Hearts came from behind to earn a point at Fir Park on Saturday night.
It proved to be a night of drama in Motherwell, with the hosts taking the lead through a Stephen Kingsley’s own goal before Lawrence Shankland restored parity. A second-half VAR review denied the Jambos the chance to take the lead from the spot after Alexandros Kyiridis looked to have been fouled, much to the dismay of everyone of a maroon persuasion.
Head Coach Derek McInnes made two changes from the side that put Rangers to the sword at the beginning of the week. Jordi Altena and Blair Spittal came into the starting line-up, with Islam Chesnokov and Kyziridis moving to the bench.
A wall of noise welcomed the players onto the pitch, and they did their best to respond in turn. With barely a minute on the clock, Callum Slattery’s goalward header was well pushed away by a full-stretch Alexander Schwolow.
Three minutes later the Jambos should’ve taken the lead. Altena’s low drive was beaten away by Calum Ward but straight into the path of the unmarked Shankland, but with the goal at his mercy, his prod was steered away from the open net by a last-ditch Stephen O’Donnell sliding block.
The game then settled down to a slower pace, with the only real glimpses of goal before the 20-minute mark coming through a brace of Motherwell half-chances, with Tawanda Maswanhise sending an effort well over the bar and Stephen Welsh heading high and wide from a corner.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute, and it was for the hosts. Emmanuel Longelo’s ball across goal evaded Schwolow and took a final touch off the unfortunate Kingsley before creeping into the bottom corner of the net.
With three minutes remaining until half time, the Jambos got back on level terms. Kingsley’s ball to the back door was half-volleyed by Michael Steinwender and his powerful drive was pushed back into the danger area by Ward for that man Shankland to take a touch and slam home from eight yards.
Half time: Motherwell 1-1 Hearts
There was a change at the break with Kyziridis introduced to proceedings in the place of Marc Leonard, who picked up an injury deep into first half stoppage time.
Motherwell had the ball in the back of the net eight minutes into the restart through O’Donnell but it was ruled out for offside.
The Jambos suffered a second injury blow of the match on the hour mark when Craig Halkett went down clutching his leg and was forced off the pitch on a stretcher, being replaced by Frankie Kent.
Moments later Motherwell worked the ball into the Hearts box through Slattery, but his cross was headed over the bar by O’Donnell.
Next up was some VAR drama with referee Steven MacLean called to the screen, following Maswanhise’s challenge on Kyziridis inside the box. The man in the middle took a long, hard look at it but decided no penalty was warranted, despite there appearing to be contact.
Substitute Landry Kabore nearly made an instant impact in the 75th minute after being slipped through by Shankland, but from an angle shot was palmed away by Ward.
Fellow sub Kyziridis then passed up a golden opportunity to put Hearts in front. Spittal did well to hook a ball into the box from the byline, but the Greek’s glancing header failed to find the target.
The league leaders continued the pressure but a second goal proved elusive as the game finished all square. The result keeps the boys in maroon top of the league by four points, for at least a day.
Full time: Motherwell 1-1 Hearts
Motherwell: Ward, O’Donnell, Gordon, Slattery, Maswanhise (Hendry, 86’), Watt, Just (Charles-Cook, 86’), Priestman, Longelo, Welsh, Said (Koutroumbis, 77’). Subs: Connelly, Sparrow, Halliday, Nicholson, Ross, Booth.
Hearts: Schwolow, Kingsley, Halkett (Kent, 62’), Baningime, Shankland, Braga (Kabore, 73’), Steinwender, Spittal, Findlay, Altena, Leonard (Kyziridis, 46’). Subs: Fulton, McCart, Borchgrevink, Devlin, Kerjota, Chesnokov.
