A fitting tribute

MARK MCGHEE never got a win, but he got his wish.

The Motherwell manager felt that after the trauma of 14 days' mourning, nothing would honour Phil O'Donnell's memory more appropriately here than the club plunging back into a rousing football match. They did precisely that.

The visitors flirted with elimination from the Scottish Cup before recovering from two goals down to earn a replay. On a day when so many thoughts and gestures were devoted to O'Donnell, that was a reminder of the qualities, character and substance of the bereaved team-mates he left behind.
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At full-time the Motherwell players and management walked across to the away end and exchanged long and heartfelt applause with the supporters. A mutual standing ovation. They have all been through an ordeal together and there was recognition of it in that moment. The grieving process will continue for Motherwell, but they can also get on with playing football matches again and a stirring comeback means that the Cup is still on their horizon.

Hearts had it won, two goals up at home with half an hour to play. If the draw was frustrating for them it satisfied some sort of wider feeling that Motherwell were due a break. The clubs will replay at Fir Park a week on Tuesday - it will be Motherwell's first match at home since the tragedy - with the winners facing a home tie against Huntly or Dundee in the next round. With a favourable set of draws either of these clubs is capable of winning this trophy.

McGhee has been statesmanlike for a fortnight and this was the day he returned to enjoying being at a match again. Small things summed it up: he was more amused than angry that Jose Goncalves was getting away with what he thought were foul throws.

In his press conference after the match he was all smiles.

"I came here determined that everyone should enjoy it," he said. "I wanted it to be a good football occasion.

"It was a good Scottish Cup tie. We made it difficult for ourselves but even at 2-0 down I said to assistant manager Scott Leitch there is still something in this game for us'. The players showed the ability they have, it wasn't just about battering it or launching it. I keep citing Arsenal and Manchester United: they believe in what they do and they stick at it because they know it works for them. This is a great result for me because to come back from two down and get a result means they can believe in themselves."

Chris Porter scored twice, he now has 11 for the season, but Ross McCormack was involved in them both and was Motherwell's most influential player. Perhaps it will be his last match for the club as it emerged last night that Middlesbrough are considering a bid. "We are aware of interest but no contact has been made," said McGhee.

If there had been any sense that this was an occasion which had to be tip-toed around then it did not last. The Motherwell players came together for the briefest of huddles a few moments before kick-off and otherwise if they had any conflicting emotions they suppressed them and set about the match like any other.

Their 3400 supporters, filling the Roseburn Stand with terrific presence, did even more to give the day exactly the tone it needed. This was a major match in their season to be played at high tempo and in fullblooded commitment: not just out of any sense that that was appropriate for O'Donnell but because Motherwell were in the Scottish Cup to win it.

They unveiled a huge shirt featuring O'Donnell's name, the number 10 and the phrase "brave as a lion", then folded it away to roar on their team. "It's good to see the appreciation the fans have for Phil and for me," said David Clarkson, his nephew. "Today was a big day for everyone, for me and for the whole team."

No-one at the club had been more deeply affected than Clarkson and when there was an early chance to score there was an inevitability it would fall to him. For a moment it seemed he would claim every headline going by scoring the opening goal in the third minute, but he was hesitant when controlling McCormack's low cross and Christophe Berra made a block. Berra, linked with Portsmouth last night, had a fine game.

With all the sentiment around the opposition it was not the easiest of days for Hearts. They went at Motherwell hard and early and scored when Audrius Ksanavicius crossed low for Deividas Cesnauskis to connect with a low volley which found the net off the inside of the far post. Motherwell had to keep a toe-hole in the game and they did so, surviving some pressing Hearts play before slowly emerging to take a grip of possession.

There were spells in the match when Hearts pushed them back and some of their defending was fraught, but Motherwell's midfield play was brisk and mobile and their front three - always exchanging positions - brought a sense of menace. It meant they had the weaponry to stay in the tie even after Hearts went two up.

Referee Stuart Dougal surprisingly stopped play when Berra was hit in the groin by the ball - normally play is interrupted only for head knocks - and when there was a foul at the restart, goalkeeper Eduardas Kurskis' long kick was flicked on for Andreas Velicka to pounce and score a route one goal.

Ksanavicius should have scored with a header and if he had done Motherwell were finished. Instead they were just about to start. From a fine move down the left, McCormack crossed low for Porter to score with a low finish.

Fifteen minutes later he equalised: McCormack fed Keith Lasley - the player who came in for O'Donnell in their otherwise unchanged team - and the cross was expertly turned in.

"After has happened in the last couple of weeks we were hoping for a cracking cup tie and we got that," said Hearts caretaker manager Stevie Frail. "If we can play for 90 minutes like we did for 65 today we have the players to cause any team problems."

Motherwell would have fallen out of the cup if a deflected Velicka shot had gone in instead of spinning high on to the crossbar. If any club deserved a tiny piece of good fortune, it was this one.

Taken from the Sunday Herald