There were contrasting emotions in the respective dugouts at Tynecastle. Unbeaten Motherwell were upbeat after going level on points with Celtic at the summit of the cinch Premiership after a narrow win.
Hearts were down as the Jambos have now lost four games in a row in all competitions and have slipped down the table after a bruising week in which they lost 1-0 at Dundee, were dumped out of the UEFA Europa Conference League by Greek side PAOK and skidded to this 1-0 home defeat to the men from Fir Park.
Callum Slattery’s goal after a flowing move after 29 minutes separated the sides and Hearts failed to break through the robust Motherwell rearguard despite Paul McGinn being sent off in the second-half – 69 minutes in fact – after yellow cards for challenges on Alex Cochrane and Liam Boyce.
The Jambos upped the pressure in the dying minutes but the Lanarkshire side held on to underline the job that Stuart Kettlewell has done since he took over at Fir Park last season.
His men of steel have now taken their unbeaten run in the top-flight to ten games, their longest run since 2010. Contrast that with the home side and their success-hungry supporters voiced their displeasure at half-time and full-time.
Previously, Hearts have only lost one of their 11 games at home to Well whose confidence is now sky high as they move on to ten points alongside the champions. They welcome third-placed St Mirren, who have eight points, to Lanakrshire after the international break.
Hearts slip to eighth with four points from the same number of matches and must now re-group ahead of the visit of second-bottom Aberdeen who are in 11th spot with two points from their four games. Both games are on Saturday, September 16 (15.00).
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