Mole digs Hearts out of hole at Well

But a 69th-minute goal from young striker Mole on the counter-attack saw them move in behind Celtic - and leave Motherwell rooted to the foot of the table.

Maurice Malpas' side were much improved from last weekend's emphatic loss at the hands of Inverness but could not find a way past Craig Gordon when chances fell to Keith Lasley and Jim Paterson.

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas rang the changes with Julien Brellier, Saul Mikoliunas, Deividas Cesnauskis, Marius Zaliukas, Andrius Velicka and Ibrahim Tall all recalled to the side - with Robbie Neilson the most surprising casualty.

Malpas also shuffled his pack, replacing keeper Graeme Smith with Colin Meldrum and drafting in Brian McLean and Marc Fitzpatrick for Kevin McBride and Calum Elliot - who is on loan from Hearts and not eligible for this match.

Just five minutes into the game Motherwell's new 3-5-2 formation had to be adjusted when McLean appeared to suffer a recurrence of his recent ankle injury.

The former Rangers defender was replaced by Steven McGarry in a move which saw Paterson - a left winger by trade - filling in on the right of a three-man defence.

The re-organisation certainly did not help struggling Motherwell find an early rhythm but they created the best opening of the first 20 minutes when Scott McDonald wriggled free down the left side of the penalty box before chipping weakly at goal.

Hearts were also forced into an early substitution when Cesnauskis was replaced by Neil McCann after the Lithuanian winger was injured by a crude challenge from Well striker Richie Foran.

The visitors were becoming increasingly disjointed as the half progressed with Mole and Velicka cutting lonely figures up front.

In contrast, Motherwell were growing in confidence and in the 41st minute Foran was just inches away from applying a decisive touch to McDonald's cross-shot.

In first-half injury time Foran spurned the best opportunity of the opening period when he was played in down the left but pushed his shot wide of Craig Gordon's left-hand post.

The Steelmen continued in the second half where they had left off in the first, Paul Hartley being robbed of possession on the edge of his own box and Brian Kerr side-footing just over from 15 yards out.

Ivanauskas was clearly not happy with the first nine minutes of the half and made his first tactical switch, taking off Brellier and bringing Neilson on at right-back with Tall moving to centre-half and Zaliukas into midfield.

The alteration did spark some life into the Edinburgh side but they were still struggling to break down a Motherwell defence in which emergency centre-back Paterson and youngster Mark Reynolds were proving rock solid alongside the experienced Stephen Craigan.

Then out of the blue Hearts stunned the home support in the 69th minute when they produced a classic counter attack to take the lead.

McCann collected the ball on the halfway line and accelerated to the edge of the Well box before feeding Mole, who rounded Meldrum and fired low into the net.

Ivanauskas made his final substitution three minutes later when he introduced Juho Makela at the expense of striker Velicka.

Hearts almost doubled their lead when Craigan's attempted clearance deflected off Mole and onto the post, a relieved Meldrum diving on the loose ball.

Ten minutes from time midfielder Lasley burst into the box and controlled the ball on his chest before lashing towards goal with a strike which Gordon did well to keep out.

The Jambos again caught Motherwell on the counter-attack in the 85th minute and Mikoliunas should have done considerably better than to blast wide from just eight yards out.

Malpas threw on Ross McCormack for Fitzpatrick with three minutes left and with just seconds left Gordon produced a magnificent save to deny Paterson from close range and secure the points for his side.

Taken From http://www.teamtalk.com/football