Misfiring forwards fire
Trotting out the old cliches early this week, but if anyone in Hibernian colours needed that goal, it was Martin Boyle.
The winger was by no means at his electric best at Fir Park, but there was a noticeable improvement on his recent form, capped with his second half strike.
Boyle was regularly a threat down his preferred right flank, but started the second half partnering Kevin Nisbet up front, a move that paid dividends when he controlled Melker Hallberg's cross from the left and blasted beyond Motherwell keeper Jordan Archer at the far post.
In truth, he should have had one just before that and but for a superb block by Archer on the line, he would have, however that is to take nothing away from his first goal since the 3-0 win away at St Mirren in September.
It was not the perfect performance, but for Boyle, it could be the spark he needs to rediscover his form.
Goal droughts were a bit of a theme of the day during the 90 minutes at Fir Park, with Christian Doidge also getting on the scoresheet in the league for the first time in three months, while Stephen McGinn got his debut goal for Hibs and his first overall since December 2018.
Ross's rocket works
It is fair to say Jack Ross was unhappy with his side's showing in the first half at Fir Park, a performance he understatedly described as "below the level needed to win matches" rather than the general feeling of 'absolutely dire'.
A rocket in the dressing room at half time is not always the best way to keep players motivated for the second period, but credit where it is due to the Easter Road boss and John Potter here as whatever they said to the men in green and white at the break clearly worked.
Where Hibs had been insipid in the first half, they were now incisive. Passive football had been replaced by pressing Motherwell, forcing the ball forward and carving out opportunities that were clinically dispatched.
The 3-0 scoreline possibly did flatter the visitors, but there was little doubt that Hibs deserved the three points on the basis of their performance in the second 45.
Selection shuffle pays off
A few Hibees would have been scratching their heads when the teamsheets arrived at Fir Park, with Lewis Stevenson restored to the starting line up immediately after his return from injury, Sean Mackie and Alex Gogic dropping out of the squad altogether with Melker Hallberg starting and Christian Doidge benched in favour of Drey Wright.
The players who came in though did themselves no harm, with Hallberg in particular standing out before he went off with an injury in the second half.
The Swedish midfielder picked out Boyle brilliantly at the back post for his goal and bar a wild hit in the first half, was generally spot on in his passing and crossing.
Stevenson provided the kind of steady performance that has become a trademark of his time at Easter Road, usurping Mackie into the starting XI ahead of Josh Doig, who was on the bench.
The 32-year-old was not involved in the attacking third as much as right sided counterpart Paul McGinn, but a first league clean sheet since October is not to be sniffed at and Stevenson played his part alongside the rigid Paul Hanlon and Ryan Porteous.
Rediscovering their early season solidity at the back will be crucial for the men in green and white heading into this run of festive fixtures.
In the perishing cold at Fir Park, they made the perfect start.
