Motherwell 1 Hibernian 3

September 8 th 2001
Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 5,784.

Scorers:
Hibernian: Sauzee (2), Fenwick.
Motherwell: Kelly.

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotland on Sunday on Sunday 9th September 2001

Hibs' season tunes up

As the gloom surrounding the national team nightmare subsided a smidgen, thoughts slowly returned to club commitments as the SPL resumed after its fortnight long freeze. Both the Motherwell and Hibs managers had uttered specific wishes before this meeting of two of the division's slow starters, Billy Davies lamenting a lack of sparkle from his side and Alex McLeish beseeching his charges to stop being so sloppy.

While Motherwell flickered briefly early on as a penalty gave them the lead, it was Hibs who paid sufficient attention towards the gathering of a vital three points. Their creaking captain Franck Sauzee may at times look rocky in the Hibs rearguard, but the Frenchman continues to rock their world.

In an odd match with no fewer than three spot kicks, Sauzee scored one, then missed one, put his team in front with a sumptuous free kick and played his part in the third counter. What counts most for McLeish's men is that they are back navigating a forward course again. The consequence of this is that Motherwell have now gone their first six matches without once sampling a win of their own.

It was by no means a feckless display by them. Substitute Stephen Nicholas almost raised some smiles late on with a commendable effort which smacked off Nick Colgan's crossbar but the league table will make unpalatable reading this morning for followers of the Lanarkshire club.

Some cheer for McLeish then. The Hibs manager, the bookies' early front runner to be Craig Brown's successor, has ruled himself out of the running, maintaining his ambitions for now lie with his club. He has enough on his mind re-establishing them as the country's third force after a slothful start to a campaign which saw them take a paltry five points from five matches. The ratio now looks slightly more agreeable.

"We played some good stuff," said McLeish. "Much more like ourselves. Not nearly as sloppy as the Celtic game." Hibs' last match being their 4-1 crumbling capitulation to the champions, they looked altogether more chirpy at Fir Park.

In-form Tom McManus could have set Hibs on route in the second minute when he half snatched at a John O'Neil corner and Mark Brown in the Motherwell goal turned the ball over to safety. The home team responded, Derek Adams sending David Kelly clear. The striker attempted a square pass across the face of the box when he should have let fly but had only to wait until the 14th minute to make amends.

He largely had Gary Smith to thank, the Hibs centre-half bundling Stuart Elliott to the ground and giving referee Stuart Dougall no alternative but to point towards the spot. Kelly rammed a supremely confident shot past the diving Colgan.

Off the goalscorer scampered towards the Motherwell fans, soaking in their acclaim. Except when he turned round to be greeted by grateful team-mates, he found they had almost to a man trotted back to the centre circle. It was as if Motherwell had forgotten the act of celebrating a goal.

Then again after two losses away from Lanarkshire and three unsatisfactory home draws they had only hapless St Johnstone to look down on in the league table. Maybe Motherwell felt on more familiar territory when Hibs were helped to an equaliser. Ulrik Laursen, working a neat one-two with McManus, was chopped down clumsily by Kevin Twaddle for the second penalty award of the day. Sauzee stepped forward to do the honour.

Before the first half had run its course, careless Motherwell conceded a second penalty. This time the culprit was Scott Leitch, over-reaching with a tackle to send Matthias Jack tumbling. Sauzee, aiming for a repeat performance, drove this one straight at the body of the bold Brown. Still in a state of shock at his miss, the Hibs captain had not the wherewithal to retrieve the rebound from between his own ageing legs for a second bite.

Hibs suffered a sizeable loss before the break when McManus left the field injured. "He was John Wayne when he went down," said McLeish. Realising he was to be substituted for Paco Luna, McManus leapt off his stretcher to come back on. "He sprang into life saying 'Hey gaffer I'm alright'" joked the manager. McManus was witheld but will be fine for the mid-week trip to Athens. Craig Brewster will no doubt be relishing a return to Greece where he spent five fruitful years with Ionikis. The 34-year old is yet to break his scoring duck for Hibs but selflessly set up numerous chances in this match.

Shortly after the interval the Hibs fans were purring with delight. "There's only one Sauzee" they sang, and while the Frenchman is indeed unique, he had just given his side the lead, atoning for his first half howler. Hibs were presented with a free kick on the cusp of the Motherwell box and while the home rearguard were still figuring out how to negate this new threat, Sauzee had his crafty eye on the far corner of the net where he duly dispatched the ball with one flick of his boot.

The bold Franck's growing influence on this game seemed to inspire some hitherto unnoticed performers to come to the fore. Ulises de la Cruz, embarked on a mazy run and then, in the 64th minute, Paul Fenwick, off all contenders, scratched his name on the scoresheet. Sauzee, who else, punted a free-kick deep into home territory and Fenwick's sweet attempt sailed in.

Motherwell manager Davies was disheartened by the chances spurned by his ownside. Asked though if he felt a heavier burden of pressure after this latest body blow, his response was defiant. "Not at all. I'm contracted until 2004. I've got no intention of going anywhere. I will work hard from now until the end of my contract. Even harder now." Davies certainly has his work cut out.

The Teams:

Hibernian: Colgan, Laursen, G Smith, Fenwick, Sauzee, Jack, J O’Neil, De La Cruz, Orman, Brewster, McManus.

Motherwell: Brown, Corrigan, Forrest, Ready, Dow, Twaddle, Leitch, Elliot, Pearson, Kelly, Adams.

HOME