Motherwell 0-1 Hearts: Own goal enough to hand victory to Hearts

Hearts 1
Craigan (og 11)

Motherwell 0

HEARTS secured another vital three points in the battle to make the top six before the league splits.

An own goal from Motherwell's Stephen Craigan after just 11 minutes was enough to hand the Tynecastle side victory at Fir Park.

In a match that was dictated by the gusty conditions, the closest Motherwell came to an equaliser was in the dying minutes when Hearts keeper Steve Banks pushed away a goal-bound free-kick from Ross McCormack.

The Tynecastle side had a chance to open their account early in the match when a poor corner from Deividas Cesnauskis was missed by Well's first line of defence. The ball somehow made its way across the face of goal but Christian Nade's powerful effort from 10 yards was blocked by the body of the diving Graeme Smith.

The Frenchman decided to have another go a couple of minutes later when he found space on the left but his curling shot was just a couple of feet too wide of Smith's left-hand post.

Motherwell had still to carve out their first chance when Hearts carved out their third in the opening eight minutes, this time when Nade laid the ball off for Cesnauskis with a back heel. The Lithuanian raced to the edge of the box before giving Lee Wallace – who was playing on the left side of midfield rather than his more familiar full-back position – but the Scotland Under-21 star wasted the chance by blasting the ball high over the crossbar.

They got the goal their play merited with 11 minutes gone but the home side were left kicking themselves at the manner in which it was conceded. It was a long ball from Eggert Jonsson which caught Stephen Craigan out, the Fir Park defender turning the ball past his own goalkeeper as he tried to shut out the threat of the advancing Calum Elliot.

The gusting wind ruined the game as a spectacle but the Jambos could have increased their advantage when a slip by Paul Quinn hanbded possession back to Wallace. The 21-year-old's progress towards goal was immediately halted by a crude challenge from Craigan and whistler Craig Thomson had no hesitation in awarding a free-kick but Elliot could only fire it high and wide of Smith's net.

The closest Motherwell came to levelling was a 66th-minute corner from Ross McCormack that was headed just over the bar by Marc Fitzpatrick.

Elliot was booked with 15 minutes remaining when he slid in late on Smith and Jonsson followed him just seconds later after a challenge on Chris Porter.

McCormack, who has been so deadly for the Steelmen this season, took the free-kick which resulted from Jonsson's foul and it almost made the net, Steve Banks required to make his first real save of the afternoon by diving low to his left and beating it away for a corner.

It was swung straight back in by sub Darren Smith from the flag and both McCormack and Fitzpatrick stuck their boot in after Banks had parried but the Englishman did well to claim the ball and smother it as Robbie Neilson remonstrated with the Fir Park players for their close attention to his keeper.

Banks was called upon again five minutes from time when he was forced to palm away a cracking free-kick from McCormack, who had seconds earlier been brought down by Jonsson.

It was a top-class save from the Tynecastle keeper and it could prove to be a priceless one for Hearts in the battle to earn a place in the top six of the SPL this season.

Motherwell: Smith, Quinn, Hammell, Reynolds, Craigan J Murphy 83), Hughes (D Smith 54), Lasley, Fitzpatrick, Porter, McCormack, Clarkson (Lappin 30). Unused subs: Daniels, McLean, Murphy, Archdeacon.

Hearts: Banks, Karipidis, Wallace, Palazuelos, Nade (Beniusis 83), Neilson, Jonsson, Berra, Elliot (Zaliukas 87), Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 72), Goncalves. Unused subs: Basso, Thomson, Ivaskevicius, Ksanavicius.

Referee: Craig Thomson

Attendance: 5925