Match date : Saturday 31st January 1998 Competition : Premier League Attendance : 6,169
Motherwell scorers:
Dougie Arnott (10)
Mickey Weir (23)
Eric Garcin (43)
Lee McCulloch (81, 89)
Tommy Coyne (88).
LEE'S GLEE AS DUFF HIBS HIT FOR SIX
Motherwell 6 Hibernian 2RAMPANT MOTHERWELL recovered from the loss of two early goals to sweep Hibs aside at Fir Park to pull five points clear of the Edinburgh side at the foot of the table. In recording their most emphatic Premier League victory over the Easter Road side Motherwell surely condemned Jim Duffy to the sack.
Hibs, having failed to win an away league match for 14 months, must have thought their luck was in when they raced to a 2-0 lead after only six minutes. Firstly, Stevie Crawford won possession after a Martin slip as the pair chased the ball towards the bye-line. With Woods slow to come off his line, Crawford had time to slot the ball under the keeper and put his side ahead. Worse was to follow soon after. Lavety appeared to handle the ball in the midfield, and was able to beat Martin for pace before chipping the ball over the advancing Woods. Martin, who had just passed a late fitness test, was substituted at half-time clearly not fit. A start like that would have downed most teams, but Motherwell were not to be denied. After only 9 minutes, the home side reduced the lee-way. Tommy Coyne on the edge of the box sent in a low cross which Dougie Arnott at first missed completely. However, with Dennis slow to react, the veteran forward needed no further invitation and duly smacked the ball beyond Reid to open Motherwell's account. Within a further 15 minutes, the match was back to square one. Garcin, a ray of culture in a cluttered midfield, passed forward for Coyne. His excellent first touch gave him space to pick out Weir. With a quick shuffle, the former Hibs man chipped for goal from 20 yards. It looked harmless enough until Welsh intervened with his outstreched right thigh, and the ball sailed beyond the helpless Reid to draw Motherwell level. Brian Welsh then was booked for a rash tackle on Dougie Arnott, and as if to confirm his one-man vendetta against Arnott, shortly before half-time Welsh, beaten by Arnott, cynically brought down the Motherwell forward and was virtually walking to the side before the second yellow card was produced. Up stepped Eric Garcin, and he beautifully floated the ball into the postage-stamp corner of the net to complete a marvellous first-half recovery by Motherwell.
Motherwell 3 Hibernian 2Despite the double hammer-blow before half-time, Hibs came out in an all-out attempt at rescuing a situation which had gone rapidly from good to dire as the first-half had progressed. With Crawford and Lavety still causing the Motherwell defence problems, Manager McLeish replaced the unfit Martin with the evergreen Philliben. Hibs almost drew level soon into the half, Lavety crossing for the unmarked Crawford but his header was way too high. Motherwell had definitely taken their foot off the gas, and Hibs scented a glimmer of hope. Harper fired in a shot as a poor defensive clearance fell at his feet just 16 yards from goal, but the ball raced just wide of the post. At the other end, Falconer forced Reid into a good save with a 25-yarder, whilst Newman had a terrific volley sail just over as Motherwell seemed to wake from their second-half slumber. A fourth was always going to seal the points for the home side, and it duly came with just nine minutes of the game remaining. Mickey Weir, revelling in acres of space, sent a brilliant through ball for Coyne to trap. He in turn picked out sub Lee McCulloch, and with a quick shuffle to beat Dennis sent a delicate low chip inside the far post for his first goal in claret & amber. Hibs almost claimed a goal back when a rare slip by Rob Newman allowed Crawford to get a shot in, but Stevie Woods made up for the first goal of the day by producing a great block to deny the former Millwall man. Motherwell swept forward and rumbled with a fifth. Owen Coyle, wide on the left, sent a brilliant cross in to the unmarked Tommy Coyne, and he slotted the ball home from an angle to get his first goal since November, a rare lean spell for The Cobra. The Hibernian players were all over the place, and with such confusion it was no surprise Motherwell got a sixth. Kevin Christie picked out Lee McCulloch who stooped to head beyond Reid. After the despair of the previous matches against Dumbarton it was warm applause which the Motherwell players heard as they left the field, whilst Hibs slumped further into depression.
FINAL SCORE MOTHERWELL 6 HIBERNIAN 2