Motherwell 0, Hearts 2
Match date : Wednesday, March 1 2000 Competition : Premier League Attendance : 5,588
Motherwell Team:
Goram, Corrigan, Kemble, McGowan, McMillan, Townsley (Nicholas), Davies, Valakari, Adams (Nevin), Goodman, McCulloch (Harvey).HOME MISERY CONTINUES FOR MOTHERWELL
Motherwell 0 Hearts 2THE MISERABLE RUN OF FORM At Fir Park continued for Motherwell as they slumped to what is now the fourth consecutive home league defeat. Despite a vastly improved performance on recent outings Motherwell failed to score and ultimately leaked two costly goals.
In the first minute Motherwell almost took the lead when Corrigan crossed deep and as the ball broke Davies fired in a shot from 16 yards which Niemi did well to hold. Seconds later Davies again shot towards goal, this time latching onto McMillan's intelligent ball in, and the midfielder was even closer as the ball went narrowly past. Derek Adams, enjoying his first start since August, won a midfield tussle with Thomaschek but his cross was too strong for Townsley and held by the keeper. Lee McCulloch then almost broke through only for Simpson to stop his progress for a throw. It was all Motherwell in the opening stages and a Corrigan header sent Townsley racing towards the Hearts box. Passing to Goodman, he twisted and turned his way towards goal but was eventually blocked out by Naysmith, though it was much more encouraging stuff form the home side. A terrific pass by Benito Kemble was nodded on by Adams who looked to have been fouled by Thomascheck. However, Referee McCluskey curiously awarded a drop ball just inside the area which was booted clear by Simpson. Motherwell continued to push Hearts back, McMillan gave McCulloch a pass which was knocked out by Pressley. In came the throw which McMillan crossed early but it curled out. The kick-out was poor allowing Valakari the chance to cross though it was claimed by Niemi. It took the visitors a full 10 minutes to put any constructive passing together, and even at that Goram took Wales' cross easily. Motherwell then gained a free-kick 18 yards from goal on the left but McMillan's take was booted away by Murray. Good combination work by Valakari, Davies and Corrigan gave Valakari room on the right to cross but the effort was poor and behind. A great turn by Townsley set-up McCulloch but the shot from 25 yards out troubled nobody. LecLerq then found himself in space as Hearts broke upfield but he was denied by a terrific block by the ever-improving Corrigan. As the ball came back in from Naysmith Goram took the ball well under pressure from Thomascheck at the second attempt. A clever long-ball by McMillan was well trapped by Goodman who turned LeClerq as if the defender wasn't there. Goodman spotted McCulloch, and on receipt of the pass turned Pressley easily though somehow McCluskey awarded a soft free-kick in favour of Hearts. A loose header by Pressley then rather fortunately found it's way to Niemi as Townsley pressurised the defender. Hearts broke forward with Flogel firing in from then angle though Goram got down well to hold. A corner to Motherwell was partially cleared by Naysmith to Davies but his attempted shot skewed wide for a throw. More good play by Motherwell allowed Valakari the chance to shoot from 20 yards and his effort was well held by Finnish International Teammate Niemi. Simpson was then lucky not to be booked for brining down Adams from behind, and the free-kick from 20 yards was curled just wide by McMillan. LeCLerq, encouraged by Referee McCluskey's reluctance to play by the rules, escaped a card for a typically crude tackle on Goodman. It was still Motherwell who looked more likely and from Corrigan's pass Goodman flicked on to Davies whose attempted over-head kick wasn't far past. The Fir Parkers came even closer when Valakari slipped the ball through for Goodman and he outsprinted the defence to clip the ball beyond Niemi but also the post. Just before the half-hour Hearts almost stole the lead when Locke crossed for LeClerq and his point-blank header was brilliantly parried by Goram. Play returned to the Hearts half and McCulloch was the subject of a late challenge from Murray though play was waved on. Townsley won possession from Naysmith to lay-off for Adams and the shot rose inches over. McGowan's long ball looked set to be turned on by McCulloch but he was prevented from jumping by Murray who, despite climbing all over the Motherwell striker, received no punishment. Hearts pushed upfield and McMillan was turned inside out by Murray whose shot went well past. Derek Adams long ball found McCulloch but with Townsley to the side and in space McCulloch chose to go on and was crowded out. However, Motherwell attacked again and some great play by Townsley sent Goodman in only for Niemi to make a great block. The ball broke again to McCulloch but once more Niemi was equal. Murray then brought down McCulloch as the striker looked set to run clear but once more no card came. A Hearts breakaway saw Jackson run on to LeClerq's pass. The ball ran loose and Kemble's clearance struck Jackson who theatrically slumped to the turf. It was a convincing fall as Hearts were awarded a free-kick some 25 yards out. As the ball came in, however, Townsley cleared way downfield. Murray and Jackson combined to give the latter a shooting chance but the ball was deflected by McGowan for a corner. Hearts were seeing slightly more of the ball at this stage and it took a good tackle from Adams to stop Wales, unfortunately for Adams Referee McCluskey thought otherwise and gave Hearts the free-kick which Goram claimed well. Motherwell burst forward with Davies and his terrific pass gave McCulloch a great chance only for the strike to scuff his shot and the effort was easily saved. Second later great skill from McCulloch saw him leave Pressley standing. Bursting into the box he was brought down by Pressley's attempt at a recovery tackle but no penalty was given. Benito Kemble then raced upfield and was brought down by a tackle from behind by Pressley. No card again, and the free-kick in a dangerous position was poorly taken by Townsley. In injury time awarded for Jackson's earlier theatrics Hearts took an undeserved lead. Simpson's cross fell to Jackson, and he turned McMillan on the edge of the box to fire behind Goram.
Half-Time Motherwell 0 Hearts 1Motherwell began the second as they had the first, and Townsley's lay-off for Valakari was fired inches over the bar. LeClerq then brought down Goodman some 40 yards out and the free-kick which came in was headed away by Simpson just ahead of the inrushing McCulloch. Townsley made a great run toward the box but it took a terrific challenge by Thomascheck who cleared. More good defending, this time by McMillan halted the progress of Flogel but the ball broke and Cameron saw a flick held by Goram. Good work by McMillan and McCulloch opened up the Hearts defence to give Valakari another shot but it was wayward and well over. A back-pass by Murray carried too much wait and forced Niemi into conceding a corner, and as the ball came in Goodman had a header blocked with McCulloch held as he tried to get to the ball, LeClerq escaping a foul. Goodman's pace was troubling the Hearts back four and he outstripped LeClerq to shoot from 18 yards though Niemi held the ball after an initial fumble. A poor clearance by Pressley was desperately booted clear by Naysmith with Goodman almost able to capitalise. Corrigan then made a great run to lay off for Townsley, the cross came in but Niemi gathered just ahead of McCulloch. On the hour mark, however, Hearts scored a second they scarcely deserved. Valakari's loose clearance on his own goal-line was slotted under Goram by Wales who needed no second invitation. Motherwell tried to hit back right away with Davies but his header from a McMillan cross was well saved by Niemi. Wales should have been booked for a terrible challenge on Kemble but Referee McCluskey, with a long history of rarely booking, allowed this one to go as well. LeClerq then made a spectacular dive over McMillan's outstretched leg and won a free-kick wide on the right, though this came to nothing. With twenty-four minutes to go Manager Billy Davies made a curious substitution by taking off Adams and replacing him with Nevin. As Motherwell re-organised Jackson laid the ball off for Flogel who shot inches over. Motherwell then made another sub, replacing Townsley with Nicholas. Referee McCluskey then booked Flogel for a dive after McCulloch had challenged, though strangely awarded the free-kick in favour of the Hearts defender. A third Motherwell sub soon followed, and it was met with boos by the home support with McCulloch, a striker, making way for Harvey, a midfielder, with Motherwell two goals down. Thomascheck made a crucial interception from McMillan's cross to deny Valakari who would have raced clear on Niemi. McMillan then lost possession to give Wales the chance to run on Goram and he shot inches past the post. Benito Kemble pushed forward and his header was well cleared by Pressley with Nicholas looking to shoot. Martyn Corrigan also pushed upfield, and he won a corner, though McGowan's effort was cleared. Cameron was late on a challenge with Davies and despite the nastiness of the tackle Cameron escaped any punishment. Davies, however, was carried off on a stretcher unconscious, leaving Motherwell to finish the match with 10 men. Jamie McGowan then fired in a shot which was blocked, Kemble flicked on to McMillan but his shot was deflected by Pressley for a corner. Goodman mis-timed his jump and the ball fell to Niemi. With time running out Motherwell won a free-kick, though McMillan's take was poor and Wales cleared. In injury time Hearts made two completely pointless substitutions by bringing on McSwegan and Adam. Both were, however, involved in the game's last incident when Andy Goram made two quite stunning saves from firstly McSwegan and then Adam. However, the scoreline remained and Hearts more or less escaped with three points.
Full-Time Motherwell 0 Hearts 2