Motherwell 1 Hearts 0 (Match abandoned)

Motherwell and Hearts will be forced to try again after their Fir Park encounter was abandoned at half-time amid farcical scenes on Monday night.

Heavy rain throughout the first-half added to an already drenched playing surface and at 9.05pm referee John Rowbotham called off proceedings.

With Motherwell leading 1-0 through a Shaun Teale penalty on 24 minutes the home support reacted with fury to the decision but there was no other option in unplayable conditions.

A farcical first-half in torrential rain had seen Motherwell lead through Teale's 24th minute penalty as both sides wrestled with the conditions.

Andy Goram returned to the Motherwell line-up after a recent hip problem meaning his deputy Stevie Woods returned to the bench despite a late penalty save at St Johnstone.

Motherwell also offered Pat Nevin a rare start in what was an attacking line-up, Lee McCulloch exchanging passes with John Spencer before firing over to signal the home team's intent.

It was raining from the outset but in the early stages the pitch was playable, Thomas Flogel testing Goram with an angled drive while at the other end Ged Brannan shot wide from distance.

By the 20th minute however the weather was already having a major bearing on proceedings as the rain fell harder and visible puddles emerged on a waterlogged playing surface.

Derek Townsley sent a glancing header wide from a precise Stephen McMillan cross as Motherwell began to take the upper hand as Hearts' passing game suffered in the conditions.

After 24 minutes they were ahead after Brannan released Spencer who was tripped by a sliding Steven Pressley as he attempted to dash in ahead of Gilles Rousset.

From the resulting penalty, Teale's effort was half-saved by Rousset but the French keeper could only help the ball into the net as Motherwell moved in front.

Hearts struggled manfully to respond, first a McSwegan shot straight at Goram then the keeper being properly tested at close range by an angled Stephane Adam drive.

Motherwell looked for a second spot kick on 37 minutes when McCulloch fell in the area under challenge from Kevin James, but referee John Rowbotham booked the home striker for diving.

By the interval the ball was not rolling at all on the turf and a James slip prompted Spencer to attempt an ambitious lob which Rousset was alert to.

Rowbotham spent the whole of the interval kicking a ball around the field to test whether it was playable for the second-half and at first his verdict looked to be positive.

The Fir Park support, mindful of their 1-0 lead, cheered the arrival of the players for the second 45 minutes but there was no officials and no ball.

Amid a chorus of jeers it slowly became apparent the game was abandoned with a police message confirming the news and stressing it was for the players' safety.

Teams:

Motherwell: Goram, Doesburg, McMillan, Brannan, Teale, Spencer, Valakari, McCulloch, Nevin, Thomas, Townsley.

Subs Not Used: McGowan, Nicholas, Adams, Woods, Twaddle.

Booked: McCulloch.

Goals: Teale 24 pen.

Hearts: Rousset, Pressley, Naysmith, James, Ritchie, McSwegan, Adam, Cameron, Jackson, Flogel, Severin.

Subs Not Used: Locke, Fulton, Murray, McKenzie, Wales.

Abandoned at Halftime - Waterlogged pitch

Att: 7,500

Ref: John Rowbotham (Scotland).


Taken from sportinglife.com