Motherwell took all three points again Hibernian this afternoon in their opening fixture of this season's Scottish Premiership.
Henri Anier scored the only goal of the game late in the second half for the visitors.
Hibernian fielder a number of new signings, while it was also a new look lineup for Motherwell after several high-profile departures over the summer.
See how the action unfolded with Sports Mole's live coverage below.
Good afternoon everyone. Without any delay, let's get the team news in...
HIBERNIAN XI: Williams; Hanlon, Nelson, Stevenson, Mullen; Harris, Robertson, Thomson, Jones; Craig, Collins
MOTHERWELL XI: Hollis; Hammell, Ramsden, McManus, Hutchinson; McFadden, Lawson, Vigurs, Lasley; Sutton, McHugh
So, new signings Nelson and Collins start for the hosts, as does Fraser Mullen at full-back. Motherwell are without much of last season's squad, but will be hoping the returning John Sutton can help fill the void.
Both managers have spoken in the build up to this game about match sharpness, and how it will take the sides a few games to get into gear. That said, I do fancy a few goals this afternoon. Motherwell were involved in several high-scoring games last season and Hibs are usually good for a goal or two, they can also concede as we saw in the Europa League against Malmo!
Hibs' new striker Collins has admitted it is a step up from League One to the Scottish top tier, but I can see him getting a few goals this season if the service is right. He's a big striker whose good in the air but can also link the play well and scored 18 times last season. I'll refrain from using the old cliche 'good touch for a big man.'
The mercurial talent of McFadden for Motherwell is also an interesting addition. The winger starred for Everton and Scotland a few years ago and although his best days are probably behind him, he could be set for one last swansong this year. Motherwell fans will certainly be hoping so.
There is some sadness around Easter Road this afternoon, as Hibs play tribute to one of their greatest ever players, Lawrie Reilly, who passed away at the end of last month.
Hibs boss Pat Fenlon to Sky Sports: "We owe ourselves a performance as well as the fans. [We've worked on] stopped conceding goals, we gave away lots of silly goals in Europe."
And Motherwell manager Stuart McCall in his pre-match interview: "We've always got to try and improve, it's difficult to improve on what we did last season apart from the cups. We'll go out and try to play with a smile on our face. We've lost a lot of pace but will try to play an attacking game."
The teams are making their way out on the pitch, where a tribute to Hibs' most famous son Lawrie Reilly, will take place prior to kick off.
KICKOFF: Hibs get us underway...
Mullen gets forward from right-back early on and delivers towards Collins but Motherwell get the ball away and McFadden wins a free-kick to relieve the pressure.
Motherwell are struggling to find the feet of their strikers at the moment. They're comfortable playing out from the back but are forcing the ball in the attacking half and Hibs can clear.
Hibs win possession in midfield and break on the right. Jones tries to find Craig in the middle but his cross deflects for a corner. Mullen delivers the ball but it evades everyone and Motherwell clear at the second attempt.
Harris slips in Craig on the right and the winger almost finds Collins in the middle but McManus can get it away for a throw. A long one from Stevenson is cleared but only as far as Mullen who shoots wildly from long-range. Hibs on top at the moment.
Dawson finds Vigurs over the top for the visitors, but instead of squaring the ball the wide man slices the ball wide of the goal from a tight angle.
An excellent move on the left sees Craig find Harris, who cleverly plays the ball to the edge of the box only for an excellent interception to deny Jones. From the resulting corner, Motherwell almost score an own goal at the back post but Hutchinson gets it behind again.
Stevenson fires it too long for Collins in the right channel but Hibs are dominating this game at the moment. Motherwell haven't got started and are being penned back in their own half.
The visitors starting to get a foothold within the game now. Hammell finds Sutton the edge of the box, and he plays a one-two with McFadden but Nelson clears.
Motherwell keep the ball well in on the right in Hibs' half but a sloppy pass forces Hutchinson sot foul Collins and relieve the pressure on the hosts.
Lawson switches the ball well to Hammell who links up with Vigurs and McHugh. Ramsden eventually crosses on the right but Hibs clear and break after excellent play between Collins and Craig. Motherwell get the ball away though when Hammell tackles Harris.
Another period of Motherwell pressure eventually sees the ball played back to McManus, who plays a clever ball towards the back post where Sutton is inches away from connecting with it.
Motherwell are keeping possession a lot better now but are still failing to provide much service from their front men. Lawson is starting to pull the strings for the visitors in midfield.
They move the ball excellently from side to side, before Vigurs and Lasley combine on the edge of the box to allow the latter to strike at goal. Williams is not troubled though and catches easily.
McFadden chips the ball towards the back post from the centre of the pitch, to where McHugh is coming in unmarked, but under pressure from Mullen, he heads wide.
Robertson picks the ball up on the edge of the box for Hibs and lays it back to Harris who comes inside but fires the ball high and wide. Still no real chances for either side.
Nelson tries to play a switch but the ball goes straight out for a Motherwell throw. McFadden wins a free-kick as Hibs continue to press high up the pitch. He then bursts through the middle but is crowded out with options ahead of him.
Hutchinson plays a long ball to McFadden on the left, who brings it down well and wins a corner off Mullen. Vigurs delivers and Motherwell almost bundle the ball in. The referee stops play just as the visitors are ready to re-deliver the ball, as Jones is down with a head injury.
McHugh wins a free-kick on the left and Motherwell play it short, eventually working their way back to the left, where McFadden plays a poor ball straight into the arms of Williams.
Vigurs plays a nice ball down the line to Hammell, whose cross is headed out for a corner. Vigurs delivers the ball but Hibs head it away, only as far as Lawson whose volley is charged down and Hibs break. Harris plays the ball to Collins on the left, but with no support, the striker fires into the side netting from a tight angle.
YELLOW CARD! The referee produces a yellow card for Thomson after a lunge on Lasley. He seemed to get a bit of the ball but the tackle is a little late and he takes a lot of the man.
A nice move from Motherwell sees Sutton head the ball down for Vigurs on the edge of the box, but his volley goes just over the bar.
HALF TIME: Hibernian 0-0 Mothwell
Well, the referee has done everyone a bit of a favour there and blown up for half time.
I said I expected goals, and I have been well and truly proved wrong. Hibernian started the game well, and Motherwell have dominated possession thereafter, but neither side has created any sort of goalscoring chance.
If ever a game needed a goal, this is it, and there is still hope for us yet. There hasn't been a 0-0 between these two for nearly 20 years and this is the highest scoring fixture in the Scottish Premiership, although that is quite hard to believe at the moment.
Collins has looked lively for Hibs, but after the first 15 minutes, the new striker has been bereft of any decent service. On the other side, McFadden has wandered in an effort to get on the ball, but has been unable to pick it up often around the box, where he can really make something happen.
Motherwell kick off in the second half...
YELLOW CARD! Lawson is booked after bringing down Thomson just as Hibs were about to break.
The tempo is very slow, even slower than in the first half, and the way things are going, it's going to take a mistake to see the first goal because a moment of quality does not look likely!
Robertson picks up a clearance on the edge of the box and jinks past Hammell, who brings him down right on the edge of the Motherwell box...
SAVE! Craig smashes the ball low towards the corner, but Hollis saves easily and holds the ball too.
After a good move down the right, the ball breaks for Lawson, who delivers into the box where Vigurs finds space but heads harmlessly over the bar.
CHANCE! Robertson does well to wriggle away from two challenges in midfield and plays the ball wide to Mullen, who fires into the box. Collins finds space and connects with the ball but glances his header just wide.
SAVE!Thomson breaks from midfield and with not many options, fires a dipping shot goalwards. Again Hollis saves well and holds on to the ball.
CHANCE! Thomsom gets away from McFadden and plays the ball in to Harris who spins away from his marker and delivers a good ball into the box, but under pressure, Craig can not get enough on the ball to test the goalkeeper.
SAVE! Collins has a shot blocked inside the box and Motherwell clear to the edge of the box where Robertson volleys excellently, forcing Hollis into another save!
YELLOW CARD! Hutchinson is booked for a strong and high challenge on Harris, who was running clear on the left.
SUBSTITUTION That challenge has injured Harris, and he will be replaced by Sam Stanton. Motherwell also make a couple of changes, bringing on Francis-Agnol and Anier ,for McFadden and McHugh.
Mullen finally delivers the free-kick but it is headed away by Sutton. Motherwell break but a mis-control from Anier allows the hosts to regain possession.
Mullen delivers a free-kick but it goes out of play for a goal kick. There's been a real lack of quality in this match and it will probably only take one goal to win it.
SUBSTITUTION Motherwell bring on Stuart Carswell for Lawson, who could have been given a second yellow card moments earlier.
SUBSTITUTION Hibs replace Robertson with Tom Taiwo
SAVE! The best chance of the match, equalled with an excellent save. A long Vigurs ball finds Sutton over the top, who fires first time towards the corner but Williams saves well. The resulting corner sees McManus power a header at goal, matched again by a brilliant save!
GOAL! Hibernian 0-1 Motherwell (Anier)
A very similar chance to the one Sutton had a few minutes ago. Anier makes no mistake though, running on to the ball over the top, dropping his should to drop the goalkeeper to the ground and firing into the bottom corner.
SUBSTITUTION Thomson is replace by Danny Handling as Hibs look to get a late equaliser.
Hibs pushing men forward a lot more now but their midfielders are tired at this late stage. Taiwo tries to find Stevenson but he is crowded out and Motherwell clear.
Hibs are really struggling to threaten the Motherwell defence at all now. The away side are trying to keep possession whenever they can but it is hard to see this scoreline changing now.
The hosts are managing a bit of late pressure now but Stevenson's throw is wasted and Motherwell clear the ball again.
FULL TIME: Hibernian 0-1 Motherwell
Boos ring out at the final whistle, after a fairly poor game from both sides. The difference being that Motherwell won't care as they are the ones who managed to get the all important goal and take all three points.
The only real moment of quality was from the goal, a lovely feint and finish from Anier gave the visitors the points, but in truth they were only slightly better than their opponents over the 90 minutes.
Thanks for joining me this afternoon, and I can only apologise that it was probably one of the poorer games that we will witness this season.
Written by
Daniel Cross
Daniel Cross
