By Paul Marshall
February 8 2003

David Clarkson and Shaun Fagan goals scored the goal that gave Motherwell a 2 - 1 victory over Hibernian which was their first victory of 2003 and lifted themselves off the bottom of the table. The 2 - 1 victory gave Terry Butcher his first win over Hibs this season and moving off the bottom spot must have made it sweeter.





Kemas returned to the Motherwell side !

Terry was without his usual forward line, James McFadden served the third of his four match suspension and Dirk Lehmann missed out after picking up an ankle injury when celebrating a goal in training. Dubourdeau replaced Woods in goals and striker Khaled Kemas returned from injury to take a place on the bench.



Motherwell goalscorer Shaun Fagan didn't even start the match, he replaced Captain Scott Leitch after only six minutes, the tough tackling midfielder was at the end of a bad tackle from Hibernian's German defender Mathais Jack. Hibs had most of the early chances but it was Motherwell who took the lead after thirty minutes through David Clarkson, the 17 year old met Stephen Pearson's cross with a diving header which beat the helpless Nick Colgan in the Hibs goal. Motherwell doubled their lead ten minutes later through substitute Shaun Fagan, the youngster got his second goal of the season after slamming home from 15 yards. Hibs forward Gary O'Conner who had been a menace to the Motherwell defence all afternoon pulled one back for the visitors with twenty minutes remaining but it was Motherwell who started to control the game, sbstitute Khaled Kemas showed some nice touches which made Terry Butcher sign him from Dundee in the summer, hopefully the Algerian international forward can get some games under his belt and produce more of the form he showed today.


Next week Celtic are the visitors for the pay per view match, we are unbeaten against the Old Firm at Fir Park this season and hopefully that will continue as we battle to pull away from the relegation zone.






Motherwell line up

Dubourdeau

Cowan

Hammell

Corrigan

Vaughan

Partridge

Adams

Leitch ( Fagan )

Pearson

Clarkson

Craig ( Kemas )





Hibernian line up

Colgan

Orman

Murray

Townsley

Zambernardi

Fenwick

O'Neil

Brebner

Jack

Paatelainen

O'Connor

Referee C Richmond


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