Hearts 0 Motherwell 2

Sep 26 2010 By Gordon Waddell

CHRIS HUMPHREY helped deliver baby daughter Amelia into the world on Friday Ð then delivered three points on a plate for Motherwell 30 hours later.

The winger was inspired as a second-half demolition of the Jambos catapulted the Steelmen into third place.

The decisive strikes from Nick Blackman and John Sutton were set up by some blinding play from the 22-year-old.

And Humphrey admitted he was running on pure adrenalin after missing training and losing sleep.

He grinned: "Amelia arrived at 7am on Friday and I rang the boss to say I was staying with my missus Kerry.

"I managed to get a few hours' kip on Friday but my head was absolutely buzzing.

"Craig asked if I was able to play and I told him I was available. The missus has to stay in hospital for four days so I had nothing else to do anyway!"

The midwives probably put up more of a fight to keep him out of the room than yet another makeshift Hearts defence.

Once again Jim Jefferies was denied the services of contract rebel Marius Zaliukas at centre-half so he had to throw midfielder Adrian Mrowiec into his slot.

In the absence of Lee Wallace, Eggert Jonsson was the latest temp at left-back, a move that cost the Jambos dearly.

Although not so much in an even first half filled more with intrigue than action. Jamie Murphy had the best chance to make a difference in the opening 45 minutes.

The Scotland Under-21 star received a fantastic back-heeled flick from Keith Lasley but curled his shot off Marian Kello's left-hand post.

The Hearts support were subdued but a sense of injustice just before the break gave them their target, ref Mike Tumilty denying a huge penalty shout from the stands when Calum Elliot tumbled under pressure from Steven Craigan.

Tumilty looked absolutely spot-on with his denial, though.

Elliot was on his way down anyway, no matter how little of the ball Craigan got as he challenged. It just wasn't happening for Hearts - and the punters weren't shy with their idea on how to change it.

They had called for him intermittently during the first half. The Clash's Rudie Can't Fail blared from the tannoy at half-time in case they weren't getting the message.

And 11 minutes into the second half they finally got their wish, Rudi Skacel retaking the Tynecastle stage after a four-and-a-half year absence.

The cheer he got suggested the Second Coming - and completely eclipsed the return from injury of striker Stephen Elliott at the same time.

Turns out neither of them made a blind bit of difference.

Because within a minute the Jambos were undone, paying the ultimate price for a defence that would struggle to live up to makeshift.

Stand-in left-back Jonsson did little to stop Humphrey slinging a tempting cross in from the right Ð but not as little as two AWOL centre-backs who allowed Blackman the freedom of the six-yard box to cushion home an easy finish.

They were given an object lesson in the art of defending a few minutes later at the other end of the park.

Jambos striker Kevin Kyle rampaged into the box to get on the end of a great cross from Jason Thomson.

But Mark Reynolds' commitment to stopping the big forward was magnificent, his clearing header as much of a match-winner as Well's goals.

Elliott and Sutton traded decent chances at either end before the latter finally put the game beyond Hearts with 20 minutes left.

Again the creator was Humphrey, his dancing run all along the byeline leaving Jonsson for dead.

The Icelandic star knew a challenge would lead to a penalty so he couldn't dive in. And Humphrey's inch-perfect delivery then gave big striker Sutton a tap-in.

Well delivered a magnificent display in the second half. Their passing and movement was slick, their counter-attacking pacey and their finishing clinical.

It's no great surprise the Fir Park men have a 100 per cent record away from home with these qualities, winning three from three without conceding.

Boss Craig Brown said: "Reynolds and Craigan were outstanding at the back. They dealt with Kyle superbly, as big Craigan usually does in a battle.

"But the story of this game has to be the performance of Humphrey, considering he only became a father the day before.

"It was touch and go whether he actually played.

"You can see the work he has done this season now that Jim O'Brien has gone from the position he likes.

"Chris used to be a bit rash with his delivery from the flanks but now he's picking out players.

"I'd also like to mention that although SPL teams need to have three Under-21 players in their matchday squad, we had NINE here.

"Four of them started the game so that says a lot about us."

Taken from the Daily Record