Motherwell lost 3-0 to Hearts at Tynecastle. Thankfully safety was secured last week.
Such was the heat in Gorgie that the referee allowed refreshment breaks in each half. Motherwell were unable to use any to get their mindset focussed on winning the game.
The visitors were backed by a claret and amber balloon fest but the support rarely saw their favourites in control. Chances were in the main limited to set pieces and long range efforts and most of the game was spent in defence.
Highlight in the away end
Tawanda Maswanhise and Steve Seddon stepped up. Seddon was on the flank of a back four and Maswanhise seemed to struggle in a midfield position. He moved upfield after the break.
There was a further break on play just before the half hour when the stadium paid a respectful minute’s applause but Motherwell were caught cold at the restart. Fulton cleared from goal and Stephen O’Donnell missed the contact to let Lawrence Shankland run in on goal. The striker finished well to score the opener.
An apparent equaliser arrived ten minutes later when Calum Slattery controlled the ball inside the box. A lengthy VAR check for offside followed eventually Ryan Lee (on his Premiership debut) was called to the screen. The crowd had no idea what was happening but the official concluded that The ‘keeper has his view restricted by Dan Casey.
Had the goal stood and parity remained at the interval there may have been a different outcome.
Hearts bossed the second half and killed the contest with two goals in as many minutes. Penrice crossed for Shankland to score a second with a header then a Dhanda shot was parried into Alan Forrest’s path. The shot was drilled low into the corner of the net.
Michael Wimmer used all five substitutes as much to offer additional game time as in hope of a miracle turnaround but he found little to enthuse.
Motherwell drop to eighth and have to prepare for the arrival of Kilmarnock as the Fir Park hosts its last game of the campaign.
Hearts 3 Motherwell 0
Attendance
Team: Oxborough, O’Donnell, Seddon, Casey, Thompson (Dickson 79), Halliday (Andrews 69), Sparrow, Slattery (Zdravkovski 79), Maswanhise (Armstrong 69), Miller, Watt (Armstrong 69)
Saturday 10 May 2025