Hearts 1-2 Motherwell

Gavin Berry At Tynecastle

Well Have To Lose To Keep Gaffer Mark

MIGHTY Motherwell soared to third place in the SPL as they came from behind to dump Hearts at Tynecastle.

It was Well's fourth win on the trot in the league and striker Ross McCormack joked they will have to start deliberately losing to avoid miracle manager Mark McGhee getting the Scotland job.

McCormack - whose role was compared to Milan star Kaka's by his boss before the game - claimed the vital second goal in the 2-1 win although bungling Jambo Marius Zaliukas clearly put the ball into his own net.

That strike came after Chris Porter cancelled out Andrew Driver's early opener for the home side who capitulated in the second half.

It's the latest high in a remarkable season for the Steelmen in what has been an amazing turnaround compared to last term when they were fighting relegation.

But McCormack knows their lofty position is largely down to McGhee and the striker hopes they can hang on to him to continue the revival.

The 21-year-old said: "The gaffer's name is in the mix for the Scotland job although he has said he doesn't want it.

"Next week we shouldmaybe start thinking about losing because if we keep going like this then given time his name is going to be linked with a lot of big jobs.

"We knew the minute he came in the door how good he was and along with Scott Leitch and Chris McCart we really are in good hands.

"The squad is quite thin but if we can keep the guys together and stay injury free we have a good chance of going places.

"This was a good win and I'm definitely claiming the second goal.

"Zaliukas got the last touch but it was going in anyway and I've not scored for a few games so I'm taking it."

It was Hearts who looked to be heading for the points early on and there was a trademark Tynecastle roar in 15 minutes when they took the lead with a well-worked move.

It started with Saulius Mikoliunas' intelligent quick throw that released fellow Lithuanian Andrius Velicka down the right-hand side. The striker swung in a brilliant cross to pick out Driver who escaped the Well defence before placing a brilliant first-time shot beyond a helpless Graeme Smith.

It was a blow to the away side who had started the game brightly without seriously testing Hearts debutant keeper Eduardas Kurskis.

The 31-year-old former Kaunas star couldn't have asked for a quieter introduction to his Tynecastle career but the Hearts fans soon got their first glimpse of what he is capable of - and the signs were good.

Stephen Craigan headed a corner back into the danger area and when Zaliukas nodded towards his own goal Kurskis made a great point-blank save to touch the ball over.

McGhee switched his formation to 4-4-2 from 4-5-1 at half time and there was a renewed belief from Well as they went at Hearts.

McCormack - who woke up to headlines of his manager comparing his role to that of Kaka's for AC Milan - went close to grabbing an equaliser with a rifled free-kick that skimmed the top of the bar.

The home side looked rattled and it was no surprise when the leveller arrived in 53 minutes thanks to Porter.

Hesitant defending from Hearts didn't help. Jose Goncalves failed to clear a corner while Kurskis found himself in no-man's-land and as David Clarkson put the ball into the six-yard box Porter had the simple task of nodding into the empty net.

Andrius Ksanavicius was booked for diving on the edge of the box after going down under a challenge from Phil O'Donnell but referee Craig Thomson looked to have got that one wrong.

Then Hearts knew their luck really was out in the 66th minute when they went behind and to make matters worse Zaliukas did succeed in putting the ball past Kurskis this time.

Steven McGarry's deep cross from the right was kept in play byMcCormack who hit the ball into the six-yard box and under pressure from Porter the Hearts stopper put through his own net.

The game livened up with that second goal and Hearts responded almost immediately as Eggert Jonsson flashed a shot off the bar. Captain Christophe Berra then had a low effort saved at the second attempt by Smith as Hearts failed to get the elusive equaliser which means the wait continues for the club to notch their historic 500th SPL goal.

REF WATCH

CRAIG THOMSON had a day to forget with low point when he wrongly booked Ksanavicius for a dive. Rating: 5/10

MATCH STATS

SHOTS ON 3

SHOTS OFF 6

OFFSIDE 1

FOULS 13

CORNERS 2

BOOKINGS 2

SHOTS ON 1

SHOTS OFF 6

OFFSIDE 4

FOULS 14

CORNERS 2

BOOKINGS 2

Taken from the Sunday Mail