Motherwell 0-1 Hearts

Gavin Berry at Fir Park

MARK McGHEE refused to point the finger at ropey ref Craig Thomson for Well's defeat despite the Fir Park players and fans rounding on the whistler.

The home side were in uproar when Thomson refused to stop play after an early clash of heads with Hearts defender Jose Goncalves left David Clarkson grounded.

And they were up in arms even more when the Jambos went straight up the park and Eggert Jonsson's strike deflected off Stephen Craigan for an own goal.

That 12th-minute flashpoint was decisive but boss McGhee didn't play the blame game afterwards.

He said: "The referee can stop the game if he wants but told me he didn't have to. I still thought there was a handball in the build-up by Christian Nade.

"Clarkson has a really bad eye with a bit of blood in it. I don't think he's concussed but he couldn't see out of his left eye and had to come off.

"However, on balance we deserved to lose. It was a game that required a physical effort.

The windy conditions were as much a challenge to us as Hearts were. But they coped better."

Midfielder Stephen Hughes was equally diplomatic and said: "I don't think the ref had the best game but it was us who lost the match."

With Andrius Velicka injured and set for a move to Viking Stavanger this week others had a chance to show they could fill the 14-goal Lithuanian's boots.

Nade almost underlined his case after just 60 seconds when Deividas Cesnauskis' corner from the left was missed by everyone.

The ball fell to the striker eight yards out but keeper Graeme Smith used his legs to block.

The Frenchman had another effort moments later as his curling right-foot shot went just past Smith's left-hand post.

Lee Wallace was next to try his luck for the Jambos as Cesnauskis picked him out unmarked but he fired over from 18 yards.

The breakthrough finally arrived in 12 minutes and it was no more than the Gorgie men deserved. But the goal was shrouded in controversy.

Goncalves and Clarkson clashed heads as they challenged in the Hearts area but ref Thomson waved played on as the Well striker lay on the ground.

And the Fir Park fans erupted in fury when Hearts took advantage to score.

Icelandic midfielder Jonsson was announced as the scorer but his shot fromjust outside the box took a massive deflection off Craigan which took the ball past flat-footed keeper Smith.

Ironic cheers at every Well decision and chants of "cheat" went round the stadium, making it a long and uncomfortable afternoon for whistler Thomson.

Jambos caretaker boss Stevie Frail said: "I didn't realise Clarkson was down as it went from back to front pretty quickly.

"The referee didn'twant to stop the game so we carried on playing and got the goal."

The ref got it in the neck again after blowing for half-time.

Well's players complained, the fans jeered and even the stadium announcer sarcastically congratulated Thomson on his first-half display.

And the whistler further enraged Motherwell in the second half after stopping play as Nade lay on the ground - exactly what he didn't do for Clarkson.

The home side went close to grabbing an equaliser late on when Darren Smith got his head to Ross McCormack's free-kick.

But Steve Banks pushed the ball round the post at full stretch.

When the keeper spilled the corner it sparked a scramble in the box but the relieved Englishman eventually grabbed the ball.

There was one more scare in the dying minutes when McCormack fired in another free-kick but Banks was equal to it as the Jambos held on.

REF WATCH

CRAIG THOMSON failed to stop play early on after a clash of heads and to make matters worse Hearts scored while Well striker David Clarkson was on the ground. It's safe to say the ref has enjoyed much better days. Rating: 5/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail