Ahead of this one, Hearts manager Derek McInnes was eager to stress that the Tynecastle bubble hadn’t burst in the wake of last weekend’s disappointing Premier Sports Cup exit at the hands of St Mirren.
He would have done well to make an argument for that still being the case with 65 minutes on the clock here. Until then, his men had been completely outplayed.
The only criticism of Jens Berthel Askou’s side over the course of their unbeaten start to the season has been a lack of cutting edge up top. That wasn’t the problem this time.
Three goals should have been more than enough to see off their hosts and earn a first three-point haul of the campaign.
How Hearts managed to pull this off, God only knows. It says much about their character that they did. Their 100-per-cent start may have grinded to a halt, but it probably felt like a win in the circumstances.
There was an arrogance about the way in which the visitors knocked the ball around the back early on. It’s not unlike the kind of football that Russell Martin is trying to implement at Rangers. The Fir Park men are just much, much better at it.
That being said, Pierre Landry Kabore – on his Tynecastle debut – had the first chance. His driving run across the 18-yard line from the right ended with a feeble effort which trickled harmlessly wide. The Burkina Faso international was unquestionably Hearts’ liveliest player in the first half. Pity his team-mates were so slow in getting the ball out to him.
The play was interrupted as both sets of fans showed their support for Morton manager Dougie Imrie, who this week suffered the tragic loss of his baby daughter Remi. Another emotional reminder of how trivial football really is.
Motherwell picked up from where they left off when the action resumed, and took a deserved lead courtesy of a perfectly executed move right off the training ground.
Emmanuel Longelo played corner short to Elliot Watt, who laid it off to midfield partner Callum Slattery. His first-time strike from 20 yards took a nick off a Hearts heel on its way to the bottom corner.
From Motherwell’s perspective, it was brilliant. Brutal from Hearts though.
By this point, they couldn’t string three passes together. Motherwell were all over them. Their midfield quartet were outstanding. They clearly enjoy this new system, and no wonder when they see this much of the ball.
It took the best part of 40 minutes for Hearts to wake up. Shankland did well to hold off his man at the byline before cutting it back for Kabore, whose shot was tipped around the post by Calum Ward.
McInnes responded at the interval with two changes. It was a bit of a surprise to see Kabore hooked. James Wilson joined him on the bench.
This was a big opportunity for the 18-year-old to impress on his first league start of the season. It’s hard to be too critical of him, mind you. He wasn’t the main reason for the team’s dismal performance.
The changes failed to have the desired effect as Motherwell doubled their advantage within five minutes of the restart.
The move started deep in their own half, before the ball ended up at the feet of Just down near the corner flag. The Kiwi jinked his way past a couple of half-hearted challenges before feeding Tawanda Maswanhise. His powerful drive found the far corner.
Some home fans had seen enough.
Motherwell’s third on 62 minutes was so simple. No surprise it was Just at the heart of it once again. Stephen O’Donnell released him in behind a statuesque Hearts backline, and he selflessly put it on a plate for Emmanuel Longelo to finish at the back post.
Hearts, however, reduced the deficit within minutes as substitute Claudio Braga’s blocked shot was leathered home by Harry Milne on the half-volley.
Braga then lifted the roof off after latching on to a hopeful punt over the top and finishing through Ward’s legs. The linesman put his flag up to dampen the mood. VAR quickly overturned it.
It was his missed penalty which ultimately saw Hearts dumped out of the cup in Paisley. He single-handedly dragged Hearts back in to this contest. He levelled things up with less than 10 minutes remaining. Milne – one of several in maroon suddenly transformed – had a pop from 20 yards.
Ward should have dealt with it. Instead, he parried straight to Braga who couldn’t miss from five yards.
Ward was sharp off his line to stop Braga completing his hat-trick as stoppage-time loomed, before tipping the striker’s shot on to the post in the final action of a breathless encounter.