Motherwell 'battered Hearts and can get a result at Celtic Park', insists Ipswich loanee

A 3-0 home defeat is not often accompanied by a caveat that the better team lost.

But that was the case at Fir Park on Sunday according to Motherwell defender Matt Penney, who felt his side were superior to Hearts on the day, despite the final score.

"I think that’s the most frustrating game I’ve ever been involved in, never mind played," said the on-loan Ipswich left-back. "But football is about taking your chances and keeping the ball out the back of the net.

"From a distance it doesn’t look great but anyone who was at the game will know we were the better team and we deserved to win. Hearts are supposed to be the third best team in the league and we battered them for 90 minutes.

Matt Penney in action for Motherwell during the 3-0 defeat to Hearts. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

"We conceded poor goals but we had 26 shots – that’s enough to win three games!

“It’s about the finer details but there are plenty of positives to take.”

A trip to Celtic Park is up next for the Steelmen after the international break and Penney conceded his side will have to improve defensively.

"It can’t be that we need to score five goals to win a game. Defensively we need to be a lot, lot better. We conceded three very poor goals that we will look at on Monday.

"Celtic will be a tough fixture but I am confident that we can go there and get a result. The way we played against Hearts, if we sort those details then it’s a different story. There is no reason we can’t go to Celtic, put a performance on, and put our foot down in the league."

The 112-goal Shankland and Forrest bond that will give Hearts huge encouragement