Motherwell 1 Hearts 0

By Gavin McCafferty, Press Association Sport

Ross Forbes scored another spectacular goal to move Motherwell up to fourth in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The midfielder lashed home a 55th-minute volley to claim his ninth goal of the season as Well deservedly beat a Hearts side that lost Eggert Jonsson for a professional foul.

The red card sparked Hearts into life for the final 20 minutes but Shaun Hutchinson made two last-ditch challenges to secure the victory.

Jonsson had stepped in for the injured Michael Stewart, who scored the goal that knocked Celtic out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup in midweek, and Hearts never matched the heights of that performance.

Forbes returned along with John Sutton following Motherwell's 3-0 cup defeat by St Mirren with Jamie Murphy dropped to the bench and club captain Stephen Craigan out altogether.

Motherwell almost lost goalkeeper John Ruddy after he suffered a groin injury in the warm-up but he was able to recover and did not have to make a save for 70 minutes.

The hosts could have had an even more comfortable afternoon if they had been awarded a 13th-minute penalty when Ismael Bouzid brought down Jim O'Brien as he ran on to Sutton's knockdown, but referee David Somers decided the Hearts defender got something on the ball.

Janos Balogh looked uncertain when dealing with corners and he had to tip over Hutchinson's header after Sutton had headed O'Brien's delivery back across goal.

Lukas Jutkiewicz shot wide from 25 yards after more good link-up play by Sutton as Motherwell continued to have the edge, but they were thankful for the pace of Yassin Moutaouakil as he prevented Andrew Driver capitalising on a Hearts break.

Motherwell then missed two great chances around the half-hour mark. Giles Coke headed O'Brien's free-kick wide from inside the six-yard box and Forbes blazed over from 14 yards after Balogh had been penalised for picking up a Jose Goncalves backpass.

O'Brien came close to a spectacular opener three minutes into the second half when his powerful first-time volley from 25 yards brushed the side-netting after Sutton had laid off a throw-in.

Coke was inches away from latching on to Jutkiewicz's clever through ball and Sutton claimed he had been pulled down by Bouzid inside the box, but Well took the lead moments later.

Moutaouakil's deep cross evaded the Hearts back four and Forbes caught it full on the volley to fire into the far corner despite Balogh getting a touch.

The visitors' troubles intensified when striker Christian Nade was stretchered off after a challenge by Forbes, with Gary Glen taking his place.

Ruddy made his first save when he caught Ian Black's long-range effort but the shot backfired as the keeper immediately set O'Brien clear with a huge kick.

Jonsson pulled O'Brien back just outside the box to earn himself a red card, although Forbes could only hit the free-kick into the wall.

Hearts put on more pressure with 10 men than they had with 11 though and Glen had a great chance to level with 10 minutes left.

Moutaouakil looked to have stopped Driver reaching the byline but the Hearts winger got up quickly to feed Glen, whose shot was diverted just past the post by Hutchinson's last-ditch block.

Ruben Palazuelos then headed over after Black had shot following the corner and Motherwell almost gifted Glen another chance after Ruddy's short goal kick.

Well sub Keith Lasley forced a save from Balogh before Hutchinson saved Well again with a sliding tackle on Hearts sub Arvydas Novikovas after Steven Saunders had gifted possession to Driver.

The hosts enjoyed a relatively trouble-free seven minutes of injury-time although Ruddy saved from Novikovas at the death.

Teams:

Motherwell Ruddy, Moutaouakil, Saunders, Hutchinson, Reynolds,O'Brien (Murphy 85), Coke, Hateley, Forbes (Humphrey 75),Jutkiewicz (Lasley 85), Sutton.

Subs Not Used: Fraser, Jennings, Archdeacon, Page.

Booked: Sutton.

Goals: Forbes 55.

Hearts Balogh, Craig Thomson (Novikovas 82), Bouzid,Goncalves, Wallace, Jonsson, Black, Palazuelos, Driver,Obua (Witteveen 88), Nade (Glen 59).

Subs Not Used: Kello, Kucharski, Jason Thomson, Mulrooney.

Sent Off: Jonsson (71).

Booked: Palazuelos, Novikovas.

Att: 4,830

Ref: D Somers (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com