Bad start with schoolboy errors: Jeffries

Jim Jefferies has doubts over his squad's desire after what he described as a "disgraceful" start at Fir Park laid the foundations for a 3-1 loss to Motherwell. Hearts are now 11 points adrift of the Fir Park side who took just 13 minutes to effectively end yesterday's game. Mark Reynolds was on hand to head home in the second minute after Hearts failed to pick up Jim O'Brien at a short corner and the unmarked John Sutton soon finished off Keith Lasley's cross in the 13th minute. Hearts managed to steady the ship a bit but there was little doubt that the points would be staying in Lanarkshire despite substitute David Templeton's 70th-minute consolation goal just moments after O'Brien had doubled up his tally for the day.

Jefferies said: "The first 20 minutes was just disgraceful. We switched off at a corner - and it was a give-away corner in the first place - and we slept when the ball came out short, something we talked about. When the ball came in we didn't contest it. I thought the second goal was worse. We didn't track Lasley and how one of their main strikers can be eight yards out with nobody near him... In that 20-minute period it was schoolboy stuff. There were a few choice words at half-time because we never showed the commitment and will to win. We spoke about how well they have been playing, what we should have is the passion and desire. We knew we had the chance to get closer to the teams above us. There was no way we could have won that - Motherwell were quicker, sharper, their application was better. The second half was a bit of an improvement."