Owen Coyle (5 minutes) and Willie Falconer (37) gave Motherwell a deserved lead before Jim Hamilton hit a double (38 and 58) to haul Hearts onto level terms.

Then, in 64 minutes, Steve Fulton fired home a shot after Steve Woods had pushed out a Stephane Adam shot.

And, with three minutes to go, Adam headed a Neil McCann cross into the net to put the issue beyond all doubt.

Motherwell with ex-player Jim Griffin as caretaker boss set an impressive pace for most of the first half with Coyle heading a Falconer cross past a stranded Gillies Rousset in five minutes.

Tommy Coyne and Billy Davies both came close before Falconer headed a second off a Coyle cross.

Steve Fulton, who had just seen two drives flash inches past, set up Hearts opener with a cross that Hamilton bulleted home.

The second half saw Hearts step up their pace in their search for goals and it paid off after efforts from Colin Cameron and Jim Hamilton had gone inches wide.

Hamilton struck in 58 minutes to haul Hearts level. Cameron's shot was blocked by Woods but the ball squirmed clear and Hamilton pounced to net.

Then in 64 minutes Fulton slammed home Hearts' third and, although Motherwell tried bravely to haul themselves level, Hearts kept the upper hand in the closing stages and confirmed their points with Adam's late counter.

This was Hearts' sixth win on the trot over Motherwell.

Three Hearts players were booked - Paul Ritchie, Colin Cameron and Steve Fulton for over-celebrating his goal.

Teams

Motherwell: Woods, May (Garcin 78), McMillan, Newman, Martin, Falconer, Valikarri, Ross (McCulloch 42), Coyne, Davies (Christie 67), Coyle.

Goals: Coyle 6, Falconer 37.

Hearts: Rousset, Salvatori (Locke 55), Naysmith, Weir, McPherson, Ritchie, McCann, Fulton (Flogel 89), Adam, Cameron, Hamilton.

Subs Not Used: Quitongo.

Booked: Ritchie, Fulton, Cameron.

Goals: Hamilton 38, 58, Fulton 64, Adam 87.

Att: 8,375

Ref: J Fleming (Glasgow).


Taken from sportinglife.com