Motherwell 1-0 Hibernian: Turnbull goal downs slack visitors
- Published
Highlights: Motherwell 1-0 Hibernian
Motherwell consigned Hibernian to a fifth Scottish Premiership game without a win as they moved within five points of the Easter Road side.
David Turnbull struck two minutes before the break after being set-up by fellow teenager Jake Hastie.
Conor Sammon could have sealed the points when he hit a post but the win keeps Motherwell ninth and moves them further from the bottom three.
Daryl Horgan spurned Hibs' best chance as Neil Lennon's side toiled.
Hastie excels as Motherwell motor
Motherwell brought a verve to their play that was absent in Saturday's Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Championship leaders Ross County, with Gboly Ariyibi a persistent thorn in the visitors' side with his penetrating bursts and slaloming runs up the left.
Ryan Gauld, Ryan Porteous and Horgan all had chances for the visitors, while Curtis Main scuffed straight at Ofir Marciano after haring through on goal.
But Hastie was the stand-out in a scrappy first half. The 19-year-old bamboozled the Hibs defence with his trickery, speed and colossal physical strength for a player so young.
Hastie's part in the breakthrough goal was brilliant. He spun away from Sean Mackie just shy of half-way, galloped deep into Hibs territory and stroked a beautiful pass for the racing Turnbull to caress home first-time. The move was slick; the finish ruthless.
Hibs' woeful first-half distribution, rocky defence and inability to plot a route through the home ranks will alarm Lennon, as will the injury suffered by defender Porteous.
They were much better after the break but lacked a clinical touch. Horgan scooped their biggest opportunity horribly wide when set free by a lovely Gauld clip. The Irishman's awkwardness and indecision with the finish was Hibs in microcosm.
Sammon could have killed them off but his close-range shot was deflected and tipped away by Marciano, and the striker could only side-foot the rebound off the outside of a post from a very tight angle.
In the final throes, Hibs piled forward, but only threatened to score when Kamberi's near-post flick zipped beyond Oli Shaw. A maddening night for a team still searching for the spark to ignite their season. For Motherwell, the perfect tonic to their chastening cup exit.
Jake Hastie was one of Motherwell's top performers
'Gboly & Hastie sink Hibs' - analysis
BBC Scotland's Kenny Crawford at Fir Park
What a difference one match can make. If Motherwell replicate this performance on a regular basis between now and May, they'll be looking upwards rather downwards in the table.
The quality of their attacking was a joy to watch at times, with Ariyibi and Hastie Hibs' tormentors-in-chief down the flanks. Built like a barrel, Hastie took delight in trying to beat defenders and laid on an exquisite assist for Turnbull. And there is an elegance about USA Under-23 international Ariyibi, who glides and dances his way into promising, potent positions.
Hibs never quite clicked in Lanarkshire, and Omeonga's withdrawal at half-time, along with Ryan Porteous's first-half injury, summed up a frustrating evening for Lennon's side.
'We've got a real bright future' - reaction
'His knee popped out' - Lennon fearful about Porteous injury
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "We had energy, a lot of good play, and really pleasing aspects. You look at the age of our squad - two midfielders under 20 in Jake Hastie and David Turnbull, we've got a real bright future.
"Sometimes the young boys are up and down, it's something we have to persevere with and keep being brave with."
Hibernian head coach Neil Lennon: "Second-half we were very good but poor in the final third. We missed easy chances. We dominated the second half but we have to turn the domination into goals.
"Ryan Porteous' knee's popped out so we don't know how bad it's going to be. We've just had him back [from a previous injury], I wanted him in the team because he's been superb this season."