Hearts slump to defeat after early promise

Hearts 1
Driver 12

Motherwell
Porter 53
Zaliukas og 66

A GAME Hearts simply had to win deteriorated into a demoralising defeat as Motherwell effected a crucial come-from-behind victory which propels them to third place in the SPL table.

Chris Porter's header and an own goal by Marius Zaliukas consigned Hearts to defeat despite Andy Driver's fine opening goal, and the goalkeeping situation at Tynecastle again came under the spotlight as Eduardas Kurskis made a somewhat unremarkable debut.

The Lithuanian's positioning and erratic movement at both goals left his goal exposed and cost his side dearly, leaving supporters to rightly point the finger at the decision-making of the club hierarchy.

Hearts led at half-time but Mark McGhee's change of tactics helped overturn a deficit which at that time looked comfortable for Anatoli Korobochka's team. The result means the hosts remain seventh in the SPL.

The PA announcement of Kurskis' debut in the Hearts goal brought a muted response from home supporters. The 31-year-old Lithuanian joined on loan from FBK Kaunas in January, however this was his first competitive top-level outing as Anthony Basso suffered for his misdemeanour against Celtic last week.
ALL SQUARE: Chris Porter brought Motherwell level. Picture: SNS

ALL SQUARE: Chris Porter brought Motherwell level. Picture: SNS

The Evening News revealed on Thusday that Larry Kingston and Christian Nade were both seriously doubtful for this match, and as such Nade only made the substitutes' bench whilst Kingston's foot problem excluded him completely.

Following a minute's applause to mark the recent death of 1950s Hearts legend Ian Crawford, the game began with Motherwell evincing their trademark forward-thinking game plan. Ross McCormack, the visitors' equivalent of Kaka according to manager McGhee, was central to most attacking moves on a rain and eventually snow-lashed Tynecastle surface.

That said, Hearts reinforced their own potency when breaking the deadlock on 12 minutes. Andrius Velicka, Nade's replacement, crossed from the right and Driver guided a sumptuous side-footed finish into the net on the volley. It was Driver's sixth goal of the season, if a CIS Cup counter at Stirling is included, and the early initiative allowed the hosts to press Motherwell back.

Velicka enjoyed a tidy interchange with Audrius Ksanavicius and bore down on goal at the half-hour juncture. Graeme Smith initially saved the striker's effort before he was penalised for fouling. Then came Kurskis' first save of note. Marius Zaliukas inadvertently directed a Stephen Craigan header goalwards and the Lithuanian displayed lightning-quick reactions to palm the ball over his crossbar and avert an equaliser.

Motherwell creditably refused to abandon the passing philosophy which led them to three victories and a draw during November, earning McGhee the SPL's Manager of the Month award. A half-time change of formation to 4-4-2 perplexed Hearts and Chris Porter equalised shortly after the restart.

With home players disputing a corner, the ball was quickly delivered to the back post where Jose Goncalves failed to clear. Kurskis came instantaneously from his goal but before he could reach the ball David Clarkson hooked it towards the unmarked Porter in the six-yard area. With an empty net, he couldn't miss.

Motherwell weren't contented by that and moved ahead on 66 minutes, and again Kurskis' goalkeeping was questionable. Steven McGarry's right-sided cross was flicked back across goal by McCormack and somehow eluded Kurskis at the near post. As Zaliukas strove to clear, he succeeded only in turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Porter.

In deteriorating conditions, the match continued with Hearts now pressing for an equaliser. Christophe Berra attempted a shot from distance that Smith required two attempts to collect inside a saturated penalty area. Driver's stoppage-time cross was glanced wide by Nade, but the afternoon ended with a plethora of boos ringing around Tynecastle.

Hearts (4-4-1-1): Kurskis; Neilson, Zaliukas, Berra, Goncalves; Mikoliunas, Stewart, Jonsson, Driver; Ksanavicius; Velicka. Subs: Basso, Elliot 78 (for Velicka), Wallace, Palazuelos, Ivaskevicius 83 (for Ivaskevicius), Nade 63 (for Mikoliunas).

Motherwell (4-5-1): Smith; Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson; McCormack, McGarry, O'Donnell, Hughes, Clarkson; Porter. Subs: Meldrum, Corrigan, McLean, Lasley, Fitzpatrick, Smith, Murphy.

Referee: Craig Thomson.

Taken from the Scotsman