Motherwell 0 Hearts 1

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

Motherwell captain Stephen Craigan scored an own goal amid controversial circumstances after 10 minutes to give Hearts victory in their Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash at Fir Park.

The home side's striker David Clarkson was at the other end of the pitch with a head injury as Eggert Jonsson's wayward drive from 25 yards was deflected past Graeme Smith by luckless Irishman Craigan.

The home players and support were outraged that referee Craig Thomson did not intervene to halt play, and berated the official for the rest of the match.

The third-placed Fir Park side, however, had more than the referee to blame for their defeat.

The Hearts defence remained mostly untroubled until late in the second half when goalkeeper Steve Banks was called upon to make crucial saves from Marc Fitzpatrick and Ross McCormack.

It was the visitors who threatened first when midfielder Deividas Cesnauskis fired in a corner from the left and Christian Nade's left-footed shot from 12 yards was pushed away to safety by Smith.

Fitzpatrick had failed to clear the ball, in what was the first of several mistakes by a nervy looking Motherwell defence.

In the eighth minute, a driving run by Cesnauskis from right to left ended with the Lithuanian setting up the unmarked Lee Wallace who slashed wildly at the ball and his shot sailed over.

The visitors took the lead within seconds of Clarkson going down in the Hearts penalty area following a clash with Jose Goncalves.

Referee Thomson refused to stop play as Hearts sprung a counter-attack, and their large slice of luck prove to be decisive as Jonsson was spared embarrassment by the deflection off Craigan.

The home fans were furious at Thomson but they may have been better saving their anger for their own players who showed no sign of levelling before the break.

Despite having a strong wind in their favour, the home side could not pin the Tynecastle side back long enough to trouble Jambos goalkeeper Banks.

A groggy Clarkson had to be replaced by Simon Lappin on the half-hour mark but still Hearts looked the more neat and tidy outfit.

McCormack was booked in the 37th minute for a late challenge on Hearts skipper Christophe Berra on the touchline, an incident which summed up the frustration of the home players and fans who had begun to chastise referee Thomson over every decision.

Hearts began the second half with a flurry of corners. Amid them, Jonsson latched onto a deep cross from Wallace but his effort from eight yards out was weak and gathered easily by Smith.

In the 54th minute Fitzpatrick knocked a ball over the Jambos defence which held up in the wind but not enough to stop Banks getting there ahead of Motherwell striker Chris Porter.

Stephen Hughes was replaced by Darren Smith a minute later, suggesting that home boss Mark McGhee was unimpressed with his side's attempts to get back into the game.

Craigan was booked for a clumsy foul on Wallace 25 yards from goal on the hour mark to compound his miserable day, but Calum Elliot fired the free-kick high over the bar.

Motherwell won their first corner in the 64th minute but McCormack's cross was headed wide by Fitzpatrick when he might have been expected to at least hit the target.

If there was going to be a second goal, set-pieces and the conditions looked certain to play a part.

In the 80th minute, McCormack's whipped free-kick, assisted by the wind, was making its way into the far corner of the net before Banks threw himself to his left to push the ball around the post.

From the consequent corner, delivered by McCormack, the Hearts 'keeper dropped the ball to Fitzpatrick two yards out but recovered to save inside a crowded six-yard box.

With four minutes remaining, after Jonsson had fouled Fitzpatrick 25 yards from goal, Banks pulled off a wonderful save from McCormack's free-kick.

Teams:

Motherwell Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan (Jamie Murphy 84), Reynolds, Hammell, Hughes (Darren Smith 55), Lasley, Fitzpatrick, Clarkson (Lappin 30), Porter, McCormack.

Subs Not Used: Daniels, Brian McLean, Danny Murphy, Archdeacon.

Booked: McCormack, Craigan.

Hearts Banks, Neilson, Berra, Goncalves, Wallace, Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 73), Jonsson, Palazuelos, Karipidis, Nade (Beniusis 83), Elliot (Zaliukas 89).

Subs Not Used: Basso, Thomson, Ivaskevicius, Ksanavicius.

Booked: Elliot, Jonsson, Mikoliunas.

Goals: Craigan 12 og.

Att: 5,925

Ref: C Thomson (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com