Cup final blow as Hearts defender Toby Sibbick leaves field on a stretcher in defeat by Motherwell

John Souttar was named on the bench, but his prospects of playing again before the end of the season look slim after manager Robbie Neilson turned to Stephen Kingsley to replace the stricken Sibbick from the bench when the young Englishman was carried off in the 74th minute with what looked like a serious ankle injury after a collision with Kevin Van Veen.

Michael Smith and Cammy Devlin did get 15 minutes near the end of a game Hearts controlled in the first half, and Andy Halliday played well for 63 minutes before being replaced.

But Sibbick’s injury is a big setback on a night when goals from Joe Efford and Ricki Lamie either side of Josh Ginelly’s well-taken equaliser gave the Fir Park side three valuable points to secure their place in Europe next season.

Hearts, of course, secured European football weeks ago, and Neilson’s team selection was clearly made with the cup final in mind 10 days hence.

Barrie McKay was missing from the team sheet altogether, with Ellis Simms, Kingsley and Craig Gordon among those left on the bench.

Ross Stewart made a rare start in goal and the last thing he needed was to be picking the ball out of the net after just two minutes and five seconds.

It may have felt like deja vu for the 27-year-old back-up keeper, who was beaten by Ali Crawford inside the opening minute in his only previous start of the season away to St Johnstone on February 19.

Stone cold because of a severe lack of match practice, Stewart’s parry to deny Connor Shields after he raced through on the inside right channel rolled straight into Efford’s path just six yards out to hand Motherwell an early advantage.

It was the only meaningful action Stewart was really called into in a first half dominated by Hearts, who looked