Motherwell 4 - 3 Hibernian: Steelmen edge another Fir Park thriller

Published on Wednesday 22 February 2012 23:32

WHAT is it about Motherwell and Hibernian? In this encounter they served up a second goalfest of the season at Fir Park in a hugely entertaining ebb-and-flow encounter that had shades of their famous 6-6 draw two season ago as well as their League Cup encounter earlier in the current campaign which Hibs won on penalties after an enthralling 2-2 draw.

Motherwell’s pace and power ultimately trumped their visitors’ pluck but, in defeat, Pat Fenlon’s side could at least draw comfort from the fact they did not capitulate for the second time in a week. From holding a 1-0 half-time lead, they found themselves 4-2 down in 75 minutes, Michael Higdon bagging a two-penalty hat-trick in between.

At that point, they looked as if they could ship five goals again, as they had at home to Celtic at the weekend. Instead, Ivan Sproule brought them back into contention with a scrappy effort and thereafter they just fell short to remain ahead of bottom club Dunfermline only on goal difference. Motherwell, meanwhile, now only trail second-placed Rangers by three points on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run. It was an evening when there was enough electricity inside Fir Park to power the faulty generator that caused the abandonment of this fixture when it was originally played two months ago.

The difference between the teams was the livewire Henrik Ojamaa. He just could not be contained by the Hibs defence, Graham Stack taking him down in the 47th minute, to allow Higdon to make it 1-1 from the spot. Jamie Murphy then edged Motherwell ahead in 63 minutes when he forced in a low Omar Daley delivery but Hibs levelled just three minutes later when Matt Doherty thumped in from eight yards after a scramble. Ojamaa was heavily involved in the two goals that took Motherwell away from Hibs. The Estonian’s strike battered the crossbar, eventually dropping for Higdon to lash in his second and Motherwell’s third with an audacious overhead kick. Ojamaa was then brought down by Doherty for Higdon to complete his treble and put Motherwell 4-2 ahead. Hibs’ response thereafter merely took the form of a consolation.

This particular clash was played out in a genuine big-match atmosphere. Within five minutes of kick-off there were very few empty seats among the three stands occupied by Motherwell supporters, while the visitors also brought an impressive support. The talk pre-match may have all been about the Fir Park side having an opportunity to move to within three points of second-placed Rangers in the battle for the second Champions League qualification slot. However, it was the travelling Hibs support who were pleasantly surprised by the application and appetite of an 11 that had three changes – Sproule and Francomb replacing Wotherspoon and Kujabi, in addition to O’Connor replacing Doyle – from that which started four days earlier against Celtic. Fenlon’s side betrayed no ill-affects of that mauling and, in fact, looked as if they relished an early opportunity for atonement.

Fir Park has been a good venue for Hibs this season. And as much as it would be delightful to think that merely the magnitude of the match brought punters out in force, the numbers would not have been unrelated to the fact that the fixture was the rescheduled Friday night fiver game from December. An electrical fault caused an abandonement half an hour in with Hibs leading through O’Connor. There was an 8,000 crowd for that. They were all afforded free entry for this replay and the 8,065 who turned up were treated to a capitivating encounter. It wasn’t expected that Hibs would draw first blood, yet they did so in curious circumstances. Tom Hateley was short with a passback that Leigh Griffiths latched on to, slipping past Darren Randolph before slowly walking the ball to the byline and cutting back for Isaiah Osbourne to fire in.

Motherwell soon started forcing the play, with Daley, Ojamaa and Murphy providing a zip that gradually wore Hibs down. It was a wonder that they held out until the 47th minute, some decent Stack stops allowing that to happen, before their goal was breached four times in 28 minutes. Hibs are looking dangerously hapless as far as their top flight survival is concerned.

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58

vladhibs

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 04:22 PM

high winds forecasted for the weekend, will the game go ahead at tin castle? It's anybody's guess really

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57

Hen Broon

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 04:21 PM

#56 R U Mr hibs wee brother? I think u should apologise for being abusive without justification.

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56

CASHKING7

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:53 PM

Must be mid term break as the sh1tty maroon neanderthals are out in force today.

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55

slaytheferalscum

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:46 PM

i want to offer my management style and motivational programme to HFC and the team id Mr Petrie is keen he has my card

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54

Portsmouth 657

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:37 PM

#49 If hibs win a derby? hilarious.

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53

WOTTPI

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:37 PM

A piece of sliverware is a piece of silverware and any fan who says the diddy cup doesn''t count is a fool. Players and fans like winning something. As for judging who is bigger in terms of results in competitons it is simple. The ugly sister have the lions share but after that its. League winners - Aberdeen 4, Hearts 4, Hibs 4------------- Scottish Cup winners Queens Park 10, Aberdeen 7, Hearts 7, Hibs 2 ------------- League Cup, Aberdeen 5, Hearts 4, Hibs 3. Therefore (discounting Queens Park) the 'Historical' third force in Scottish Football by major wins it is Aberdeen over hearts by a League Cup. Of course they can play their European Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup as Trump cards!!. In terms of league positions then it is Hearts being they have been second 14 times and third 17. (Aberdeen are 13 & 8 while Hibs are 6 &13.). By crowds since 2001 it is clearly Hearts.

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52

Portsmouth 657

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:35 PM

#46 Fibs by name Fibs by Nature.

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51

22GamesInARow

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:22 PM

49# When did hibs last score against the big team never mind win against us. Another 22 in a row i'm actually hoping now that Hearts finish in the bottom six allied to another big cup win, just so we can finish the drongo hobos off and send you muppets down

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50

22GamesInARow

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:19 PM

39# If you had 1 brain you would be dangerous! enjoy your bitching about the big team in Edinburgh while you're bumbling about in the 1st division ya pratt

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49

vladhibs

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:09 PM

If hibs score as many in the next derby match as they did last night then we will win no question about that

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48

Highland Hibby

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:20 PM

#42 So, let me get this right. The League Cup isn't a major trophy, meaning that the Old Firm only win doubles, not trebles. If you want to be a proper troll, rather than just aspiring to date one, you'll have to try harder.

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47

Atholl Brigade

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:15 PM

#46 If you can take Hib's records in derby games, the SPL, Scottish Cup, Scottish League and your attendance figures and make them greater than Hearts then youv'e obviouly been on some of the same stuff as O'Coker

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46

Tightfisted

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 01:55 PM

#42 CHOOKIE of CUMBERNAULD Now pal...how foolish of you to open the pandora's box that is the record of the JAMBOZOS, (who we're constantly told are a "BIG" club) over the last 100 years. Now, you might wanna reconsider such unfolding, but if you REALLY want me to take you through the stats and the maths yet again....you only have to ask.....Eh Compadre?? TEE HEE HEE !!

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45

Atholl Brigade

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 01:36 PM

#39 Yes obviously its much better to be joint bottom of the SPL and playing in front of 6,000 than 4th place and playing in front of 11,000.

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44

Hen Broon

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 01:35 PM

#38 hannon.....very poor response. For someone that stated yesterday that he has no interest in discussing hibs with Hearts posters(or something similar) you dedicate a tremendous amount of words not discussing! I reitterate IANFAE raised RANKIN....i agreed replacemrnts were not as good as him . You & safe Harbour ridiculed the opinion. I am pointing out that the manager of a far better side than Hibs concurs with IANFAE & my own opinion. No more no less. I respect others right to disagree. A bit like your rather silly question yesterday(why did i raise Rankin and not riordan....eh because i was responding to ianfae comments on rankin) u now ask why i think he did not want to leave Hibs etc......(1) He left because he was told by CC he was not part of his plans (2)what difference does it make to our respective opinions if he wanted to move on or not. Good to see you are still persisting with your innocent victim routine!

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