[tab:Match report]
Kris Jack at Easter Road
Nicky Law’s magnificent half-volley twelve minutes from time secured another precious point in the race for third place as ‘Well came from behind to draw 1-1 with Hibernian this afternoon.
A first half free kick from Gary O’Connor looked to be setting Hibs on their way to only their second home win of the season as Motherwell failed to get to grips with the game in the first half.
However, the Steelmen had much the better of the second half and deservedly came away with a point thanks to Law’s late strike. McCall’s men finished the game with ten men as Jonathan Page received his marching orders for a late second booking.
Suspensions to Steven Hammell and Steve Jennings meant Stuart McCall had to shuffle the pack to fill in the midfield and defensive gaps. Tim Clancy was moved to left back in Hammell’s absence, with Jonathan Page deputising in the middle of defence with Shaun Hutchinson. Stuart Carswell was Jennings’ replacement to partner Keith Lasley in the midfield.
Pat Fenlon made one change to his Hibernian side, with Tom Soares replacing Richie Towell who dropped out of the squad completely.
Chris Humphrey started brightly on the wide Easter Road pitch ghosting past Pa Kujabi only to play his low ball behind the onrushing Nicky Law and Michael Higdon. Tim Clancy then made decent contact, when he headed Law’s corner goalward, but Graeme Stack easily plucked the ball out of the air.
As the game swung from end to end, Law flashed an effort wide form inside the box, when Humphrey’s driven cross hit him in the midriff, but his shot was well wide of target. Keith Lasley then had to make a vital block on twelve minutes, as Griffiths shaped to shoot from 16 yards, after Ivan Sproule had outfoxed Tom Hateley on the right.
The stand in skipper then started a great one touch move with Humphrey and Higdon, which played in Henrik Ojamaa, but he couldn’t find space in the box and had to settle for a corner. As the set piece bounced around the box, Jonathan Page was booked for a late challenge on Stack after the ‘keeper had collected the ball.
Hibs first real attempt came when Griffiths set up Isaiah Osbourne, after taking advantage of a slip by Clancy, but the midfielder blazed his shot well over as Hibs upped their attacking game.
You could sense Hibs were starting to get the upper hand when Sproule flashed a shot wide after a great ball by Griffiths. It looked to be touched wide by Randolph but a goal kick was given much to the relief of everyone in silver. In reply, Ojamaa shot wide after turning McPake on the edge of the Hibs box, just before the home side took the lead.
Lasley brought down Sproule on the edge of the box on 29 minutes, which allowed O’Connor to pick his spot and rifle a free kick past the wall and in to the top corner. It was a great strike to put Hibernian in to the lead and was yet another goal for O’Connor against the Steelmen.
Griffiths came close to extending Hibs’ lead before the interval when he raced onto an Osbourne ball but his effort form the edge of the box was dealt with well by Randolph.
It was 1-0 at the break and a much improved performance was required in the second half if ‘Well were to get anything from the game.
The home side were first to threaten in the second period, when a thunderous thirty-yard effort from Soares cracked off the bar. It was a great strike but would almost be the last Hibs would show as an attacking for as Motherwell stepped up their game and went on to dominate
Humphrey looked to get the better of Kujabi as often as he could, but his crosses were too high for Higdon to get any purchase on three occasions in quick succession. Shaun Hutchinson then had a volley deflected over for a corner, which fell at Lasley’s feet, but he couldn’t get his shot away.
Ojamaa was then subbed for Jamie Murphy to add some pace to the attack, where the Estonian’s trickery wasn’t working. Hibernian left back Kujabi then provided a moment of mirth when he took a free kick 30 yards from goal. His Roberto Carlos-esque run looked threatening but only resulted in a horrendous effort which grazed the corner flag on its way out much to the hilarity of most inside Easter Road.
Stuart Carswell was replaced by Omar Daley with around 20 minutes left and despite being booked for his first involvement, he was pivotal in Motherwell’s leveller on 78 minutes. Humphrey and Hateley combined on the right, with the latter spotting Daley’s front post run and picking him out. The Jamaican’s lay off to Lasley was half cleared by Soares only as far as Nicky Law at the edge of the box who took the ball on the half volley and dispatched a fantastic strike in to the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Wotherspoon was booked for hauling down Humphrey on the right hand side as the Steelmen sensed blood but Hateley’s free kick was too long for anyone to connect with.
As the game spilled in to added on time, Hibs sub O’Donovan and Page had a foot race to get on to a long ball with the young defender adjudged to have nudged the Hibs’ sub in their attempt to win the ball. Referee O’Reilly brandished a second yellow and subsequent red for the youngster for conceding the free kick, which O’Connor blasted over from a similar position to which he scored.
It was the last action of an otherwise entertaining game, if a little light on actual goalmouth action; both sides probably accepting a point in the circumstances.
[tab:As it happened]
Alan Burrows at Easter Road
93mins – Full Time! Points are shared here at Easter Road.
90mins – Thankfully this time his effort goes miles over the bar! ‘Well are going to put on young Steven Saunders for the last few minutes. Defender returns after eight months out!
90mins – Jonathan Page is off for a second bookable offence. Trip on O’Donovan! O’Connor is gonna strike the free kick again (oh no :-()
87mins – Hateley gives away a daft free kick. Thankfully for the Steelmen they don’t capitalise and it’s still 1-1.
86mins – Hibs replace Griffiths with O’Donovan
85mins – Hibs have a free-kick that causes panic in the Motherwell defence. Higdon is forced to concede a corner.
82mins – Big ball over the top has Griffiths away. Hutchinson does well to narrow the angle and the striker blasts way over…
80mins – Good move down the right. Humphrey to Hateley cuts back for Daley. He dinks it back for Las who curls in a cross. Soares header lads at Law who swept the ball into the net! 1-1!
GOAL – NIIIICKKKKYYYYY LAWWW!
73mins – Daley comes on to play on the left flank but is quickly ushered up top with Murphy operating on the left flank.
72mins – Omar Daley comes on for ‘Well too… Stuart Carswell is coming off.
72mins – Wotherspoon coming on for Hibs in place of Ivan Sproule…
68mins – Pa Kujabi lines up a long range free kick Roberto Carlos style. Being kind, it was perhaps one of the worst you’ll ever see! Corner flag!
66mins – Ojamaa off and is replaced by Murphy. It was a difficult afternoon for the Estonian. Nothing really worked out at all!
63mins – O’Connor is booked for a niggle with Jon Page. A minute or so later, Humphrey is booked for a trip.
60mins – Hour gone and no doubt ‘Well have been better in the second half. Still not giving Stack much, if any, work to do though.
56mins – Law’s cross into the box falls to Hutchinson (still up from FK) inside the area but his shot is blocked over for a corner to ‘Well.
52mins – Humphrey is fouled as he darts towards the box… Free-kick for ‘Well. Hateley curls it in by Higdon again heads over.
51mins – Corner finds Higdon inside the box but his header loops over with Stack not troubled by the striker’s effort…
51mins – Brilliant work on the flank by Humphrey. Wins the ball then takes ‘Well 70 yards up the park to win a corner…
48mins – Down the other end, ‘Well get a half chance with Lasley but his low effort is blocked by McPake (I think)
47mins – Tom Soares, with time and space, curls a cracking shot off the bar. Motherwell escape there….
46mins – Early corner from the Steelmen. Looked all too easy for Stack but he dropped it. Can’t capitalise though… Still 1-0 Hibs!
46mins – Hibs get the second forty-five underway here at Easter Road.
HT: Motherwell are back out on the park… No changes as yet from the Steelmen. Let’s hope for a better second half!
HT: Will be interesting to see if there are any changes for the Steelmen at the break. The manager may opt to mix it up a little…
45mins – Half time and it is 1-0 Hibs who just about deserve their lead. Motherwell have been sluggish in the first half…
43mins – Anything Motherwell create is breaking down at the last moment I am afraid. It’s been a frustrating afternoon at Easter Rd thus far
41mins – it was a fairly even first half-hour or so but Hibs on top since the goal. ‘Well are sloppy at the moment. Half time welcome break.
40mins – ‘Well almost shoot themselves in the foot. Slack ball allows Pa Kujabi but Hutchinson mops up the danger, even winning a goal kick.
38mins – Humphrey, arguably ‘Well’s biggest threat, creates a half chance for Higdon with a cutback but the shot goes way wide.
36mins – Hibs are getting to the ball to stick to both O’Connor and Griffiths whereas Higdon and Ojamaa are struggling to get a grip hold.
35mins – Leigh Griffith’s low shot is saved by Randolph low to his near post. That followed a Stevenson effort that blazed way over!
33mins – Ojamaa harshly punished for a coming together with Hanlon. Didn’t look like a foul at all from here…
31mins – That’s the first real chance at goal of the match and Hibs go in front. Will be interesting to see how ‘Well react…
GOAL HIBS – Super free-kick from O’Connor leaves Darren Randolph helpless. Bullet into the top corner. 1-0 Hibs
29mins – Foul on Sproule gives a dangerous free-kick on the edge. O’Connor or Griffiths to hit it…
25mins – Motherwell’s response is a long drive from Ojamaa that zooms high into the stands!
24mins – Ivan Sproule’s low shot from the edge of the box is turned round by Randolph. Even better, ‘Well get a goal kick to boot…
23mins – Great block from Hutchinson denies what would probably would’ve been a goal for O’Connor. Randolph there to scoop loose ball…
21mins – Griffiths brings Hibs up the park with a good run on the counter. His cutback eventually lands at Osbourne who fires way over!
18mins – Booking for Page for that challenge which i think is fairly harsh. Youngster has got to go for that ball surely? There to be won?
18miins – Motherwell win a corner after a lovely one-touch passing move. Corner eventually drops in front of goal but Page catches Stack
15mins – Fairly low-key first 15 minutes here at Easter Road. Both teams have shown some attacking intent but nothing of real note so far…
11mins – Nicky Law’s snapshot goes way wide of the post despite the old ‘Ohhhhhhhhssss’ from the away stand.
7mins – Stevie O’Reilly isn’t making himself popular with the home faithful after a couple of calls go Motherwell’s way….
6mins – Some nice interplay by Hibs on the edge of the ‘Well box but Griffith’s low cross is smothered by Randolph…
5mins – A Nicky Law corner finds Tim Clancy inside the box but the former Killie man’s header is easy enough for Stack to clutch…
4mins – Wee half chance there for the Steelmen. Humphrey bursts down the left but his cross is behind Ojamaa and Law and the chance is lost.
1min – McCall has opted for Clancy at left-back – Jon Page will operate at centre back with Shaun Hutchinson…
1min – Motherwell get the match underway but already Hibs have a throw-in.
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:
“I felt today there were lots of times, Henrik (Ojamaa), (Keith) Lasley twice, had opportunities to get it out their feet and strike it.
“I felt the goal was coming. I was pleased with Omar (Daley) getting across the defender, he sets it back to Lasley. What they had done well all day, they won the headers in the box.
“But Lawsy’s touch and finish, he has obviously been watching DVDs of my shots from outside the box. At the beginning of the season he should be looking to hit 10, I know it’s a big ask for a midfielder.
“He has had a little glut recently, he only had one up to Christmas. But he should do that more because he has good ability to hit a ball.”
Hibernian manager Pat Fenlon:
“We played a good side today and I think they deserved a point, their second-half performance was very good.
“But I’m pleased with my own players as well. I thought the first-half performance was very good, we showed a bit of confidence from last week.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t hang on, but a point was probably a fair result.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
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