Hearts 3 Motherwell 3

Apr 24 2011 Mark Guidi Tynecastle, Sunday Mail

JOHN SUTTON bagged a double as Motherwell staged an incredible comeback to snatch a point after falling 3-0 behind.

Hearts looked to be coasting to a vital win in the chase for third place thanks to goals from Craig Thomson, Rudi Skacel and Ryan Stevenson.

But Stuart McCall's side never gave up and a rousing recovery secured a deserved draw.

Sutton started the comeback in 55 minutes before Tom Hateley gave the travelling fans further hope.
john sutton bags a late equaliser for motherwell at hearts

And the Jambos were booed off by their furious support after Tynecastle signing target Sutton headed home with just two minutes left to cap a thrilling revival.

A win would have taken Hearts nine points ahead of fourth-placed Dundee United with four games to go.

But they now lead by just seven and face a tense run-in after winning just once in eight games.

Boss Jim Jefferies wasn't happy with his side's defending and claimed losing skipper Andy Webster to a groin injury at half-time was a turning point.

He said: "Losing Andy was a big blow as he talks and organises the team. This feels like a defeat but it must have been a great game for the neutral. There were a lot of positives too and that's as well as we've played for a while.

"Ryan Stevenson was outstanding as was Marian Kello."

This entertaining game sparked into life after 20 minutes when Well keeper Darren Randolph pulled off a stunning save. Suso Santana deflected Skacel's header inside the six-yard box only to be denied by a flying stop from Randolph.

However, there was nothing the talented keeper could do five minutes later when the Jambos were awarded a spot-kick.

Steven Saunders wrestled Stevenson to the ground inside the box and Thomson coolly sent the keeper the wrong way.

Remarkably, it was the eighth penalty award by referee Willie Collum in his past four games.

But the whistler seemed to call this one right.

Well probably felt aggrieved at falling behind as they had started the game on the front foot.

However, they didn't test Jambos keeper Kello enough.

The Slovakian was back in the team after some problems with the club and pulled off a fine save to deny Saunders in 41 minutes. By that stage, though, Hearts were 2-0 up thanks to Skacel.

The midfielder played a lovely one-two with Stephen Elliott then strode forward before placing a shot past Randolph from 12 yards.

Murphy had a chance to pull one back just before the break but Kello was there again to prove just how important a player he is.

Jefferies had to replace Webster with Adrian Mrowiec at the break but it didn't seem to affect them too much as the influential Skacel rattled a shot off the woodwork.

And Stevenson grabbed the third in 55 minutes when he bulleted home a header from Suso's cross.

That looked to have ended the game as a contest but McCall's side hit back with two quick goals.

Sutton got on the end of a Stephen Jones cross to knock home their first in 57 minutes. Hateley then fired in a free-kick from the left and it flew through the crowded six-yard box beyond the stunned Kello.

The intelligent movement of Franny Jeffers was causing all sorts of problems for the Jambos while Jones was a handful on the right.

And Kello had to rescue his side when he kept out long-range efforts from Hateley and Jeffers.

Boss Jefferies then raged at Suso as the winger shot wide from an acute angle when he could have played in a team-mate.

Well came close to a leveller when Jones smacked Kello's post with a 16-yard strike before the keeper saved from sub Mo Ross.

Jeffers should have made it 3-3 when he broke the offside trap but lost his composure and blasted over. It looked like being a costly miss but more drama was to come.

Gavin Gunning sent over a fine cross and Sutton sent a diving header past Kello from seven yards.

That last-gasp goal capped an amazing recovery from McCall's battling side.

And there's no doubt they have the ability to cause Celtic problems in the Scottish Cup Final.

Taken from the Daily Record