Louis Moult sucker punch could be knock-out blow for Hearts' Daly

Louis Moult shows his delight after scoring the winning goal against Hearts. Picture: SNS.

So low were expectations just a few weeks ago that this haul from four awkward assignments seems more than acceptable. But Daly will feel frustrated it’s not more 
as he waits to hear from the Tynecastle powers-that-be.

He didn’t, however, help his own cause here. Daly, pictured right, admitted his side were undone by Motherwell’s long-ball tactics despite working on trying to combat this ploy last week in training. What they expected to happen had in fact happened and yet the visitors were still left in disarray on occasion.

The message clearly hadn’t got through.

Goalkeeper Jack Hamilton was still batting for Daly afterwards. However, with reference to who takes over as head coach, he conceded “it will be good when it is done”.

Hearts plan to make an announcement this week. The current state of suspended animation can’t be helping anyone, least of all the 
players.

It’s certainly not how Hearts hoped things would pan out ahead of what was meant to be their gala homecoming at Tynecastle on 9 September versus Aberdeen.

This game remains their next fixture but the clash with the high-flying Dons will now be played at Murrayfield, home advantage negated. Hearts at least have just under a fortnight to decide what to do about Ian Cathro’s successor and then prepare for another test.

Hamilton praised Daly’s work to date. “The boys all know Jon and have worked with Jon before so it is just a case of he is in there,” he said. “It’s not like someone new has come in and we’re all thinking: what’s going to happen? Jon is there and we know what he’s like and he knows what we’re like as players. Whatever happens with the manager situation the players will deal with that as it comes.”

Kyle Lafferty’s 22-yard 
opener gave Hearts the start they craved though they could easily have been trailing since Motherwell had already created – and wasted – two good opportunities.

The home side created two more scoring opportunities before half-time and took them. The first was Ryan Bowman’s first goal at Fir Park after a season of trying. Not, on the face of it, a hugely remarkable bulletin. But he is a striker.

Fortunately for Bowman, who has scored four times away from home since signing a year ago, strike partner Louis Moult has weighed in with more than his fair share. Saturday’s strike was his 40th in 73 appearances for Motherwell – the fear is it might be his last for the club.

The winner, four minutes after Bowman’s headed equaliser, showcased Moult’s ability to make something out of very little when lifting the 
ball over Hamilton into the far corner.

“It was one of those ones where you hold your hands up and say: ‘fair play to the striker’,” said Hamilton. The Hearts goalkeeper can ill-afford to be beaten by anything other than unstoppable strikes with new signing Jon McLaughlin watching from the bench in his No 1 shirt.

“It means I need to up my game now and having Jon, who’s a fantastic goalkeeper, will be good for me as well,” he said.

But Hamilton might well have let in another. Moult thought he had scored again on the hour mark but far-side assistant referee Gary Hilland ruled his header had not already crossed the line before Christophe Berra’s intervention.

He was replaced late in the second half, his work done – for the afternoon certainly,
perhaps even for good at Motherwell.

Bowman spoke on behalf of all the players and presumably the fans, who were appreciative – if also a little concerned – when Moult made a point of coming back out at the end to applaud the fans.

“He likes to milk it,” smiled Bowman.

“Hopefully we’ll manage to keep hold of Louis,” he added. “We’ve got a good partnership in training.

“This is only the third time we’ve played together this 
season but we’ve been doing really well – hopefully that continues.”