IT’S A CRYIN’ SHANE
Blaney’s late sickener wrecks Hibs’ dream of securing top-six spot
FORMER Netflix chief Erik Barmack tuned in at Fir Park in the hope of watching Motherwell produce a late twist to the Premiership split script.
But even he would’ve struggled to write the incredible climax to this scrap that saw both sides go into the game with ambitions of sneaking into the top half – and BOTH failing.
Indeed, it’s Dundee who last night hit top-six-and-chill mode after securing a point 150 miles up the road at Pittodrie that condemns both Well and Hibs to bottom of the table obscurity for the remainder of the season.
Barmack was in the house as talks over a major investment in the Steelmen ramp up.
The telly guru would have loved the late storyline that saw Shane Blaney slam home a 94th-minute equaliser – Well’s first shot on target – to silence the Hibees who thought they were destined for the top half thanks to Myziane Maolida’s 65th-minute penalty.
That was a real turn off for Hibs fans as another season passes without a hint of success.
They may have spent days mumping about sporting integrity after Dundee’s postponed clash with Rangers was pushed back until after the split. But those complaints were rendered meaningless as Nick Montgomery’s side failed to hold up their own end of the bargain.
And the full-time boos that rang out from the 2300 travelling punters who had gone from elation to devastation with just seconds left to play told their own story.
Montgomery said: “The boys are devastated, dejected. It’s 20 seconds to go, the fans are elated, we’re elated. Twenty seconds later, it’s devastation.
“I think it’s a game we should have won comfortably. We had enough chances to completely kill the game off.
“But if you don’t take them, if you make the wrong decisions in key moments, you can rue those missed chances.
“That was certainly the case here. We didn’t concede a shot on goal for 94 minutes.
“That has happened a little too often. You can say it’s unlucky. You can say it’s an injustice. But what we have to do is take responsibility, clear the header, clear the second ball.
“I’m disappointed and I’m devastated for the players, for the fans. Because we grabbed the opportunity for 93-and-ahalf minutes. Then we let ourselves down with one shot on target.”
If both sides were prepared to throw everything at a top-six spot then it certainly never looked like it in the opening half as the only thing that properly got a grip of the ball was the blustery wind.
Tension and nerves filled the air with both sides looking petrified of falling behind.
Hibs midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh and team-mate Chris Cadden went close without really looking like
scoring and the best Motherwell had managed was a decent Jack Vale dig from 25 yards that required an impressive diving block from Will Fish.
The Steelmen may be the top flight’s highest scorers outside the Old Firm but they’d barely troubled David Marshall in the opposite goal.
It took 46 minutes for Theo Bair to get his first proper sight of goal but the ball got stuck under his feet inside the box just as he shaped to shoot.
The game badly needed a spark and when Rocky Bushiri went down in the box under a Blair Spittal challenge the fuse was lit.
Referee Willie Collum flashed a yellow card at the Hibs defender for diving and the Well man was lucky to escape with the same punishment after angri ly squaring up to the Hibee and slamming him back to the floor with two hands.
Collum then infuriated the home fans when he allowed Bair to run on to Spittal’s through ball and fire past Marshall only to then blow for offside.
From thinking they had gone 1-0 up, Motherwell were suddenly 1-0 down two minutes later as Hibs had another penalty shout – and this time Collum pointed to the spot.
Stephen O’Donnell was the guilty party as he caught Englishman Fish after the defender turned just inside the area. With few complaints from the veteran Well man, Collum’s decision looked spot on.
Maolida stepped up to cooly slot home and Hibs had one foot in the top six.
Cadden really should have doubled the lead with 10 minutes left after Dan Casey’s sloppy pass in his own box but keeper Liam Kelly blocked the full- back’s arrowed effort.
Just as it looked like Hibs were coasting towards their objective, Well drew level with almost the last kick of the ball.
A throw-in from the right was only half cleared and Blaney stepped on to the loose ball to slam home a stunning effort into the top corner of the net to save a point for the home side.
Even with just seconds left on the clock there was time for one last throw of the dice.
Motherwell sub Oli Shaw, on for Lennon Miller, saw his effort creep just inches wide, with the home support certain the ball had nestled in the net.
It hadn’t. And just like Shaw’s strike both these sides missed their ultimate target on an afternoon that suited nobody.