Motherwell 0 Hearts 1

Eggert Jonsson scored the game's only goal in what was a gritty display of football with both teams creating few chances over the 90 minutes. Hearts controlled the first half while Motherwell looked more dangerous in the second but the away side had enough fight about them to hold onto their advantage and secure three crucial points in the hunt for the top six.

Injuries to Andrew Driver and Andrius Velicka prompted two of the three changes to the side that lost to Celtic seven days ago. In came Christian Nade and Lee Wallace while Calum Elliot replaced Audrius Ksanavicius in the hole. Motherwell started with their familiar 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation with the ever dangerous Ross McCormack and David Clarkson supporting Chris Porter in attack.

The game was just over a minute old when Hearts should have taken the lead. Deividas Cesnauskis' low corner from the left seemed to elude a sea of players before landing at the feet of Christian Nade. The striker drove the ball towards goal with his left foot but his shot was saved by the legs of Graeme Smith.

Calum Elliot wins the ball

Two minutes later the big striker was troubling the home side again. Running at Stephen Craigan, Nade cut inside onto his stronger right foot before curling a powerful strike towards the far corner that narrowly dipped over the bar.

On ten minutes Hearts had yet another chance to open the scoring. The away side broke down the right before Cesnauskis played a smart one-two with Nade 20 yards from goal. The winger then squared the ball to an unmarked Lee Wallace just inside the Motherwell penalty area. Wallace's first touch was poor and his shot was worse as he sliced his effort wide.

Though Hearts didn't have to wait long for a goal and on 11 minutes they took the lead in somewhat fortunate circumstances. Nade picked up the ball 30 yards out before shipping it wide to his right to Eggert Jonsson. Jonsson ignored the free Cesnauskis on the right wing in favour of an attempt on goal. His low drive took a wicked deflection off Stephen Craigan before looping over a helpless Graeme Smith and into the net.

Hearts had played the opening fifteen minutes at a frantic pace with crisp passing and excellent movement. The away side seemed to run out of steam afterwards but remained comfortable against a stagnant Motherwell side who were becoming increasingly frustrated at their inability to get anything going in attack.

In particular, the home side found it very difficult to get the ball to their dangerous target man Chris Porter. One of the few times they achieved this feat they tested Steve Banks for the first time on 40 minutes. A long ball forward to Porter was cushioned down by the big striker into the path of Keith Lasley who shot first time on the half volley. He connected well on his strike but fired straight into the arms of the Hearts keeper.

Celebrations after Hearts take the lead

Dismayed with a very mediocre first half performance the Motherwell players came out in the second half with a little more energy and urgency. Ten minutes into the second half sub Darren Smith cut inside off the right wing before laying off for Mark Fitzpatrick to have a shot from 20 yards but the midfielder sliced his shot far off target.

Hearts best opportunity from the second half's opening stages came courtesy of the right boot of Calum Elliot. After Stephen Craigan brought down Lee Wallace on the edge of the penalty area, Elliot was the man to step up and he curled the ball over the wall but just over the crossbar.

The last 15 minutes of the match consisted almost entirely of Motherwell launching ball after ball into the Hearts' final third. On 77 minutes the home side had two great opportunities to draw themselves level. Banks had to be at his best to deny Simon Lappin after the midfielder had headed on a Ross McCormack free kick. The goalkeeper's heroics were almost short-lived as the ever-dependable Banks, almost unbelievably, dropped the resulting corner. The Englishman managed to block Craigan's close range shot and smother the ball before any damage was done.

Ruben Palazuelos make the challenge

The veteran goalkeeper was again on hand to save Hearts with five minutes remaining. McCormack bent his free kick around the wall but couldn't get it past the goalkeeper as Banks, defying his age, got down sharply to push the ball to safety.

Despite the home side's best efforts they couldn't break through a resolute Hearts defence and when the full time whistle went, the jubilation on the faces of the Hearts players was there for all to see. The performance may not have been their best but they came to the home of the third best team in the league and fought their way to all three points.

Motherwell: G. Smith; Quinn, Reynolds, Craigan (J. Murphy 82), Hammell; Hughes (D. Smith 54), Lasley, Fitzpatrick, McCormack; Porter, Clarkson (Lappin 29). Booked: Craigan, McCormack. Subs not used: Daniels, McLean, D. Murphy, Archdeacon.

Hearts: Banks; Neilson, Karipidis, Berra, Goncalves; Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 72), Jonsson, Palazuelos, Wallace; Nade (Beniusis 82), Elliot (Zaliukas 88). Booked: Elliot, Jonsson, Mikoliunas. Subs not used: Basso, Thomson, Ivaskevicius, Ksanavicius.

Referee: Craig Thomson

Top man: Christophe Berra

Hearts World