Motherwell 1, Hearts 2

Match Date: Saturday, March 2 2002
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 7,223
Motherwell Team (3-5-2):

Woods, Ready, Strong, Lehmann, Corrigan, Lasley, Leitch, Adams, Hammell, McFadden, Ferrere (Elliott 74).
Subs not used: Brown, Forrest, Martinez, Pearson.

Motherwell scorer: Lasley (54).

Yellow Card: Leitch.

JAMMY HEARTS SNEAK THE POINTS

Motherwell  1     Hearts  2

MOTHERWELL LOST OUT NARROWLY TO Hearts who were a touch fortunate to escape with all three points. After a poor opening half-hour the Fir Parkers came right into things but aided and abetted by some awful Refereeing the home side failed to register any addition to the season's haul.

Hearts began brightest and came close early on. After Corrigan had caught Fuller the resultant free kick was mis-hit by McKenna into the arms of Stevie Woods. Fuller turned and fired in a shot which was blocked by rookie center-half Dirk Lehmann for a corner. As this came in Pressley rose unchallenged to head wide. The home fans were up in arms seconds later when Flogel brought Hammel down but incredibly saw the free kick go the way of the visitors. Flogel and teammate Maybury then combined to foul Adams and this time the free kick went to Motherwell. However, this broke down allowing Hearts to break but good defending from Corrigan stopped the progress of Fuller. A minute later the slack 'Well defence allowed McKenna to freely head though it went wide.

There should have been a booking for Fuller when he was very late on Leitch, even less funny were the accusations that Fuller was fouled more than he gave out. Good play by the Fir Parkers saw Ferrere and Lasley combine and almost sent McFadden clear, Pressley nipping in to boot away. Ferrere then found Adams but a crucial delay gave McKenna the opportunity to clear. Ferrere was then the recipient of a rash tackle from Gronlund but once more Referee Orr chose not to book. Motherwell had a good opportunity snatched away when Adams dispossessed Pressley on the edge of the box but Orr decided to rescue the Hearts man and give him the free kick. After Hearts had been given another free kick when Fuller fell as Corrigan slid in Motherwell won back possession with Hammel racing away. Unfortunately the resultant cross from Lasley went behind.

Motherwell went behind in the 22nd minute and it was a bad goal to lose. Flogel was allowed to run unchallenged from midfield and his cross was swept in by McKenna on the penalty spot. The Fir Parkers should have had a spot-kick when Lehmann was barged over by McKenna inside the box but play was waved on. Hearts broke upfield with Fuller barging his way into the box before Corrigan conceded the corner, Woods punching this clear of danger. A rather dubious offside decision then cost Motherwell when Ferrere picked out the run from McFadden perfectly only for the very, very late flag to deny him. The ball then broke in midfield for Flogel and he sent in a shot which went narrowly past. Loose play from Corrigan presented Fuller with the ball and he angled it past Woods but somehow also cleared the far post.

McKenna then had a free header drift wide as the Fir Park defence struggled to cope without Eric Deloumeaux . Motherwell at last restored Lehmann to center-forward after the failed defensive turn-out and the change began to pay dividends. Great work from Ferrere sent Corrigan wide but the cross was nicked away from McFadden by Pressley. A long range shot from Maybury went well wide before Motherwell gained a free kick 40 yards out after Pressley had elbowed Ferrere. The Frenchman took it himself but drove the ball wide. Lehmann then had a header cleared from near the line by Pressley. Last action of the half saw Hearts win a corner which came to nothing

Half-Time     Motherwell  0     Hearts  1

There was controversy almost from kick off when Niemi clearly handled the ball as he raced from goal to beat McFadden in the chase. He was a good couple of yards outside the area but somehow neither the linesman nor the Referee spotted the offence. Maybury then had to look sharp to deny McFadden a sniff at goal. Hearts broke forward and Fuller forced a corner which he himself headed wide. Woods then had to smartly smother a shot from Gronlund. A hack on McFadden from Maybury gave the Fir parkers a free kick some 25 yards out which Lehmann rose to meet but could only head past the post. Sloan for the visitors then passed up a good opportunity when he dragged a pass from Fuller wide. It was to prove costly as Motherwell drew level just a minute later, Keith Lasley superbly volleying home a Greg Strong free kick from inside the box on the angle.

Still there were no yellow cards despite a very late tackle from Severin on McFadden. Motherwell almost took the lead shortly afterwards when Lehmann hooked a cross just past. Another push from McKenna, this time on Lehmann, failed to motivate the Referee into suitable action though by now this was no surprise. And he as at it again soon afterwards, Lehmann again the recipient. An unusual source came to the visitors rescue when Lehman's net bound shot smacked off Strong and behind, and in keeping with his mystifying decisions Referee Orr awarded Motherwell the corner. There was at last a booking in 63 minutes though Scott Leitch could count himself unlucky given what had got away thus far, the Motherwell man seeing yellow for a foul on Gronlund. The visiting keeper had to look smart when Lehmann connected with a loose ball, Niemi smothering. A fine Motherwell move then forced Niemi to produce a superb save, Lehmann firing in from the edge of the box and the Finnish keeper parrying behind. Motherwell were the better team now and Maybury desperately cleared McFadden's cross for a corner.

McFadden then crashed to the ground after a barge from McKenna but there was no penalty. After Fuller had fell under minimal contact on the edge of the box the ball broke for Leitch but he drove over. Fuller hobbled about as it seriously injured but he angered the Motherwell fans and players alike by dramatically haring after a loose ball in midfield just seconds later. Ferrere won possession but he was pushed over by Pressley with play failing to stop. Motherwell passed up a great opportunity when Ferrere found Lehmann who drove straight at Niemi from the by line with McFadden clear at the other side of the box. It was Ferrere's last involvement and he was replaced by Elliott. It took a terrific save from Woods to keep the scores level, Fuller completing his amazing recovery from serious injury to test the Keeper out. Gronlund then was way late with a tackle on Lasley which left the Motherwell man writing in agony though incredibly Orr waved play on and failed to book the Hearts man.

Motherwell did win a free kick when Pressley chose to head the back of Elliott with the ball well away. McFadden curled it in but it struck Sloan and went for a corner. As it was swung in Niemi dropped the ball under minimal pressure but convinced the Referee to give him the free kick. Hearts somewhat stole the points a minute later when Sloan evaded Adams and Corrigan before slotting wide of Woods and in off the post. A dive from Fuller, far from his first, then gained a free kick which Hearts took an age to take, replacing Sloan with Boyack. Sloan was furthest from play whilst Boyack went to the exact same position before play was able to resume.

Hearts continued to time-waste though Motherwell did their best to play football when possible. Lehmann saw a headflick knocked behind though the expected corner wasn't awarded. Then Lasley drove a free kick wide of the mark. It took until the 90th minute before a Hearts player was booked, Maybury at last booked after bringing down Hammel. Three minutes later Boyack was booked after he was very late on Strong. In keeping with their time-wasting tactics Hearts made a completely unnecessary substitution in the 94th minute, replacing Weir with Simmons. It worked and Hearts held on.

Full-time     Motherwell  1     Hearts  2

Match Report by Ricky Mullen

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