HEARTS manager Craig Levein admits he hopes a first victory in seven outings will go a long way to mending his team’s fragile confidence after Kyle Lafferty’s first-half strike saw off Motherwell.
In a game bereft of quality and action in the final third, Lafferty’s 10th goal of the season six minutes before the break sealed a first win in front of the new £12 million main stand.
Hearts have struggled with disruption on off the park this term but former Scotland boss Levein hopes the gritty morale-boosting victory will act as a springboard in the Premiership.
Levein, who conceded that Jamie Walker is likely to miss Tuesday’s visit of Dundee after aggravating a hamstring strain, said: “I was feeling frustrated in the last three weeks and today I feel pretty good.
"It’s amazing the difference it makes to the mood after the match with the simple thing of the ball going over the line.
“I said to the players that we can talk all we like about deserving to win matches, missing chances and things going against us but the only thing that makes you feel better is winning.
“Before you start to play better you need to win and that will help the confidence of the players I’m sure.
“Kyle showed great determination for his goal. He has had issues and things to deal with but he has been quite resilient through the whole thing, so I’m really pleased for him.”
Hearts' confidence had taken a knock following their recent barren run and their prospects of overcoming Motherwell when playmaker Walker, one of only two starters in the home XI who had scored a goal this season, hobbled off after 22 minutes.
Elliot Frear caused panic in the Hearts defence five minutes later when he squeezed between Connor Randall and David Milinkovic to create space for a shot but his right-footed effort was easily collected by Jon McLaughlin.
Hearts youngster Lewis Moore then swept a volley just over the bar from a raking Randall cross before Northern Ireland internationalist Lafferty’s strike lit up what was otherwise a dire first half.
Don Cowie rolled the ball into Lafferty’s path in the area and just when it looked like Cedric Kipre had outmuscled the marksman for the ball, the former Rangers player showed great determination to retain possession before slamming a left-footed shot past Russell Griffiths from close range.
Motherwell pegged the hosts back in the second period but Hearts held firm.
Ryan Bowman should have done better with a free header from Craig Tanner’s corner before Kipre fired a rising shot just inches over McLaughlin’s bar after Moore carelessly gave away possession.
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson, who was without 14-goal striker Louis Moult, goalkeeper Trevor Carson and Peter Hartley before losing Chris Cadden and Alex Fisher against Hearts, said: “The players missing is not an excuse. It just means other players get opportunities.
“We could have been better in the final third.
“The least we deserved was to come out with a point though, there was nothing between the sides."
Robinson, meanwhile, criticised SPFL regulations after being left without a goalkeeper on the bench due to red tape.
He said: “We're hoping Trevor will be fit by Wednesday but we didn't have a keeper on the bench because of the ridiculous SPFL rules.
“We have PJ Morrison on loan at Clyde who we tried to call back because we have a recall option but apparently the recall option only works for the under-20s.
“That needs addressed, massively.”
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