WHO would be a goalkeeper? Motherwell claimed their sixth win on the bounce against Hearts at Fir Park yesterday, but boy, they benefited from a jaw-dropping howler from visiting keeper Colin Doyle to get them over the line.
The disbelieving laughter amid the celebrations all around the home stands told the story, as with the score deadlocked at a goal apiece through Jake Hastie and Steven Naismith strikes and the clock ticking towards full-time, Doyle somehow contrived to spill a weak David Turnbull free-kick up and over his head and into the net.
You had to feel for the big Irishman, who had made two great saves earlier in the half from Gboly Ariyibi and Turnbull, before his horrendous error gave Motherwell the three points they just about deserved.
It capped off a crazy 60 seconds from the visitors, as Ben Garrucio was sent packing by referee Nick Walsh for the reckless lunge on Liam Grimshaw that gave Turnbull his opportunity from 25 yards. Doyle will want to forget what happened next.
““He is disappointed, as we all are,” said Hearts boss Craig Levein. “He held his hands up.
“It is a strange game at times. You have gone from feeling positive and about being in control in the match, then two huge mistakes have cost us the points.”
It had been a keenly fought and entertaining encounter from the off. With his team flying, Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson named the same line-up for the fifth game in succession.
The injection of enthusiasm and quality from the likes of Turnbull and Hastie in that time has been a breath of fresh air, and it was no surprise that on-fire Hastie was the man to break the deadlock.
When the 19-year-old picked up the ball wide on the right, the Hearts defenders backed off and the home fans were off their seats sensing something was in the air. Christophe Berra rather strangely showed the winger onto his stronger left foot, and that was the only invitation he needed to rocket home his fifth goal in six games.
That prompted a spell of domination from the hosts, but Hearts fought their way level with the help of a touch of fortune. Uche Ikpeazu forced a ball across goal, where Naismith made a hash of his initial shot. The ball bounced kindly for the Hearts man though, and he improvised brilliantly to dink over Mark Gillespie.
There were chances at both ends as the teams went toe to toe in the second half, with Naismith scooping a great opportunity over after Gillespie had missed his punch from a corner, and Doyle doing well to save from Ariyibi when the winger was clean through before tipping a vicious Turnbull effort over.
It looked as if that would be enough to earn his side a draw at the least, but then Garrucio’s foul and the keeper’s blooper proved decisive.
The locals couldn’t care less how they got the win, with their only concern these days being over their club’s ability to hang on to their young talent like Hastie, who has yet to sign a contract extension.
“When we lost to Ross County the place was all doom and gloom, but we had the support of everybody around the place and that is being rewarded,” said Robinson.
“We can now go into two games against Celtic and Kilmarnock with no fear.”
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