You angered the beast Marshall
Stew: Van Veen riled by goalie spat
HIBS.............................................. 1
MOTHERWELL............................ 3 Stewart Kettlewell reckons David Marshall “angered the beast” after goal hungry Kevin Van Veen hit a double to make it 20 for the season.
The Motherwell striker had been having a quiet afternoon until a second- half pushing match that saw Hibs keeper Marshall hit the deck before having an angry exchange with Van Veen.
It seemed to stir the Dutchman and he hit back in the best way possible with a penalty and superbly executed free-kick to end an eight-game wait for a Steelmen win over Hibs.
While Van Veen made the difference, Well didn’t have a failure, with Sean Goss capping a superb week that saw his first Northern Ireland call-up by scoring a sweet free kick after six minutes which opened the door to a comfortable victory.
Boss Kettlewell said: “Kevin is an honest lad and he will say himself he didn’t have his best first half.
“But he’s such a goal threat and he was much better in the second half – the keeper maybe angered the beast.
“The reason you keep him on the park is evident.
That’s the quality he’s got.”
While Well had Goss, for Hibs it was pretty much dross.
Lee Johnson’s men now face a test of their mettle if they’re to hold onto a top six spot. The Steelmen got off to the perfect start.
Marshall did well initially to deny Van Veen but when Jake Doyle-Hayes fouled Dean Cornelius as he tried to rescue the rebound, Goss lifted a stunning free-kick over the wall and in off the underside of the bar.
Hibs responded and Well keeper Liam Kelly was at full stretch to touch a Kevin Nisbet header over before Chris Cadden was inches away with a bending effort. Well have a new steely edge under Kettlewell though and Hibs left the park at the break to a chorus of boos which only heightened within eight minutes of the restart as Well made it 2- 0.
It was a double disaster for Marshall, who raced out for a 50/50 with Blair Spittal but was penalised after crashing into the midfielder.
The veteran keeper looked to have redeemed himself as he guessed right for Van Veen’s spot kick but somehow allowed the ball to slither under his body and over the line. Nisbet gave Hibs hope when he halved the deficit in 62 minutes with a powerful header.
But Van Veen killed off hopes of a comeback when he cracked home a free-kick after Will Fish fouled Harry Paton.
And he made sure Marshall knew all about as he made a beeline into the net to have the final say in their personal duel.