Motherwell march on to Tynecastle victory

Hearts first game at Tynecastle since the split was not one to remember for the men in Maroon. They were simply out-played by visitors Motherwell and the Lanarkshire men were deserving winners of the game.

Eggert Jonsson missed the game following his red card at Ibrox last week. Kingston and Black dropped to the bench to make way for David Templeton, Gary Glen and Michael Stewart.

Motherwell had an early chance to take the lead. Chiles Coke showed good touches to take the ball to the by-line and crossed an excellent ball into the box to the head of Jutkiewicz, luckily for Hearts he couldn't control his header and Zaliukus was on hand to clear the danger.

Again the Lanarkshire men had a good chance in the eight minute when Jutkiewicz got the ball on the right hand side, the striker used his strength to hold off Craig Thomson and sent his shot low in to goal, Jamie MacDonald got his fingers to avert danger.

A minute later Hearts were up the other end of the pitch and David Templeton showed skill in the middle of the park to get past a couple of Motherwell players before drilling in a low powerful shot. Motherwell keeper Fraser couldn't hold the ball and Obua managed to get it out to Gary Glen whose shot went just over the bar.

The start of the game was frantic and a couple minutes later it was Motherwell's turn again for a shot at goal. Giles Coke shot from twenty yards out looked to be going net bound but a slight deflection sent it out for a corner.

In the 16th minute it was Hearts turn for a shot on goal. Lee Wallace seemed determined to mark his 150th appearance in a maroon shirt with a goal as he strived through the middle of the park with the ball, his final shot at the keeper was quite weak but Fraser spilled it and David Obua again was there waiting to tap the ball in, the keeper somehow got a hand to the ball, luckily for Obua the linesman flagged him off-side else it would have been a great chance missed.

The game was very open and both teams looked capable of scoring a goal - in the 39th minute it looked like David Templeton had what would have been an unbelievable goal. Craig Thomson played a long ball from the right switching it out to the left hand-side. It appeared to be going to the head of a Motherwell player but David Templeton came running in from the wing to send a looping header towards the net. It went wide but had the fans on the edge of their seats for a few seconds.

Motherwell were right up the other end and Craig Thomson made a brilliant tackle to stop Motherwell striking on goal. The resulting corner was swung in and after a scramble on the goal line Steven Saunders made it 1-0 in the 40th minute.

Just five minutes later right on half time Motherwell doubled their lead. A free kick in from Tom Hateley went straight to the head of John Sutton who made no mistakes and his powerful header went straight past Jamie MacDonald.

Jim Jefferies obviously thought his team had under performed in the first half and Michael Stewart and Gary Glen were replaced by Ian Black and Calum Elliot.

The second half started slower than the first, as Motherwell worked hard at keeping their two goal advantage. On the hour mark Marius Zaliukus went to clear a long ball but as he kicked the ball it came off the head of Jim O'Brien, he was through on goal but the referee blew his whistle, giving a free kick to Hearts. Brian Winter thought the Well player had used his hands but he got it wrong and the Lanarkshire felt aggrieved the opportunity to kill the game off was taken away from them.

In the 67th minute some good play from Hearts almost led to a goal. Lee Wallace again was pushing forward through the middle of the park, he played a one-two with Elliot before the ball came out to Templeton, with his first touch he produced a powerful shot into goal. It was blocked by a Motherwell player and the Hearts players and fans in the Gorgie Road end were screaming for penalty as they claimed a hand had been used but neither the linesman nor the referee agreed and play continued.

Jamie MacDonald got a bit of a shock in the 70th minute as Craig Thomson tracked a ball back as Jamie Murphy went in on goal, Thomson then smacked the ball against Murphy in the box; luckily it went straight to MacDonald who was a few yards in front of play.

Motherwell looked like the team most likely to score and in the 77th minute Jamie MacDonald made a good save from John Sutton. The ball then fell to Jamie Murphy who put it past MacDonald but Zaliukus was on the line to knee the ball off the line into the hands of his keeper.

Craig Thomson had a late chance to get a consolation goal for Hearts, he swung in a free kick from 20 yards out but it went straight to the arms of Fraser.

Hearts: MacDonald; C Thomson, Bouzid, Zaliukas, Wallace; Suso, Stewart (Black, 45), Palazuelos, Templeton; Obua (Stevenson, 53) Glen Elliot, 45). Subs not used: Lyness, Kingston, J Thomson, Robinson.

Motherwell: Fraser, Saunders, Craigen, Reynolds, Hammell, Hateley (Forbes, 84), Jennings, Cole, O'Brien (Humphrey, 78), Sutton, Jutkiewicz (Murphy, 63). Subs not used: Hyslop, McGlinchey, McHugh, Quinn

Referee: Brian Winter

Top man: Lee Wallace

Hearts World