Motherwell 1 Hibernian 1

Last updated : 15 February 2005 By Footymad Previewer
Motherwell remained unchanged from their weekend defeat at Dens Park, while Hibs made one change with Antonio Murray replacing Ian Murray who was left out because he had an abscess in his mouth.

The game started brightly with both teams committed to attack. Kevin McDonald went close for Hibs in the seventh minute but his header looped over the bar from the edge of the box.

Minutes later David Partridge saw his header cleared off the line by David Murphy, and on the break Derek Riordan scuffed a shot wide of the near post for the visitors.

Motherwell continued to push forward but all they had to show for their pressure was two weak efforts from Kevin McBride that did not trouble Simon Brown in the Hibs goal.

On 24 minutes it was Stephen Craigan's turn to be denied by Murphy as the full -back cleared his header this time. The Irishman was not to be denied though and two minutes later he bulleted a header past Brown from Steven Hammell's corner.

Hibs slowly crept back into the game but had little to show for their efforts apart from a Steven Whittaker effort that was easily saved. Motherwell still looked dangerous with McDonald screwing a Jamie Paterson cross wide at the front post.

The opening stages of the second half were dominated by the visitors who created one golden chance when Dean Shiels beat Craigan to a high ball but Gordon Marshall was equal to his shot as he parried well.

On the hour mark Well responded and Brown did well to turn a Jim Hamilton header round the post for a corner.

Hibs equalised on 64 minutes when Marshall was adjudged to have pulled down Garry O'Connor in the box although the contact seemed minimal. Riordan didn't argue and coolly slotted the ball into the centre of the goal.

The game turned into a bitty affair as both sides looked for the winner but neither side could find the quality to take all three points and had to settle for one each.