Stevie Hammell insists his side deserved draw at Hibs as Motherwell boss bemoans referee call

The visitors were shortly thereafter reduced to ten men when Connor Shields brought down Ryan Porteous for a professional foul. The same player then headed Hibs in front in what was another man-of-the-match display from the defender.

While Hammell doesn’t have any qualms with referee Grant Irvine’s decision to send Shields packing, he thinks the Motherwell attacker should have been granted a spot-kick after being caught late in the Hibs box.

“We had a strong penalty claim. You watch it back and it is a penalty,” said Hammell. "Another one of the big moments of the match that didn’t go our way. Connor Shields turns the ball around the corner and gets taken out.”

Motherwell manager Steven Hammell speaks to referee Grant Irvine at full time after Hibs' 1-0 win. Picture: SNS

The former left-back, who has impressed in his first job in management since taking over from Graham Alexander earlier this season, felt unfortunate his men didn’t at least earn a draw, even with ten men.

“I felt we deserved to take something from the game. In the first half there wasn’t much in it. I felt it was too open but we thought it was going to be an expansive game.

"We made a few tactical tweaks at half-time that we felt were working. We were in control but then a couple of big moments go against us.

"It was a hard one from there but even after that I still felt that we still had a lot of the game.”

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