Robinson: We lacked spark
Well gaffer admits sloppy Steelmen deserved nothing
Motherwell ...............0 Hibs ..........................1
Michael Temlett Stephen Robinson slammed the sloppy Steelmen and insisted they deserved nothing from the game.
A Martin Boyle first-half strike was the difference between the two sides as Motherwell’s midweek victory over Dundee – and their cup exploits – caught up with them.
Motherwell gaffer Robinson believes his side missed out on a spark of creativity to change the game as they suffered only their second defeat in the last ten games.
He said: “We got what we deserved. We lacked a spark. Hibs did to us what we have done to other teams.
“We lost the physical battle and they came out with every second ball.
“People talk about what a good football team Hibs are but they did all the graft too.
“They won every tackle and header and I thought they deserved their win.
“Everyone was looking at each other waiting for a spark.
“We were looking at Chris ( Cadden) and Louis (Moult) to be a spark instead of people taking the bull by the horn and making it happen themselves.
“Perhaps it is just the culmination of a very tough week for us. We came out with two wins and that took a lot out of the boys but it is not the end of the world.
“We are disappointed but the good thing is we know we can be much better than that.” In truth, both sides can produce far more than they did at Fir Park on Saturday. They met back in September and produced a superb 2-2 draw and Hibs boss Neil Lennon had predicted a ‘humdinger’ between the two again. But it was only Boyle who tested Trevor Carson in the Motherwell goal in the opening 20 minutes with a fierce shot struck forcing the Well keeper into a top save. But the Edinburgh outfit grabbed the lead on 27 minutes through Boyle after an uncharacteristic mistake from Cedric Kipre as he failed to stop Simon Murray’s long punt up the park. Carson tried to close down Boyle but the Hibs frontman knocked it by the Well stopper and tapped it in. Only one side looked like scoring after that with Carson producing another save from a thumping John McGinn effort before the end of the half. Lifted by that opening goal, the visitors looked the more dangerous and Carson was again called into action to stop a ferocious McGinn drive. Robinson changed it at the break Three of the past five Motherwell and Hibs clashes have ended 1-0 while the other two were score draws. The fact Motherwell losing a game gets a serious reaction from the players and staff is a welcome change. Well certainly don’t lack fitness and this wasn’t a‘tired’ performance – just a really poor one. after a dire first 45 minutes from his side and Gael Bigirimana and Craig Tanner replaced Carl McHugh and Elliott Frear.
Eight minutes later, the Motherwell boss used his final substitution after hooking Andy Rose for Deimantas Petravicius.
Tanner almost equalised with a freekick going inches past the post but Hibs continued to look dangerous as Lewis Stevenson went close.
Well had a goal rightly ruled out for offside and a penalty claim waved away when Marvin Bartley looked to have handled the ball but it wasn’t enough for the Steelmen.
When asked about the penalty incident, Robinson said: “I don’t know, I’d need to see it back but that’s not the reason we lost, Hibs were better.” Celtic Aberdeen Rangers MOTHERWELL Hibs St Johnstone Hearts Hamilton Ross County Partick Thistle Kilmarnock Dundee PWDL 11 8 3 0 11 8 2 1 11 6 3 2 11 6 1 4 11 5 4 2 12 4 3 5 12 4 3 5 12 3 2 7 12 3 2 7 12 2 4 6 11 1 5 5 12 2 2 8 Pts 27 26 21 19 19 15 15 11 11 10 8 8
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