Hearts 0 - 1 Motherwell: Higdon takes ‘Well closer to Champions League

MOTHERWELL eliminated both Hearts and St Johnstone from the Champions League qualifying equation last night, while at the same time asking a difficult question of Dundee United, whose own hopes now rest on securing a win at Ibrox tonight.

Stuart McCall’s revived team exhibited some classic traits of a team equipped for the task of playing European football at a high level. Here they absorbed everything Hearts had to throw at them after Michael Higdon had given the visitors a lead, after 28 minutes. Even by this early stage Higdon had passed up a glorious chance to score, but the striker proved why he has been a valuable contributor in what looks set to be a historic season for the Fir Park side.

Motherwell have endured a tricky spell when it looked as though St Johnstone or Dundee United might be the ones to take advantage of Rangers’ financial troubles, and book a place in the Champions League qualifiers. Indeed, McCall’s side can still finish as bona fide runners-up to champions Celtic. The Ibrox side are just five points ahead, although they have a game in hand. Motherwell, though, will be happy enough with third place, and this win went a long way to securing it. Hearts just could not find a way past Darren Randolph, whose team-mates covered every blade of grass in an effort to avoid a last day shoot-out with Dundee United for the coveted Champions League place.

McCall later paid tribute to his side’s work ethic. Although Higdon might have earned the headlines – and, incredibly, been the target for the wrath of some supporters earlier this season – the manager remarked that he could not single out one player of the year. The same sentiment could be applied to last night. Centre-half Shaun Hutchinson was nominated man of the match on television, but, according to McCall, “everyone put in a shift”. Now they have almost, almost, earned their reward.

“If it is to be the Champions League, then we realise it will probably be by default,” he said. “But for us to finish third is an outstanding achievement. Europe alone is terrific.”

“The Champions League is beyond our wildest dreams. You could never foresee that at the start of the season. Because of the nightmare at Ibrox, it’s given everyone else the chance.” As for matchwinner Higdon, McCall said: “He had a lot of criticism at the start of the season but he is the one player who, when managers come in for a cup of tea afterwards, they always say has been a handful.”

A more downbeat Paul Sergio lamented his side’s inability to take their chances. The Hearts manager also detected a worrying “lack of desire” after Motherwell went ahead.

Sergio made three changes to the side who started against Dundee United at the weekend, one of which was enforced. Craig Beattie’s absence in the run up to the Scottish Cup final later this month is a concern for the supporters, who have quickly learned of his worth to the team. Andrew Driver and Rudi Skacel, meanwhile were dropped to the bench, from where they watched Hearts take an early hold on the match. However, the home team failed to take advantage of the possession enjoyed. It was a failure they were left to rue as Higdon’s 16th goal of the season handed his side an interval lead. He has now beaten last season’s tally of 15, when with St Mirren. Much to Sergio’s chagrin, everthing Hearts do at present is set in the context of the forthcoming match with Hibernian at Hampden. He has stressed the importance of taking each game on its own merits, especially when faced with opponents as fired-up as Motherwell. Take these colours to the Champions League, implored one banner.

Higdon should have helped to this end in the tenth minute but his shot from the penalty spot was hit too near to Jamie MacDonald, who gathered safely. This piece of competent goalkeeping offered no clue to the trouble he would later endure when dealing with a perhaps less problematic effort, this time from Jamie Murphy. For all Hearts’ possession, they were having difficulty creating a chance of any real note.

Motherwell could not be discounted, however. Although Chris Humphrey, the architect of St Johnstone’s downfall at the weekend, struggled to impose himself, Murphy, on the left flank, posed a danger when Motherwell broke upfield. Indeed, Murphy had a major part to play when the visitors went ahead, after 28 minutes. He skipped inside full back Ryan McGowan and then took aim at goal. In truth, the effort should not have caused the problems it did. MacDonald spilled the ball and Higdon did what was required, firing the ball into the corner of the net from close in.

In contrast, Stephen Elliott struggled to impose himself up front for the home side. One mis-kick on the edge of the box summed up his evening. Beattie’s absence was sorely felt – and will be again if his hamstring injury proves serious enough to rule him out of the Scottish Cup final.

Sergio sought to introduce more cutting edge to his side, replacing Taouil with Skacel at the interval. The switch almost paid off just 11 minutes after the restart.

A neat one-two between Templeton and Black saw the former given a clear sight of goal. Somehow the winger contrived to shoot straight at Randolph when a finish either side of the goalkeeper would surely have seen Hearts draw level. Motherwell sought to hit Hearts on the break. It is a sound enough strategy when Humphrey, their lightning quick winger, is in the mood. Here, however, he looked inhibited, though Grainger, the Hearts left-back, deserves some credit for that.

Motherwell threatened only intermittently. They were supported in their efforts by a boisterous away following, who were, to a person, off their seats as a Keith Lasley shot took a deflection off a Hearts boot and very nearly ended up in the corner of the net. Fortunately for Hearts, the ball slid wide.

The hosts remained in the game but Motherwell, however, held on.

That strain of Handel’s Zadok the Priest is getting ever louder.

Hearts: MacDonald, McGowan, Webster, Zaliukas, Grainger, Santana, Black (Driver 77), Barr, Taouil (Skacel 46), Templeton, Elliott (Glen 76). Subs not used: Ridgers, Novikovas, Robinson, Prychynenko.

Motherwell: Randolph, Hateley, Hutchinson, Clancy, Hammell, Humphrey (Daley 82), Jennings, Lasley, Law, Murphy (Ojamaa 78), Higdon. Subs not used: Hollis, Saunders, Craigan, Page, Forbes.