Motherwell FC: Attacking football and goals galore for high flying Steelmen

No, we’re not talking about capital giants Hearts or Hibs, Aberdeen or even Kilmarnock – we’re talking about a Motherwell side who made it three straight league wins with an excellent 3-2 triumph over the now bottom of the table Jambos at Tynecastle.

Saturday’s success – thanks to a thumping Declan Gallagher header from a corner, Sherwin Seedorf’s thunderbolt second half shot in off the underside of the bar and Jermaine Hylton’s cool finish after a mix-up in the Hearts rearguard – has Steelmen fans dreaming of clinching a European slot this season.

By complete contrast, hundreds of raging Hearts punters subjected their team’s gaffer Craig Levein to a rollicking during the match before a post match protest outside the ground after a 12th straight league game without a win left them bottom of the pile.

But this was of no interest to delighted Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson who said: “I enjoy winning football matches.

“To come to a place like this, superb stadium, atmosphere incredible at times, and a very good squad we played against. I think we should have won by more.

“We had a lot of chances that we didn’t take and we made life very difficult for ourselves at the end.

“A team of Hearts’ quality is always going to come back into the game.

“Devante Cole went through – brilliant save from the goalkeeper I have to say.

“Liam Polworth went through one v one.

“Chris Long went through and we hit the crossbar.

“To come to Tynecastle and create that amount of chances was fantastic and I still think there’s much of our game that could be better.

“So that’s a real pleasing aspect for me.

“I thought we controlled a lot of the game.”

Hearts’ two second half strikes saw Uche Ikpeazu head in the rebound after ’Well keeper Mark Gillespie had saved Ryotaro Meshino’s initial effort, before new Japanese signing Meshino shot home late on.

But Robinson praised his two centre halves, Declan Gallagher and Peter Hartley, for standing firm at the end as Hearts – still roared on by the passionate home support – pressed for an equaliser.

“Declan Gallagher must be very close to being in Scotland reckoning if he keeps playing like that,” Robbo said.

“When you’re playing at Motherwell perhaps you don’t get the credit.

“But Steve Clarke’s been to our games, he’s well aware of him.

“I wouldn’t tell Steve how to do his job, he’s done a hell of a lot more than me in the game.

“But I’m sure he’ll be on his radar if he keeps performances like that up. He’s seen Liam Donnelly get a call-up (for Northern Ireland).

“He was excellent as well. Young Allan Campbell has played two 90 minutes for the under-21s and his energy and enthusiasm inspires me at times.

“We’ve got a good group of boys that are honest.

“There’s a lot of talent in there as well and I think they can keep getting better.

“Sherwin, Jermaine and James Scott drive me crazy at times but they win football matches.

“So if we can keep getting them into the defensive side of the game as well, they are very much buying into that.

“And you’ve seen what they can do.

“I think there’s more to come. They all think I’m hard on them but they know what they can achieve. I think they need to believe in themselves even more.”