Hearts have yet to win in the William Hill Premiership this term after skidding to a 3-1 defeat at Fir Park to Motherwell who, in contrast, picked up their first victory of the season.
Two set-piece goals, both headers, from Paul McGinn and Stephen O’Donnell, laid the platform for Stuart Kettlewell’s men, before Yutaro Oda pulled one back.
Tom Sparrow swooped to intercept a pass-back to claim No 3 and delight the home support in a crowd of nearly 7,000.
McGinn opened the scoring after 24 minutes and O’Donnell’s counter arrived after 59 with Sparrow added the third nine minutes from the end of regulation time. Oda scored after 65 minutes assisted by Lawrence Shabnkland.
The home side won despite only having 32 per cent of possession but they had six shots on target against three from the visitors.
Hearts now have only one point from three league games and are tenth after defeats at Dundee and Motherwell and a draw at home to Rangers with Motherwell sixth with four from the same number of starts.
Steven Naismith, Hearts’ head coach, told BBC Sport Scotland that the goals conceded were really poor and added: “Decision making on the pitch is what is costing us.”
Kettlewell said: “I’m delighted we finished strong and we were deserving of the three points.”
PICTURE: Hearts coaching staff in talks at Riccarton. Picture Nigel Duncan
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