Motherwell 0 Hibernian 2

31st August 2002
Scottish Premier League
Attendance:

Scorers:
Hibernian: Townsley(2)

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotland on Sunday on Sunday 1st September 2002

Hibs go out on the Townsley

IT WAS fireworks night in Edinburgh last night and, for the long-suffering Hibs fans, it nothing to do with the culmination of the Festival. Not only had their team finally broken the 2002/2003 points duck, they had done it a win.

There have been times when it seemed that Guy Fawkes was still the one plotting with the gunpowder the last time Hibs strung together a decent league run, but come the end of last season, most Easter Road fans were optimistic that the days when the wait between triumphs lasted longer than the average pregnancy were truly behind them.

It seemed Bobby Williamson had succeeded where his predecessors, Alex McLeish, at the latter end of his tenure, and Franck Sauzee, had both failed and stopped the rot. But with the honeymoon period over, one or two faces departed due to lack of cash and the temporary absence of funds to bring others in, even Williamson has been left scratching his head this term. The biggest source of frustration has been the players’ inability to finish off the opposition during spells of domination. An above-average group of players who combine to masquerade as a worthwhile footballing side at times, it is the killer instinct that has left them flailing about at the foot of the table.

Even when Derek Townsley had all but settled this match with his headed second goal in the 71st minute, there will still have been those among the partying away support and most definitely in the Hibs’ dugout tussling with the inner demons who kept reminding them that there was still time to throw it away.
"At 1-0 the opposition still has an opportunity; 2-0 tends to knock the stuffing out of them, but you’re still not too sure," admitted Williamson.

That uncertainty was understandable given previous occasions when they have thrown it away, but while it was far from cut and dried, there was a certain resilience in this display that gradually chipped away at the chances of a repeat.

The handing of the captain’s armband to young Ian Murray proved a stroke of genius. A man possessed, even more than ever, he is willing to cover ever blade of grass for the Hibs cause. At the heart of the midfield yesterday, with Janus Matyus and Steven Whittaker slotted into the wide left berths, he was a willing member of the support cast in both defence and attack, while Mathias Jack and Mixu Paatelainen are players who would run through walls for a win, and look like they have just the frame to complete such a feat should the stakes ever get that desperate. Add that drive to the enthusiasm of young Alan Dempsie, and it should have been an even more potent brew than it proved.

While Motherwell, a team surprising several observers who had them earmarked as joint favourites with Partick Thistle for the drop prior to the start of the season, managed to negate some of the threats, they could do nothing to foil old-boy Derek Townsley.

Just what a good performance in this one meant to him was clear for all to see as he charged up the field kissing his jersey and thanking God after his 15th minute free-kick billowed the roof of Stephen Woods’ net, and opened the scoring. The celebrations earned him a yellow card and a few renditions of a none-too-complimentary ditty from the home support but, more importantly, it buoyed his confidence.

That self-belief was topped up further every time he touched the ball thereafter, and earned himself some pantomime booing. All players knows they don’t get villainised unless they’re a real threat.

"I know who’s smiling now, and it’s not them," he said afterwards, admitting that he had become slightly carried away with his celebrations.

He further underlined his credentials 19 minutes from the end when Hibs took the feet from under Motherwell’s attempted comeback. A suspect, swift free-kick, which even referee Kenny Clark seemed to consider hauling back, gave Steven Ferguson the opening to slam his cross ball off the post, and almost saw the home side level, then James McFadden had looked a cert to score before his dinking failed to trick Nick Colgan, who plucked the ball off his toe just ahead of the penalty spot. It was opportunity lost for them as a speedy spurt upfield allowed Paco Luna to cross to the back post, where Townsley headed home.

McFadden left the pitch soon afterwards, and his disgust with himself and his team-mates was readily evident. Had he scored, the chances are Hibs could probably have added another chapter to their hard-luck story. But for once the luck was on Hibs’ side. The more industrious of the teams, they merited the win more than their hosts yesterday, but should also remember they were fortunate to escape without too much damage being inflicted by their rearguard.

In Matyus and Yannick Zambernardi they had liabilities who failed to grasp the fact that Scottish football does not grant them the sort of time on the ball they were looking for. The latter of the pair could have left their team down and out before the first 20 minutes had elapsed, as McFadden and Derek Adams both charged him down, and only the break of the ball denied them the opportunity to go one on one with Colgan.

But Williamson refused to condemn his charges: they would learn. "I’m pleased. Those first three points are long overdue. I don’t think we’re a bad team. People just look at statistics. It’s always sore when you suffer a defeat, but we’ve tried to keep the heads up. It’s people outside who try to put the pressure on you."

That tension will certainly have eased, in the stands if not in the squad.

They have moved themselves off the bottom spot and with new faces and enhanced belief, Williamson hopes the upward trajectory will continue. But he will have to drill it into his players that games need to be killed off, or teams better than Motherwell will soon do the same to them.

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