Well’slatecomeback in vain as Hibs hold nerve to win on pens
It was an incredible comeback from Motherwell that took the weekend’s first Scottish Cup quarter-final all the way to penalties.
They came from two down to breathe new life into a tie that look done and dusted.
There had been an urgency about Hibs from the first whistle that showed how desperate they were to reach the cup final.
Having lost two semi-finals in the last year, they were fuelled by the frustration of those failures.
Motherwell were clearly out to frustrate the home side. They were content to defend in numbers and concentrate on denying their opponents space to attack.
It was a plan that worked in the first half as Jack Ross’ men began to lose the early zip that created a few openings.
Martin Boyle delivered dangerous crosses from the right wing in the early stages but was seen less and less as half-time approached.
Kevin Nisbet was also buzzing around the penalty area and smacked a shot just wide of goal after 20 minutes.
Sometimes Hibs’ build-up was a little too laboured, while on other occasions it was overly rushed.
The Steelmen, meanwhile, remained patient – they were hoping to pull off a smash and grab.
They could have scored against the run of play when Allan Campbell exchanged passes with long and fired in a shot that Macey had to push past the post.
Hibs had the bulk of possession throughout but turning that into goals requires a bit of quality or a mistake.
Both factors combined when they made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute.
The men in green upped the pace after the break and Paul Mcginn delivered a terrific curling cross from the right.
Christian Doidge did what every top centre-forward should and bulleted home a header.
It was a great finish from the Englishman but he was given time and space to rise and pick his spot.
Tyler Magloire found himself on the wrong side of his opponent and couldn’t match his leap.
Only the bottom two teams in the Premiership have conceded more goals than Motherwell this season, so it seemed unlikely they would be able to hold out against an opponent committed to attack.
However, Graham Alexander’s men very nearly pulled one back immediately.
Cole skipped past Hanlon in the area and it took a good stop by the advancing Macey to prevent an equaliser.
It was one of those moments when the striker knows he should have done better.
It looked like it was all over when Jackson Irvine, who looked offside, touched home Nisbet’s shot from a yard out.
Then Motherwell staged the most unlikely of comebacks.
Ricki Lamie doesn’t often get on the scoresheet, but he kick-started the revival by hitting the net with less than ten minutes to play.
A corner kick was nodded to the back of the penalty area, the defender guided it back towards goal and there was widespread surprised as it sailed into the net.
Tony Watt then grabbed an astonishing equaliser to send the game into extra-time.
Stephen O’donnell curled over a cross and the striker headed down and home.
Neither side could score in extra time, with Gogic being sent-off after a melee in the last few seconds.
O’hara and Lawless missed their spot kicks for Motherwell, allowing Ryan Porteous to score the deciding penalty for Hibs.