Live - Scottish Premier League

FINAL SCORE: Motherwell 1-0 Hearts

Match report

GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times GMT)

MY SPORT: DEBATE Your thoughts on the action

To get involved use My Sport or text us your views on 80295. (Not all contributions can be used)

By Keir Murray

2147: It has been an honour. Good night.

2145: Many thanks for all your contributions and for taking the time to log on and read the text commentary.

As mentioned below, the highlights will be online at the BBC Sport site from midnight.

2142: Craig Paterson has given Chris Porter his Sportsound man of the match award.

Sportsound Player of the Year 2008/09

Chris Porter got the highest rating with 6.83 at the final whistle in the Player Rater.

Player Rater

You can still give your ratings to the players even though the match has ended.

2139: A great three points for Motherwell. They stay in ninth place but, crucially, put a bit of daylight between themselves and the three teams below.

2138: Final score: Motherwell 1-0 Hearts.

2135: A long message but a good one. Re 2021. "You asked about Hammell's corner when he tripped over. It depends on how far the ball moves. I remember Alan McClaren being involved in a similar incident when he took a free kick for Rangers (it may have been against Kilmarnock). Whoever it was who was initially meant to take it touched the ball and then ran off, but as Scotsport took great delight in pointing out, the ball has to make one revolution before it's considered taken, so when McClaren then took a touch and then another, he'd effectively taken the free kick and committed a foul by taking the next touch!

"Do I win some sort of prize for remembering that? Couldn't tell you anything about what I studied at Uni, but trivial football incidents from around 14 years ago? No problem!"

and surely that's great news for the rest of Scottish football on My Sport

You deserve a prize, sir/madam, but the giving of prizes these days at the BBC is a tricky business. Sorry!

2132: Terrific defending by Christophe Berra, racing back into his box to head the danger clear.

2130: The Hearts and Motherwell players were positioned along the 18-yard line for the Jambos' free-kick like a Nashville line dance, or perhaps a Lanarkshire wedding Slosh routine.

2127: Some humour amidst the rather grim proceedings. Re 2053. "Highlights? From the looks of it. The highlights will hardly kill a minute of the work's time tomorrow!"
Ian, Livingston who texted 80295

Well, given the state of the economy, we wouldn't like our online highlights to get in the way of business productivity.

2124: "Hearts need to go for broke but they seem intent on playing this way, hoping something is going to happen."
Craig Paterson on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound

2120: I think Motherwell's players must have run up bigger Christmas present bills on their credit cards than Hearts' XI. They definitely seem more desperate for a win bonus.

2117: David Clarkson had Hearts hearts in mouths there, racing on to a Stephen Hughes pass over the top. The bold Janos Balogh was on his toes, though, and skelped it clear.

2116: Cesnauskis on for Wallace. Hearts looking to freshen things up for the last 20 minutes.

2114: Re 2102. "Aye, it's a nice looking kit. we have been beaten every time we have played in it though. its definitely cursed."
the A_A team SIBTRC on My Sport

2112: Argh, the disease is spreading. Porter had the chance to shoot but instead tried a fancy backheel.

2111: Keith Lasley, hang your head in shame! That was a terrific chance for Motherwell, with lovely build-up play setting up the Well midfielder on the edge of the box. And Lasley passed it out to the right touchline!

2108: Paul Mitchell informs Sportsound listeners that Hearts have gone 400 minutes without a goal.

2107: Nade thunders off the park to make way for an athletic-looking Calum Elliot.

2106: And then, as if by magic, the lad Elliot gets stripped for action.

2105: Come on, guys! We need some goals, shots on goals, penalties, anything!!!

2103: Stephen Craigan maybe needs a few more games to get back to his old form. In a period of play notable for the number of consecutive mistakes, Craigan hoofed the ball 30 yards into the air when it looked like he was trying to execute a low side-footed pass.

2102: I must say, that Hearts away strip looks excellent. It's like an Ajax top I had in the early '80s...with navy blue in place of the Ajax red, if you know what I mean.

2059: A withering comment fromhand_of_god86 on My Sport ."Time for Hearts to bring on our goalscoring machine... oh dear well Calum Elliot it is then."

2058: You guessed it - straight into the arms of Graeme Smith. Pah. Well, at least Hearts are in Motherwell's half.

2057: Stop press! Hearts have a free-kick in a threatening position...

2055: Ya beauty! Anonymous texter has got in touch again...anonymously. "I'm the anonymous poster...the Hobohlics are not our rivals! Ma-an they ain't nobodys rivals fo' nuttin'."

Ha!

2053: Shameless promotion: you can watch highlights of this match on the BBC Sport website at midnight.

2051: It's good to see Stephen Craigan back playing after all his injury problems. He's been in here in our Sport office more than the training pitch these days.

2047: "I doubt if Hearts can pull off the same kind of tactical change that DUFC did against Celtic so I reckon they'll try harder not smarter and we'll see at least one Jambo walk... If Young Driver wants to improve he should consider a move to DUFC where the manager is known to encourage young talent."

The thoughts there ofgadgyarad on My Sport

2043: Garchbo has been on My Sport: "Obua - top five african players of the year??? But then Kingston got 3rd place in Ghana's top players too, but he's been murder this season. Doesn't say much for the state of African football, as Csaba will testify from first hand experience."

2039: "David Obua is a joke. Hearts need 2 get him off and Stewart and put on glen and Cesnauskis. Hearts don't look interested." Thanks toGraeme in Edinburgh for texting80295.

2036: Half-time: Motherwell 1-0 Hearts. The Jambos are struggling to impose themselves on the Steelmen. Big Christian Nade has only shown flashes of skill up front, but the supply hasn't really been there.

2034: "Does no-one pay to watch this game?"BBC Sportsound summariser Craig Paterson on noticing that Gordon Strachan, Mixu Paatelainen and Jim Jefferies are all in the Fir Park main stand.

2032: Uh-oh. My surprise at Hearts being just three points off Dundee United has gone down like a lead balloon.

All I meant (plead, plead) was that United and manager Craig Levein are getting all the plaudits and coverage, while Hearts had a patchy start to the campaign and many didn't consider them to be capable of mounting a strong challenge.

2029: Motherwell's midfield looks the livelier. Stephen Hughes and Lasley seem to be winning all the loose balls.

2026: I'm enjoying the level of wit on My Sport ."As the game goes on Hearts might have to change from their usual tactics and think about playing someone up front," saysbringthemonjpn.

Ouch!

2021: Comedy moment there that would have made Buster Keaton proud.

Stevie Hammell trotted up to take a corner, slipped and nearly tripped over the ball. That's one for You Are the Ref - Hammell didn't actually touch the ball, but what would the referee have done if stumbling Hammell had made the ball move? A re-take? Play on? Book him for incompetence?!

2019: An anonymous text into 80295 says: "Without Aguiar we don't have enough creativity. Why we are not playing with two up front is beyond me...when Glen came on against Leith's Hoboholics we looked a different side."

Hmm, I think if you're going to get lippy about your main rivals you've got to at least put your name against it. Come on, Anonymous, do the right thing.

2017: Well boss Mark McGhee has that look on his face on the touchline. You know the one - it says "don't dare may a muck of that pass".

2015: "They look like the Motherwell of last season." The opinion of Sportsound commentator Paul Mitchell on Well's confident opening 25 minutes.

2013: Alex MacDonald has emailed Sportsound: "Dismayed by Obua's inclusion tonight, he's just not interested and after Glen's performance on Saturday, that would have been the logical choice alongside Nade or even with Elliot. Kingston's away and hope Obua joins him."

Hang on, that couldn't be THE Alex MacDonald, could it? Wee Doddie of Rangers, Hearts and Airdrie fame?!

2011: Poor Keith Lasley has taken a knock to the head and has had to change his shirt because of the splattering of blood.

2008: "Our cunning plan of unsettling Porter by discussing his possible transfer seems to have come unstuck..." So saysRESPECT is a 2 way street on My Sport

2006: I should point out that Real_Giant_Terrier on My Sport is "Real" as in "Real Madrid", not as in the real" deal. It makes him sound exotic, don't you think?

2003: Hearts are wearing black arm bands as a mark of respect following the death of Tynecastle legend Alfie Conn, the father of the player of the same name who starred for Rangers and Celtic.

2000: Goal! Motherwell 1-0 Hearts. Chris Porter gets his bonce on the end of an inviting cross by Stephen Hughes. He's good in the air, the Porter lad. The Hearts defence was flat-footed.

1958: A quality post fromReal_Giant_Terrier onMy Sport. Regarding the line at 1945, he writes: "No, because 3 + 32 usually equals 35, doesn't it?" Have your witty say on My Sport

1955: As always, these text commentaries are at their best when we get contributions from our website visitors. Um, that's you. I'll be delighted to hear from you if you would like to text your views to 80295 or post a message on My Sport . Thanks.

1952: In case you are wondering why this match is being played tonight, the match was originally scheduled for the start of December, but Motherwell's undersoil heating system suffered a technical fault.

1950: Motherwell are unchanged from their last outing, says BBC Radio Scotland's commentator Paul Mitchell. He knows about these things.

1948: The teams are on the pitch now. A bit late getting going tonight. The Jambos are in their change colours of white and navy blue.

1945: Incredibly (is that unfair?), if Hearts win tonight's game, they'll be level on points with Dundee United. Is anyone else surprised by that?!

1942: And here are tonight's teams:

Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Klimpl, O'Brien, Lasley, Hughes, Porter, Clarkson. Subs: Krysiak, Malcolm, Sutton, Darren Smith, Murphy, McGarry, Saunders.

Hearts: Balogh, Neilson, Berra, Zaliukas, Lee Wallace, Jonsson, Stewart, Palazuelos, Driver, Nade, Obua. Subs: Kello, Cesnauskis, Elliot, McGowan, Templeton, Rapnik, Glen.

1940: Hello, good evening and welcome... (I've always wanted to say that - it makes me sound like Roger Melly) ..to tonight's live text commentary on the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match at Fir Park between Motherwell and Hearts.

Send in your comments via: My Sport and text on 80295.