Motherwell 0 Hearts 4

By Simon Stone, PA Sport

Darren Jackson blasted in his first goal for Hearts as the rampant Edinburgh club strode away from relegation trouble at the expense of Motherwell at Fir Park today.

Jackson, who had failed to find the net in four games since his £350,000 move from Celtic last month, drilled in a 20-yard shot midway through the first half, then played a starring role as Stephane Adam bagged two more in the second period to send the travelling army into delirium.

Colin Cameron's last-minute fourth capped a magnificent individual display, his early season absence surely a major reason for Hearts' struggles.

Andy Goram was rooted to the spot as Jackson drilled home the opener, lacthing onto a loose ball on the edge of the box after an Adam cross had been deflected into his path.

Adam's double whammy merely confirmed the inevitable - and raised question marks about how the club had found themselves in their desperate position in the first place.

Adam's first had an element of controversy about it. With the second half just seconds old, Rob McKinnon clipped a ball through the static Motherwell defence.

Stand-in skipper Cameron was clearly offside but remained still as Adam ran on.

The Frenchman's first shot cannoned kindly back off Goram, allowing the Hearts forward to steer home the rebound.

Motherwell were asleep when Adam grabbed his second, the striker given acres of room inside the six-yard box as he planted a neat header past Goram, with McKinnon again the provider.

After picking up four points from their last two away games Hearts had started with the confidence their recent resurgence suggested.

Jackson found space in front of the Motherwell defence, who struggled to cope with the incisive bursts of Adam and strike partner Gary McSwegan.

Too many Motherwell passes went astray during a scrappy opening period for the home side, whose only clear chance came when John Spencer headed a Ged Brannan cross straight at Gilles Rousset.

Brannan had almost been responsible for gifting Jackson the opener seconds before the former Celtic man fired home for the visitors and even after the goal, Motherwell continued in their sloppy manner.

Spencer scurried about looking for work but Hearts had the class.

Manager Jim Jefferies had taken the brave decision to dump Dave McPherson to the bench, preferring a three-man defence in which Paul Ritchie was an impressively composed figure.

Don Goodman had few chances to open his Fir Park account and the best chances were all heading towards their own goal, Jackson dragging a shot wide when well placed.

A defensive reshuffle just before the break, when Shaun Teale was removed from the fray after suffering a cut to his face.

Spencer dropped back into midfield, with Stephen McMillan taking over the vacant centre-half role.

But Motherwell barely had time to establish a pattern before Adam made it two within 60 seconds of the re-start.

McSwegan hit the bar as the men from Tynecastle swarmed forward and even the double substitution which saw Pat Nevin and Rob Matthaei introduced for Motherwell, failed to halt their advance.

Adam could barely believe the amount of space he was afforded as he nodded home his second and the visitors' third and Andy Goram, who is believed to have agreed a new contract to keep him at Fir Park, must be wondering what he has left himself in for.

Jackson had been withdrawn from the fray when the former Rangers man produced an acrobatic stop to deny Cameron, who had been shoved further forward to exploit the space Motherwell seemed unable to fill.

Cameron fired in number four, giving Goram little chance other than to cast an admiring glance at the ball as it flashed past him into the top left hand corner.

The gulf in class had turned into a chasm and Hearts were producing the style which brought them their Cup Final success last season.

Jefferies must be wondering why it has taken so long.

Teams:

Motherwell: Goram, Doesburg, McGowan (Matthaei 56), Thomas, Teale (McCulloch 42), McMillan, Valakari (Nevin 56), Gower, Brannan, Spencer, Goodman.

Subs Not Used: Nicholas, Woods.

Booked: McMillan, Goodman.

Hearts: Rousset, Locke, Pressley, Ritchie, McKinnon, Cameron, Jackson (Guerin 61), Murray, Severin, Adam, McSwegan (Kirk 85).

Subs Not Used: McPherson, Naysmith, McKenzie.

Booked: Murray, McSwegan, Severin.

Goals: Jackson 21, Adam 46, 59, Cameron 90.

Att: 8,926

Ref: A Freeland (Aberdeen).


Taken from sportinglife.com