How passionately they supported their team yesterday, but the chorus of boos at the end suggests some cerebral questioning of Rod Petrie and Mixu Paatelainen may follow. Praise to Motherwell is certainly due. They play passing football and have made an excellent buy in goalscorer John Sutton.

Hibs were without injured captain Rob Jones, while Yves Ma-Kalambay started in goal, Andy McNeil dropping to the bench after being concussed in the midweek loss against Morton. Motherwell manager Mark McGhee persisted with his attacking set-up, using David Clarkson, Chris Porter and Sutton in advanced roles.

The first serious chance went to Hibs, Dean Shiels finding goalkeeper Graeme Smith an impenetrable barrier. At the other end, Ma-Kalambay dropped the first cross into his zone, but he re-gathered the ball quickly.

The match became an open though never enthralling contest. Hibs were profligate with the final ball, while Ma-Kalambay had to look lively to slide in and clear the ball with his feet just as Porter looked set to score. Steven Fletcher's luck in front of goal continues to desert him, as he found out after 18 minutes. The striker pounced on a Mark Reynolds' error yards from goal and swivelled fast only to send his hurried effort high over.

Two well-organised defences negated much of the attacking facilities that both sides possess and there was little goalmouth action. Stephen Hughes decided on a more direct approach after 30 minutes, driving in a fierce shot from distance which Ma-Kalambay batted away in unorthodox volleyball fashion.

Shiels was the most incisive player on the pitch in the first half, and in the 36th minute ended a mazy run with a curling shot which Smith did well to parry. The ball swiftly returned to Shiels and this time his low shot was deflected wide. With just over a minute left in the half, the visitors' defence was carved open by a magnificent Shiels cross which Fletcher headed home in stunning fashion. Assistant referee Tom Murphy flagged for offside, but it was mighty close.

Both sides came out battling after the restart. Colin Nish should have done better with his shot while Sutton's free header after 48 minutes somehow missed the target. Ma-Kalambay may be unconventional but he is often effective, his sliding clearance preventing a certain score from the impressive Keith Lasley who had been put clear by a piece of Clarkson brilliance.

Shortly after he again showed his Dracula tendency, i.e. a weakness at dealing with crosses.

For a brief period as they dominated, Hibs attracted some hefty Motherwell tackling, notably on Shiels. Referee Stuart Dougal kept control with stern words rather than cards, the correct approach in a competitive but not dirty game. Paatelainen sent on Merouane Zemmama for John Rankin, but he made little impact. Fletcher's poor luck continued when he levitated for a spectacular hitch-kick off Nish's cross only to connect millimetres awry, the shot going wide. At the other end, Ma-Kalambay saved Hughes's 30 yard effort at the second attempt.

On 78 minutes, Clarkson found Sutton in acres of space in the box, the English striker taking his time to lash the ball behind Ma-Kalambay for the clinching goal.

Try as they might, Hibs could not create another decent chance. Substitute Steven Pinau claimed for a late penalty, but Dougal waved him away as he had earlier done to a Porter claim at the other end. McGhee, incidentally, has ordered his players to appeal in such cases but accept the decision, and they did so – any chance of every other club in the country doing the same?

Paatelainen knows he needs to buy to improve Hibs: "We hope to do something in the transfer marker before the window closes. We are working hard on that front." He would not comment on Derek Riordan and insisted there had been no approaches for Fletcher. If there is no transfer action in the next 48 hours, the fans of Hibs may put on their thinking caps, and they may not like the conclusions they might reach.