Reserves: Motherwell 2 Hibs 3

In what was one of the more open games I've witnessed, this game flowed from end to end from start to finish. Though in fairness Hibs had a bit more of a cutting edge in their attack of McCluskey and Killen than we did in Clarkson and McCormack. Young David Nixon almost sold the jerseys early on with a slack back pass which allowed an onrushing forward to be one on one with Meldrum but the goalie did well to block. Immediately at the other end McCormack was one on one with the Hibs number one. He rounded him beautifully but a retreating defender cleared.

A few minutes later Motherwell were ahead. Coakley ran into the box and appeared to be upended but the ref signalled corner. In fairness Coakley didn't complain and took a delightful corner which Brian McLean headed netbound, Clarkson stuck a foot out and diverted the ball into the top corner to ensure the Hibs goalie had no chance of saving.

Hibs continued to look crisp in attack and in the last minute of the half equalised. McLuskey turned the defender and curled a shot into the bottom corner. Hibs went ahead in the second half through a cracking goal from Chris Killen. A lovely deep cross to him and over the entire Motherwell defence and he looped a shot into the top corner. No chance for Meldrum and the goal would have been fit to win any game.

However Hibs continued to go for it and scored a third, the announcer gave it to Killen but I would think that is incredibly kind to Bobby Donnelly. The ball fell to Killen whose shot was weak and towards Meldrum but Donnelly inexplicably stuck a heel out to divert it into the other corner.

From the restart Motherwell were back within one through a well worked goal. A good cross from the right was reached by McGarry who flashed the ball across the goal and McCormack turned home. Motherwell pressed for the leveller but the heart fell out of it after what looked like a real bad knock to Clarkson which saw him go off on the stretcher. It was an innocuous challenge from Konde who realised the seriousness of it straightaway and immediately was calling for a stretcher.

The other first team players performed well. McLean was solid at the back despite the three conceded. McCormack was busy and was always chasing a goal. McGarry likewise though took a while to get involved at left wing. Sadly the same cannot be said about Bobby Donnelly who had no positional sense at all and his distribution at times was poor. That said his tackling and blocking is solid and there is potential for him to improve.