Red was a game changer

Steven Hammell was left gutted by the red card he felt cost Motherwell the game at Easter Road.

The dismissal of Connor Shields just before the hour gave Hibs the initiative, with the Well boss ruing the decision-making in the lead-up to the incident.

Hammel l said: “We should deal with it better. Our set-up from corners changed slightly because Blair Spittal came off so it’s something we could have prevented at source.

“We deserved to take something from the game. In the first half there wasn’t much in it. It was too open but we thought it was going to 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 hard one from there but even after that I still felt we had a lot of the

TOUGH ONE Hammell game. We finished with three strikers on the pitch to try to get something. So I’m disappointed.”

Hammell also felt Shields might have had a penalty f ive minutes after the break. He added: “You watch it back and it’s a penalty. 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.”

To add to Motherwell frustrations, midfielder Spittal had to be taken to hospital after he was on the end of a tough Joe Newell tackle that left him unable to continue.

Hammell said: “I didn’t think it was a particularly good challenge on him.

“There was a followthrough and then another collision with his ribs and potentially other damage.

“It’s another big moment that went against us. But we’ll regroup and will get better from it.”