Motherwell were unable to stand up to a more energetic and determined Hibs side and capitulated by donating three defensive blunders to offer the visitors an easy 3-0 win.
Stuart Kettlewell will have little room for manoeuvre in the way of protecting his players. They were weak at the back and toothless up front.
0-0 at this stage!
Davor Zdarvkovski and Tawanda Maswanhise were restored to duty as Lennon Miller got the game underway. It soon became apparent that Hibs were showing more appetite for the game. They enjoyed plenty of the ball in Motherwell’s last third without causing any real threat on the home goal.
Halfway through the first period they took the lead when the normally reliable ‘Well ‘keeper flapped at a Nicky Cadden cross. Juniot Hoilett was on hand for a tap in finish.
Aston Oxborough did well to push Chris Cadden’s well placed free kick round the post for a corner but the second goal followed. The set piece arrived and a scramble followed. It seemed that was a cjance for the defence to clear but Mykola Kuharevich prodded the ball over the line.
Changes were needed and Zach Robinson and Tony Watt were dispatched to tuen the game around after the break. There was a little more life in the ‘Well attack but it took until the hour before Jordan Smith had a serious challenge. That followed a Lennon Miller corner and it came from the grounded Robinson. His looping effort was tipped over the bar.
Hibs remained the stronger side and they claimed most of the high and loose balls and Motherwell remained out of sorts. With ten minutes remaining a long ball from the Hibs midfield appeared to be under the control of the home defenders but Dwight Gale managed to set up Josh Campbell to seal the win.
Moses Ebiye was unlucky as he saw his effort bounce to safety off the inside of the post but it would have been only a token.
It seemed unlikely that a team that retains fifth place in the table could be so easily overcome by the team at the bottom. Yet with two games on the road in the next week few ‘Well fans will have any confidence in a return.
The Steelmen will have to rely on the abundance of points gained in the early rounds of the campaign. A huge improvement will be needed to regain lost momentum.
Motherwell 0 Hibs 3
Attendance 5,217 (1,230)
Team: Oxborough, Kaleta, Balmer (Paton 70), Casey, Gordon, Zdarvkovski (Ebiye 70), Wilson (Seddon 83), Halliday (Robinson 45), Miller, Maswanhise, Stamatelopoulos (Watt 45)
Saturday 30 November 2024