Time away can’t disrupt Motherwell momentum
THE international break has done nothing to derail the remarkable renaissance of Motherwell under Stuart Kettlewell.
When Steven Hammell was axed in February in the wake of a dismal Scottish Cup exit to Championship Raith Rovers there were real fears for the Steelmen.
Sitting joint-bottom of the Premiership, with the worst home record in the league, the Fir Park side looked in grave danger of dropping into the second tier for the first time since 1984.
Yet under Kettlewell, Motherwell have now recorded four wins, a draw and lost just once — 4-2 at home to Rangers — to take 13 points out of an available 18.
This thoroughly deserved 3-1 win at Hibs was achieved by two stunning free-kicks by Sean Goss and Kevin van Veen either side of a poor penalty by Van Veen that somehow found the net. Kevin Nisbet grabbed a consolation for the off-colour home side.
Seven points behind their sixth-placed Easter Road hosts with three games to go before the split, a top-half finish is unlikely for Motherwell.
But 11 points above outright relegation, and nine ahead of the relegation play-off place, is a position the once-imperilled Lanarkshire side could only have dreamed of amid their bleak mid-winter under Hammell.
‘I think we’ve shown over this last chunk of six games that we can be really competitive,’ said Kettlewell.
‘The biggest surprise for me was when I walked in day one and it was really, really evident the quality we have here.
‘It’s been about trying to get the best out of what we have and over this last wee period we’ve done okay at that.
‘I felt this was a deserved win. ‘Hibs would have been favourites but in our dressing room we genuinely believe if we play like that we can be a match for anyone in this league.’
Impressive Motherwell wasted no time going ahead after just seven minutes. After David Marshall had saved a Van Veen one-on-one, Jake Doyle-Hayes felled Dean Cornelius at the edge of the box. Goss stepped up and curled a beautiful 20-yard shot that kissed the underside of the crossbar on its way into the back of the net.
Van Veen missed another chance to add to the scoreline when he shot wide while clean through and the half-time whistle saw Hibs players walk off with jeers ringing in their ears.
It only got worse after the break when Marshall felled Blair Spittal in the box for a penalty.
Van Veen’s spot-kick was awful and as it trundled towards Marshall Hibs fans cheered what they thought would be an easy save.
But the big goalkeeper somehow allowed the tame effort to squirm under his body and into the net. Marshall booted his post in a furious rage at his error.
Hibs thought they were back in the game when Chris Cadden’s deep cross found Nisbet at the back post and he crashed a header home.
But from 25 yards out, Van Veen curled another terrific free-kick into the same corner his penalty had only just rolled into from 12 yards.
Before celebrating with the Motherwell fans the Dutchman made a diversion into the Hibs net to exchange words with Marshall after the pair had previously been involved in a shoving match on the touchline.
‘David Marshall maybe angered the beast,’ smiled Kettlewell.
‘I actually thought the goalie was going to throw his hat on Kevin’s effort. I had my heart in my mouth at that point.
‘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. He has such quality in front of goal.
‘Did we practise free-kicks this week? It was more about encouraging the players to take free-kicks.
‘In Callum Slattery, Van Veen and Goss we have players who are more than capable from dead balls.
‘It’s about getting it right in the big moments.
‘I see them doing it in training every day so to see them doing it at Easter Road when it counts is very pleasing.’
As the Hibs fans streamed out of Easter Road their only source of comfort in a poor afternoon was Hearts losing at Kilmarnock.
Easter Road boss Lee Johnson was left annoyed at serving a touchline ban after picking up a booking for a stray ball thrown by a member of his coaching staff during the recent 3-1 defeat at Celtic.
But he admitted his side had been below par.
He said: ‘It’s a stupid rule. If my staff do something, book them. You can’t murder someone then someone else gets done for murder.
‘I wasn’t in the dressing room before the game because I’m not allowed to be there (because of the ban) but I suppose I have to hold my hands up and take responsibility.
‘We were really poor today. I didn’t see it coming, if I’m honest.’
Johnson also sought to play down his comments after Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou took exception at him claiming life at Celtic is in danger of becoming ‘easy’ for the Australian.
He said: ‘That (to insult) was not the intention or the tone.
‘I have nothing but respect for Celtic, Ange Postecoglou and everyone else.
‘But maybe he’s used it as a bit of a sharpener for his own team.’