FORAN RUINS ROBBO DEBUT

HEARTS ...................0 MOTHERWELL ..........1

Euan Mclean At Tynecastle

PARTY pooper Richie Foran wrecked John Robertson's Tynecastle homecoming with a penalty as classy Well dumped 10-man Hearts.

The hitman's first-half spot-kick came seconds after Alan Maybury was sent off for a professional foul and the disjointed Jambos couldn't find a way back.

The win ended Well's miserable record at Tynecastle - the Fir Park side hadn't won there since January 1999 - and condemned Hearts to their first home defeat this season.

The Jambos could have scored 100 goals yesterday and it still wouldn't have earned a bigger cheer than the roof-raising reception for Robertson before kick-off.

He has walked down the Tynecastle tunnel countless times as a player but this time it was even more special - his first as Hearts boss.

There is no doubting that the fans' love for Robbo endured long after his departure from Tynecastle as a player in 1998.

With the crowd already on a high the team almost gave them even more to smile about just eight minutes into the game when Ramon Periera slotted through a neat ball into the path of Maybury.

The Irishman raced into box and cracked a low drive across Gordon Marshall that clipped the post and rolled wide.

A minute later the Jambos came close again as Jamie McAllister flashed his header an inch wide after Robbie Neilson's cross found him unmarked in the heart of the area.

Motherwell have been going goal crazy lately, scoring eight in the previous two games and they soon carved out some chances.

The first effort - a surprise 25-yard snapshot from Jim Paterson - was brilliantly tipped over by Craig Gordon.

But a Hearts blunder in the 21st minute led to an even better opening.

Robbie Neilson headed a loose ball against team-mate Steven Pressley's back and it fell perfectly for Marc Fitzpatrick eight yards out.

But the Well man let Hearts off the hook by blasting his volley over.

The hosts weren't so lucky five minutes later, though, as Well dealt them a severe blow.

David Clarkson's wonderfully-weighted through ball sent Martin Corrigan clear.

So when Maybury sent him tumbling with a push in the back there was only ever going to be one outcome - a penalty and a straight red for the defender for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Maybury could have no complaints as he trudged off to watch Foran slide home a clinical spot-kick low to Gordon's left.

The hosts had to dig deep but the Tynecastle faithful weren't seeing the required effort from Pereira who looked more keen to hit the deck than graft to draw his side level.

Yet for sheer Oscar-winning drama David Partridge stole the show after 36 minutes.

He theatrically threw himself to the ground clutching his knee with the aim of conning the ref into believing Pereira had kicked him.

Partridge was lucky not to get a yellow.

Mark de Vries looked less than thrilled with his side's dismal performance, barking at both Pereira and skipper Pressley over the service he was getting up front.

Well should have taken a big step closer to the win five minutes after the break but instead treated fans to one of the most glaring misses of the season.

Paterson skilfully cut in from the left and blasted a stinging effort at Gordon who parried the ball.

The rebound fell at Foran's feet eight yards out but with acres of space and the goal at his mercy the hitman crashed his shot off the post.

Foran looked like he couldn't believe his eyes and the let-off should have provided the platform for Hearts to push for the leveller.

But they struggled to create anything in the final third.

Pereira in particular was proving frustrating and appeared to lack the stomach for the fight.

The Spaniard also managed to infuriate de Vries after an hour.

Dancing into the box, Pereira tried to find space to pull the trigger but when Marshall dived at his feet he took a swan dive. Ref John Rowbotham wasn't fooled and quickly booked him, while strike partner de Vries kicked the ground in fury at his antics.

Both sides made changes after 64 minutes with the anonymous Dennis Wyness and the useless Pereira making way for Neil Janczyk and Graham Weir, while Well switched Fitzpatrick for Alex Burns.

Hearts had a strong case for a penalty dismissed in the 66th minute when Stephen Craigan pushed de Vries as the pair challenged for a high ball in the box.

Paterson was booked in the 77th minute for scything down Webster before Robertson rolled his last dice, replacing Patrick Kisnorbo with Kevin McKenna.

The stage was set for an aerial bombardment in the dying minutes with the big Canadian pushed up beside de Vries but by then the match as a contest was over.

REFWATCH JOHN ROWBOTHAM made some dodgy calls with basic decisions but the one that counted was spot-on. Maybury had to go and the penalty was stonewall. Right to book Pereira for his antics. Rating: 7/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail