Hearts 2-1 Motherwell

Skacel broke the deadlock after 41 minutes, when he slotted home his fifth goal of the season after a fine sweeping move from Hearts.

Jankauskas slammed in the second from eight yards out after 70 minutes.

Richie Foran pulled a goal back from the spot six minutes later, to set-up a nervous finish for the home side.

With Tynecastle major shareholder Vladimir Romanov watching from the directors box, the home side should have taken the lead with the first attack of the match.

Robbie Neilson's cross from the right was headed down by Roman Bednar to the unmarked Paul Hartley 14 yards from goal, but Smith was quickly off his line to stop the drive.

The visitors struggled in the opening moments to dampen down the enthusiasm from the home side and, in the ninth minute, only a mis-kick from Bednar at close range prevented the breakthrough.

In the 17th minute, Jim Hamilton's knock-down to Scott McDonald found the Australian alone in the Jambos' box, but Craig Gordon did well to block the striker's angled shot from 16 yards with his legs.

The huge home support began to get restless as stubborn Motherwell started to contain Hearts with some confidence.

In the 33rd minute, Robbie Neilson's cross from the right found its way through a forest of legs to Bednar but once again Smith pulled off a terrific save from the Czech midfielder's powerful left-footed drive.

Then Jankauskas' first real contribution of the game, a stinging 25-yard shot, saw him draw another fine save from Smith down at his right hand post.

However, in the 40th minute the home side took a deserved lead.

Hartley sent Skacel scampering free of the Steelmen's defence and the Gorgie midfielder slipped his shot in at the near post from 12 yards.

Two minutes into the second half, Hearts spurned yet another chance.

Hartley's free-kick from the right found the unmarked Bednar only 10 yards out, but the Czech striker's mis-timed header bounced off the ground and cleared the bar.

The home side were in total control, pushing Motherwell back and the Lanarkshire side appeared helpless to stem the maroon tide.

In a couple of rare attacks, Hamilton headed well over from an Andy Smith cross before Craigan blasted over from distance, but the game soon returned to its earlier trend.

On the hour mark, Pressley stepped in smartly to rob McDonald before setting up Jankauskas inside the Motherwell box, but, again, Smith was quickly out to smother.

The Gorgie side eventually broke down the Motherwell defence for the second time after 70 minutes.

Bednar found the rampaging defender Takis Fyssas whose cut back from the byeline found Jankauskas eight yards from goal but tightly marked by Kinniburgh.

The former Porto player turned smartly however, and slammed his shot past Smith and in off the crossbar.

In the 75th minute, Jim Hamilton was brought down by Hearts midfielder Julien Brellier inside the penalty area.

Substitute Richie Foran, who had replaced O'Donnell in the first half, slotted the penalty into the corner of the net.

In the last kick of the ball Gordon made a fantastic save from a Kinniburgh volley as Motherwell pushed for the equaliser.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Fyssas, Mikoliunas (Simmons 45), Brellier, Hartley, Skacel, Jankauskas, Bednar. Subs Not Used: Banks, McAllister, Cesnauskis, Berra, Wallace, Elliot.

Goals: Skacel 41, Jankauskas 70.

Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Paul Quinn, Craigan, Kinniburgh, Hammell, Kerr, Fagan (Fitzpatrick 86), O'Donnell (Foran 29), Andy Smith, McDonald (Clarkson 68), Hamilton. Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Keogh, Robert Donnelly, Darren Lee Smith.

Booked: Hammell.

Goals: Foran 76 pen.

Att: 16,213

Ref: C Thomson

Taken from the BBC