Andy Halliday’s late purpose proved decisive as in-form Motherwell capitalised on Nectar Triantis’ crimson card to defeat Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Highway.
The Steelmen went forward by Apostolos Stamatelopoulos within the 56th minute however Junior Hoilett shortly hit again for the hosts.
With the match delicately poised, Hibs midfielder Triantis acquired a second yellow card within the 77th minute and the guests took full benefit, with ex-Hearts midfielder Halliday incomes them a sixth win in seven video games in all competitions.
Hibs supervisor David Grey chosen the identical group that began final Sunday’s 1-0 defeat away to Rangers.
Properly boss Stuart Kettlewell was equally happy with the group that took to the sector for his group’s earlier match as he made just one enforced change from the win over St Mirren, with Kofi Balmer changing the suspended Dan Casey at centre-back.
The guests threatened within the second minute when Ewan Wilson nicked the ball off Lewis Miller on the left and surged ahead earlier than crossing to the again put up however Stamatelopoulos’ volley from 12 yards out lacked the facility to bother Josef Bursik.
Hibs bought their first sight of purpose within the fifteenth minute when Lewis Miller headed simply broad from a Junior Hoilett nook. Second later, Triantis was booked for diving as he burst into the penalty space.
The hosts began to crank up the stress and within the nineteenth minute and keeper Aston Oxborough needed to make a wonderful double save to disclaim Mykola Kukharevich.
From the ensuing nook, taken by Hoilett, Kukharevich noticed a robust header cleared off the road by Lennon Miller.
The Ukrainian striker then pinged a shot simply over after being teed up on the sting of the field by Hoilett.
The Edinburgh aspect had one other couple of alternatives in the direction of the tip of the primary half as former Properly participant Chris Cadden blazed over from 10 yards out earlier than Kwon Hyeok-kyu’s low shot from the sting of the field was fantastically tipped behind by Oxborough.
The visiting keeper made one other glorious save early within the second half to disclaim Cadden after Kukharevich’s cross had despatched him clear by within the field.
It proved pivotal as Properly went forward from a cleverly-worked free-kick within the 56th minute when – with the Hibs defence getting ready for a excessive ball into the hazard space – Lewis Miller slipped a cross in behind for Stamatelopoulos who darted into the field and blasted excessive previous Bursik from eight yards out for his first purpose since becoming a member of the Lanarkshire membership in the summertime.
The Steelmen’s lead lasted simply three minutes, nevertheless, as Hoilett dispossessed O’Donnell broad on the left, drove in the direction of purpose and curled a stunning end past Oxborough from simply contained in the field.
Hibs’ hopes of victory had been dented when Triantis acquired his second yellow within the 77th minute for a foul on substitute Tony Watt. Motherwell required simply three minutes to make the additional man depend as Halliday bought himself clear on the sting of the six-yard field to stab residence from Balmer’s lengthy throw-in.
Triantis crimson card angers Hibs boss Grey
Hibernian boss David Grey:
“When you’re on a yellow card, you can’t go off the ground again and give the referee a decision to make.
“No matter what you get the primary yellow for, while you’re on a yellow card you possibly can’t do what he did within the second half. (Watt) wasn’t going wherever.
“From that moment, it’s definitely cost us. Once you’ve got back to 1-1, you’re at home and the momentum starts to build again, you think, ‘right, can we go on and win the game?’. That definitely stops you.
“You go all the way down to 10 and also you lose the purpose three minutes after that, then you definately’ve bought a mountain to climb.”
Asked if Triantis held his hands up afterwards: “Sure, I feel he is aware of he is made the error, however it would not change something.
“I understand that if you’re the last man and you’re trying your best to stop a clear, obvious goalscoring opportunity, but in that situation it’s just a lack of discipline and out of character for him, to be honest.
“However on the similar time, he must study from it, we definitely cannot settle for that.”
Kettlewell: We rode our luck
Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell:
“To come back right here and get the victory is actually good as a result of I mentioned earlier than the sport I really feel that Hibs have gone up a degree as a soccer membership, so it was at all times going to be a troublesome day for us. Set-pieces had been the defining issue I feel within the recreation.
“If I look at the bigger picture I don’t think we were great in the first half at all. We rode our luck, no doubt about it. They had plenty of pressure, plenty of balls into good areas, plenty of efforts at our goal.
“Then initially of the second half, there was a second when Zach Robinson pressed their goalkeeper after which we bought good stress out on their right-hand aspect and I feel that simply gave us a elevate and a wee little bit of perception.”
