Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell has no complaints about his side’s 3-1 defeat at Hibs this afternoon, but reckons individual errors cost them dearly.
Goals from Martin Boyle and Nectarios Triantis had the Hibees home and dry by the interval, and 2-0 up inside 30 minutes.
Though sub Callum Slattery scored with a terrific free-kick from just outside the box, Stephen O’Donnell’s foul on Lewis Miller allowed Boyle to add his second and Hibs’ third from the spot with 10 minutes left.
Jack Vale was shown a straight red for a foul on Boyle right at the death, to compound Motherwell’s misery.
Kettlewell said: “I think it’s a case of three individual errors really cost us today.
“We could have started and could have played better in the first half, no question about it.
“Sometimes it can be easier to do that in the second half when you’re 2-0 down, but I look at the nature of the goals.
“Archie Mair has come to Easter Road and not had a save to make but conceded three goals.
“I expect when you come here you’ll need your goalkeeper at some stage in the game, and that’s my biggest frustration.”
Kettlewell added: “The mental fatigue has possibly set in, as well as physical. Defending your back post, receiving the ball, not letting it run through you.
“Ultimately the penalty came at a stage where we get ourselves back in at 2-1, we look as if we’re growing in the game and the more progressive side.
“You fancy we’ll carve out a chance or two at that stage, and then we give a penalty away that gives Hibs the lift they needed and the platform to see the game out.
“I have no complaints about the penalty.
“It’s unbelievably frustrating. We’ve got the likes of Callum Slattery on the pitch, young Kai Andrews was excellent overall, and really grew in the second half.
“Marvin Kaleta gave us something on the left-hand side and we started to activate our forward players, so you believe there’s at least one more chance out there for you, and possibly more.
“But Stephen, as one of our most experienced players, I’m disappointed naturally with the decision he makes.”