Team news

Fenlon not shaken by Sunday's shocker Hibernian manager Pat Fenlon has challenged his players to build on the improvement they showed before Sunday`s thrashing by Celtic and not be derailed by that 5-0 defeat.

Hibs kept consecutive clean sheets against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen before being torn apart by Neil Lennon's side at Easter Road.

They have a quick opportunity to bounce back when they face Motherwell on Wednesday night looking to stay ahead of Clydesdale Bank Premier League bottom club Dunfermline, who take on Celtic at the same time.

Fenlon told Hibernian TV: "We gave away soft goals and didn`t defend properly and came up against a team that are on fire. There is no point dwelling on that. We are 49 points behind Celtic and we have to address that in the long term.

"In the short term we have to focus on the next game and getting ourselves out the position we are in. We did all right in previous weeks and we need to concentrate on getting back to that level of determination and organisation." Goalkeeper Graham Stack was among the players who were below par against Celtic but Fenlon will not make sweeping alterations.

"There won`t be wholesale changes," the Irishman said. "We will make one or two changes.

"We have three games in seven days and we need to utilise the squad. We brought a lot of players in so if we make two or three changes now it doesn`t affect the quality." On-loan Stoke midfielder Tom Soares could return for Hibernian after missing the last two games with a hamstring strain.

Left-back Callum Booth (Achilles) is on the sidelines along with winger Danny Galbraith (groin) and Ian Murray (hip).

Motherwell midfielder Nicky Law has revealed he is benefiting from a concerted attempt to spread the goals around the Fir Park team.

Law has been at the forefront of Motherwell's goalscoring renaissance, hitting three goals in five games to add to his solitary previous strike this season.

Motherwell had been struggling to score at Fir Park - netting just five times in eight games before Christmas. But a group meeting to focus their efforts on sealing third spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier league prompted a determination to move responsibility for goalscoring around the team.

Motherwell have now scored 19 goals in six home games and manager Stuart McCall, who coached Law at Sheffield United and Bradford, has also been urging the creative midfielder to get on the scoresheet.

"Since I was 16 he was telling me that I needed to score more goals," Law said. "Maybe after seven years it's finally settling in. Recently I have probably had a few more shots. I could have had four or five goals on Saturday, but I was happy with one in the end.

"It's something for the last couple of weeks I have been looking to do because I have always assisted quite a lot of goals. To get them as well is important. To get three in five games is brilliant and I'm looking to carry that on.

"The manager has said to try to be a bit more selfish rather than always looking to play someone else in and if I'm 20-25 yards out have a dig. I'm not being big-headed but I do have a decent shot. We seem to be getting goals from all areas of the park.

"We have spoken about that and happily there are four or five of us chipping in rather than relying on Higgy (Michael Higdon) or Murph (Jamie Murphy) all the time." Motherwell are without suspended midfielder Keith Lasley, who was sent off against Hearts for the second time this season.

Motherwell vs Hibernian

Last modified 22:17 22/02/12

Higdon hat-trick helps Well Michael Higdon scored a hat-trick as Motherwell moved to within three points of Rangers with a 4-3 defeat of Hibernian in a pulsating Clydesdale Bank Premier League encounter.

Isaiah Osbourne fired Hibs into a half-time lead at Fir Park, before Higdon (penalty) and Jamie Murphy put the hosts ahead - only for the visitors to respond immediately through Matt Doherty.

Motherwell took the lead for the second time through a wonderful overhead kick from Higdon after 70 minutes and the Englishman then added his third from penalty spot five minutes later.

Ivan Sproule blasted Hibs' third beyond Darren Randolph after the home side had failed to deal with George Francomb's corner.

Omar Daley replaced the suspended Keith Lasley for Well, while top scorer Garry O'Connor was recalled by Hibernian after the 5-0 defeat at home to Celtic.

Manager Pat Fenlon made three further changes with Lewis Stevenson, Francomb and Sproule returning in place of Pa Kujabi, David Wotherspoon and Eoin Doyle.

Leigh Griffiths fired wide in the opening minute for Hibernian before Daley lashed the ball across the face of Graham Stack's goal at the other end after robbing Doherty.

After Doherty did well to block Higdon's drive, Hibernian opened the scoring after 17 minutes. Tim Clancy's short headed backpass was intercepted by Griffiths, who charged forward and cut the ball back for Osbourne to blast into the net.

Higdon had a weak header comfortably gathered by Stack as the hosts tried to find a way back into the game and Motherwell's leading scorer was denied again two minutes later when James McPake blocked his goal-bound header.

Higdon was a constant threat to the Hibernian defence and he forced Stack into a smart low stop after connecting with Daley's looping cross just after the half-hour mark.

Stack did well to keep out Daley's shot two minutes later and despite being well placed, Murphy could not divert the rebound goalwards.

Osbourne almost added his second of the night when his charging run ended with a powerful effort that ended inches wide, before Daley shot well over as the first half came to an end.

Motherwell were awarded a penalty two minutes after the restart when Henrik Ojamaa seized upon Jorge Claros' header, only to be upended by Stack. Higdon despatched the kick low into the left-hand corner.

Ojamaa was booked for striking the ball beyond Stack after referee Steven McLean had blown for a foul on 53 minutes, despite furious protests from the Estonian that he did not hear the whistle.

Only a brilliant block by Darren Randolph at the feet of Griffiths prevented Hibs from restoring their lead - but in the 63rd minute it was 2-1 to Well when Murphy slid in at the back post to turn Daley's cross beyond Stack.

The visitors levelled almost immediately when Doherty blasted past Randolph after the Motherwell defence had failed to clear Griffiths' corner.

Following the Hibernian equaliser Stuart McCall removed the tiring Daley and replaced him with Chris Humphrey. The visitors made a change of their own when Martin Scott came on for Claros.

Four minutes after being pegged back Motherwell restored their lead in style. Stack denied Ojamaa, but when Murphy chipped the ball back into the penalty area Higdon unleashed a wonderful overhead kick that left the Hibernian stopper helpless.

Higdon made it 4-2 in the 75th minute, completing his hat-trick from the spot after Doherty brought down the onrushing Ojamaa.

Hibernian made a double switch with 10 minutes remaining, introducing Roy O'Donovan and Kujabi for Doherty and Griffiths.

As the hosts tried to wind the clock down Murphy was replaced by Stuart Carswell on 83 minutes.

Clancy's wild backpass almost caught out Randolph and the Irish goalkeeper had to tip the ball behind for a corner.

The visitors dragged themselves back into the game five minutes from time when Sproule drilled home after Francomb's corner had caused problems for the Motherwell defence - but the hosts held on.