Match report as Ryan Porteous pops up to score the only goal of the game to give Hibernian victory against Motherwell and register their fourth straight win
Saturday 8 October 2022 20:46, UK
Ryan Porteous was the hero of the hour for Hibernian as his goal secured a 1-0 win against 10-man Motherwell at Easter Road to make it four wins on the bounce.
Before the match, the home fans had something to shout about as 'Le God' Franck Sauzee returned to Easter Road to cheer his former club on.
This helped get Hibs off to a flyer as Martin Boyle was put through on the right by Josh Campbell. However, his shot was fired directly at Well keeper Liam Kelly who collected cleanly.
Minutes later, the home side found a way through the Steelmen defence as Mykola Kukharevych put Elie Youan through on goal but he was unable to get the ball from under his feet to get the best of shots away as it was parried behind by
Kelly.
Motherwell suffered some injury trouble inside the first 20 minutes as Blair Spittal felt a niggle after being nipped on the halfway line. He was only able to carry on for another five minutes as he was replaced by Ross Tierney after 25 minutes.
The brightest of chances for the away side came in the 40th minute when Joe Efford found room in the Hibs half and drove through to the box. He was taken down by Paul Hanlon just outside the area who was given a yellow card.
Two minutes before half-time, Campbell was taken down by Callum Slattery who was also given a yellow card. The following free-kick on the edge of the box was fired right at the Well keeper by Porteous - making it all-square at the break.
In the 57th minute, Well suffered a blow as Connor Shields was sent off for a last-man foul on the edge of the box. Lee Johnson made a double sub and brought on Kyle Magennis and Lewis Stevenson for Nohan Kenneh and Marijan Cabraja.
After 67 minutes the home side found the net to make it 1-0 as a savvy cross from a set piece found Porteous on the six-yard line who dutifully nodded it past a diving Kelly.
Porteous left the field briefly following a head injury sustained during his goal but came back moments later after being seen to by the physios.
With just over 10 minutes to spare, Hibs found the net again courtesy of a Kukharevych tap in but it was deemed offside by the linesman.
Hibs were able to weather some late pressure in the five added minutes to secure the win and move third in the table.
Hibernian boss Lee Johnson: "It's a great afternoon in terms of the points, we don't have that feeling of euphoria or elation as we could have managed the last 10 minutes a little better.
"The team is still learning all the time, but we look really solid. Marsh [David Marshall] has only had one save to make.
"We always looked like a threat on the counter. I thought the first 15 minutes we started really well. Good tempo, good ball speed, good runners in behind.
"It is just that bit of quality or composure in the final third. If we can increase that, it's the fire in the belly and the ice in the head."
Motherwell manager Steven Hammell: "I felt like the first half was a bit too open which we thought it was going to be, we thought it was going to be an expansive game.
"We made a few tactical tweaks at half time which I felt were working and we got more control than at the start of the game. Then a couple of big moments in the game go against us then it was a hard one.
"It's [the red card] something we could have prevented and we could have done a bit better. It is a penalty, another big moment that did not go our way. Connor Shields turns the ball round the corner and he gets taken out so it did not go our way.
"I thought we played well. It has been a tough week, three tough away games. We will regroup and get better for it, assess it, and hopefully get better for it."
Hibs travel to face leaders Celtic in their next Scottish Premiership match on October 15, kick-off 3pm.
Motherwell host Rangers on October 16, live on Sky Sports. That game kicks-off at midday.
