.

Johansson will have been frustrated by the manner in which his side lost goals but proud at the way his young side battled for everything for the whole ninety minutes.

The Steelmen will look to bounce back when they face Inverness at Fir Park on Sunday afternoon.

Motherwell: Stewart, Devlin, Kellock (Johnstone – 70mins), Saunders, Murray, Asghar, McCafferty, Erwin, Leitch (Thomas – 82mins), Shirkie (Neill – 46mins), Watt

Subs Not Used: Currie, Green, Higgins

Goals: Erwin (55), Killie OG (58)

Booked: Erwin (13)

Sent Off: Saunders (45)

Motherwell Football Club are today delighted to announce a partnership with Maxim Office Park who will sponsor the South Stand for the next three years.

As a part of the sponsorship, the stand will be renamed the Maxim Office Park Stand and the fascia, which previously displayed the 2011 Lanarkshire Children’s Games, updated to reflect the Maxim branding.

Maxim Office Park, which is prominently situated on the M8 beside the Dakota Hotel, consists of a wide range of contemporary office and retail space totaling over 750,000 sq ft that can accommodate the needs of most businesses.

It is strategically located, immediately adjacent to the A8/M8, giving excellent access to the central belt of Scotland.

Maxim has already attracted in excess of 100,000 sq ft of office tenants include the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Valliant Group, Currie & Brown and Regus, the UK’s leading service office provider.

On site Park amenities include the Dakota hotel, Berits & Brown restaurant and coffee shop plus Papillon nursery.

Motherwell FC Chief Executive Leeann Dempster said: “We are really delighted to be working with the team at Maxim and to have secured such a high profile partner for the club.

“It is a terrific location and every time I visit, the more impressed I am with the site and location.

“This sponsorship shows you the reach and quality that can be achieved when partnering with our club and once again we are delighted to be working with the team at Maxim and we will do all we can to make it a huge success.”

David Gebbie from Maxim Park added: “Motherwell FC is a logical community partner. We share similar values as well as charitable interests, and believe the combination will make for an interesting relationship.”

A reminder for fans that pre buying a ticket for Tynecastle this Saturday will save you money on the pay-at-the-turnstile price.

If you pick up a ticket from the Fir Park Ticket office ahead of Saturday’s match, the prices are listed as:

• Concessions are listed as Over 65s and Full Time Students with a valid matriculation card.
• If you are planning to make the trip to Edinburgh, check out our handy ‘Guide to Tynecastle’.
• Fans who require wheelchair access should contact Sharon or John McCaskie on 01555 870122 or email disabledfans@motherwellfc.co.uk
• There may be an opportunity to sell any unsold tickets on the day of the game at Tynecastle. The following prices (below) will apply if this is the case:

Extended highlights from Fir Park as goals from Chris Humphrey and Michael Higdon give ‘Well a superb 2-1 victory over league-leaders Celtic.

-WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS ON MFC TV-

Pictures from the fantastic 2-1 win over Celtic in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at Fir Park.

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