Hearts knock Motherwell for six at Tynecastle

Six different scorers in Gorgie rout
Hearts' Igor Rossi celebrates his goal against Motherwell.Hearts' Igor Rossi celebrates his goal against Motherwell.
Hearts' Igor Rossi celebrates his goal against Motherwell.

A Hearts juggernaut powering towards Europe completely obliterated Motherwell at Tynecastle as six different players etched their names on the scoresheet.

The Fir Park side were in good form arriving in Edinburgh but could not match the power and strength of Robbie Neilson’s team.

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The hosts took another convincing step towards the Europa League qualifying rounds with goals from Igor Rossi, Osman Sow, a Gavin Reilly penalty, Callum Paterson, Juanma and another spot-kick from Arnaud Djoum.

They might have been the top-flight’s newly-promoted club but Hearts were charging up the league table at momentous speed.

A 6-0 scoreline did not flatter them. Indeed, it would have been seven had it not been disallowed by referee Kevin Clancy.

As it was, statistics showing 61 per cent of possession, 16 shots at goal and eight on target suitably underlined the control Neilson’s side enjoyed throughout the afternoon.

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Rossi, the Brazilian defender, opened the scoring glanced Billy King’s corner into the net. Moments later, Swedish forward Sow doubled the advantage with a low shot past the Motherwell goalkeeper Connor Ripley.

Striker Reilly converted the third from the spot on 22 minutes after being fouled in the area by Ripley. The score read 3-0 at the interval but gaps in the visiting defence continued to appear after the break despite their undoubted improvement.

Indeed, manager Mark McGhee must have wondered when the final whistle would sound to end this destruction. His team ought to have scored to give themselves a lifeline on 74 minutes, however thy were thwarted by Hearts keeper Neil Alexander.

Defender Blazej Augustyn lost possession to Motherwell’s Wes Fletcher, who sprinted through on goal as Miguel Pallardo gave chase. Fletcher’s shot was touched wide by Alexander and Hearts struck their fourth minutes later.

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Defender Alim Ozturk displayed impressive footwork on the edge of the penalty area to slide a low ball through to substitute Dario Zanatta. He cleverly set up Paterson to fire the ball low past Ripley.

There was enough time for Hearts to strike a fifth and sixth goal as if to exemplify their dominance. The fifth came a few minutes from the end when Djoum found Juanma, who turned smartly inside the penalty area and dispatched his finish into the net from eight yards.

In the 90th minute, Djoum hammered the final nail into Motherwell’s coffin. He evaded two defenders and was brought down before firing the resultant penalty high into the roof of the net.

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