JambosJ show warrior spirittosinksteelmen
hearts 1 motherwell 0
Hearts boss Craig Levein hailed Christophe Berra as a “warrior” as the Tynecastle side collected their first victory in eight matches in a bruising win over Motherwell.
The Scotland cap came out on top in his duel with the combative Curtis Main to lead Hearts to a first clean sheet since October in a game that was settled by Charles Dunne’s 14th minute own-goal.
Berra only returned last weekend following four months out with a hamstring injury and Levein was thrilled with his commanding display, as well as the win.
Levein said: “The mission was to get three points. How we could do that wasn’t of primary importance.
“So mission accomplished. It was very competitive, as Motherwell games always are, lots of balls in the air and second balls were vital.
“Christophe is a bit tired, as you can imagine after being out that period of time then playing three games a week.
“I would’ve had to have rested him if he’d insisted that he had a problem, but he’s a warrior.
“And he seems to want to keep playing, he epitomised everything that everyone thinks he is today.
“He rolled his sleeves up, defended manfully and I was really pleased for him.”
Both sides came flying out of the traps in an exciting start to the game.
Indeed, the Steelmen came agonisingly close to taking the lead inside just ten seconds.
Hearts captain Christophe Berra’s defensive header from kick off was collected by Danny Johnson and the striker, who notched his seventh of the season in the midweek draw with Celtic, shot just wide of the post.
It an end-to-end opening Peter Haring had a header saved before Steven Maclean was denied what would have been a tap-in by a last-ditch Carl Mchugh block.
Well striker Curtis Main had the ball in the net in the seventh minute but his joy was cut short by Willie Collum, who had already blown for a shove on Hearts defender Clevid Dikamona by the striker.
But there was no reason for Collum to intervene as Haring forced Dunne into an own-goal at the near post.
Olly Bozanic delivered a cross from the left and Dunne got the final touch as the pair challenged for the ball.
But the promising start soon gave way to a fierce battle that would have left the footballing purists horrified.
Amid fleeting attempts to pass the ball, crunching tackles and fierce aerial battles were the norm.
There was little aesthetic value to the second half, too.
Motherwell threw balls into the box with increasing regularity as they chased an equaliser but Hearts defended robustly.
Well boss Stephen Robinson was fuming that Main’s goal was not allowed to stand.
He said: “It was frustrating because the level of performance was there.
“We dominated large parts of the game which doesn’t happen too often at Tynecastle.
“And we’ve had a perfectly good goal disallowed. I’ve seen it back.
“I’ve heard two different explanations for why it was disallowed, but the less I say about any decision and referees the better.
“I’d probably end up with a 50-game ban. It’s best to say nothing.”
Levein, who had been critical of referees in his side’s previous two matches, thought differently. He said: “Willie was fine and there was a lot going on out there, challenges.” hearts:
(3-4-3) Zlamal 6, Smith 6, Berra 7, Diakamona 6, Godinho 5, Haring 6, Bozanic 6, Mitchell 6, Djoum 6, Maclean 6, Clare 5 (Lee 82, 2). Unused – Doyle (Gk), Wighton, Hughes, Garuccio, Cochrane, Morrison. well:
(4-4-2) Gillespie 6, Grimshaw 5, Aldred 6, Mchugh 6, Dunne 6, Rose 6 (Bowman 70, 3), Rodriquez-gorrin, 4 (Bigirmana 64, 4), Turnbull 7, Tait 6 (Scott 83, 2), Main 6, Johnson 6 Unused – Ferguson (Gk), Campbell, Mbulu, Livingstone
match stats
The Hearts captain continues to lead by example for the hosts. Literally won every header in a fierce competitive battle up against Curtis Main.
CHRISTOPHE BERRA:
@captainjamtart