By Gavin McCafferty, PA Sport

Laryea Kingston earned Hearts their first Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory of the season by scoring the opener at Fir Park and setting up a late second.

Kingston struck from the edge of the box midway through the first half and Ibrahim Tall made a number of crucial blocks as Well pressed for an equaliser.

Chris Porter missed two late chances to level before Kingston set up Hearts sub Audrius Velicka for an injury-time second.

It was no coincidence that Hearts recorded their first SPL triumph on Kingston's first 90 minutes in the league this season.

He provided the missing link between the Hearts midfield and the frontmen with some penetrating runs from the right.

While the home side were the form team going into the game, looking for their fourth SPL win to move up to third, they had failed to win their last seven games against the Jambos.

Stephen Hughes made his Motherwell debut while Hearts also gave a start to a deadline day signing, former Sheffield United striker Christian Nade.

The home side passed the ball around with pace in the opening stages and committed men forward at every opportunity, but the visitors were being afforded plenty of space on the break and had the first decent chance.

Robbie Neilson cut the ball back for Calum Elliot, whose header was beaten away by Graeme Smith.

Audrius Ksanavicius went down under a David Clarkson aerial challenge in the box but the penalty claims were more in hope than conviction.

Hughes and Clarkson were off target from long range and Ross McCormack had Well's first decent chance after a superb through-ball by Paul Quinn. But Tall made a crucial block after the striker had twisted his way into the box.

Kingston opened the scoring in the 24th minute when he burst on to a flick by Marius Zaliukas following a long ball and struck a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Well were briefly rattled but they responded when Hughes shot straight at Steve Banks from the edge of the box and Steven McGarry headed a yard over.

And they had two excellent chances within the space of a minute, first when Steven McGarry's square ball found Keith Lasley 10 yards from goal only for Tall to produce another brilliant block.

Clarkson drilled the ball across the six-yard box from the resulting corner but the ball zipped a yard wide off Phil O'Donnell.

Well continued to press and Clarkson turned inside and shot wide after O'Donnell's clever ball had found him in space in the box.

Motherwell survived a penalty scare a minute after the interval when O'Donnell's last-ditch tackle on Elliot was ruled fair by Charlie Richmond.

Tall came to the rescue yet again moments later with a superb challenge on McCormack in the six-yard box after a corner.

Banks saved McGarry's low effort after a slick Well move as the second half started at the same quick pace.

McGhee threw on striker Porter for Lasley in the 56th minute with McGarry dropping back to midfield, and Velicka came on for Nade.

But Motherwell were finding chances harder to come by and the flow of the game was disrupted by numerous fouls and an injury to Neilson, who followed his assailant Jim Paterson into the book when he came back on without permission.

However, McCormack was inches from the equaliser in the 72nd minute when his driven 30-yard free-kick evaded everyone inside a crowded box but drifted the wrong side of the post.

Hearts sub Ruben Palazuelos was booked for a penalty-box dive before they broke quickly and Well had Smith to thank for blocking Ksanavicius's powerful strike from the left side of the area.

Porter missed a good chance with 10 minutes left when he headed over from eight yards after McCormack had raced to take a short corner.

Banks saved the Jambos with an excellent diving save after Porter had steered McGarry's flick-on towards the corner.

McCormack curled a 25-yard free-kick wide and then blasted over from a tight angle and Hearts tied up the game in injury-time when Velicka lifted the ball over Smith after Kingston's through-ball.

Well sub Lewis Grabban almost grabbed a late consolation on his debut but Banks pulled off a great parry from his long-range strike.

Teams

Motherwell Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson,McGarry, Lasley (Porter 56), O'Donnell (Grabban 90), Hughes,Clarkson, McCormack.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Brian McLean, Mensing, Fitzpatrick,

Corrigan.

Booked: Paterson.

Hearts Banks, Neilson, Tall, Berra, Goncalves, Zaliukas,Stewart (Palazuelos 64), Kingston,Ksanavicius (Ivaskevicius 90), Nade (Velicka 57), Elliot.

Subs Not Used: Basso, Wallace, Mikoliunas, McGowan.

Booked: Tall, Neilson, Elliot, Palazuelos, Zaliukas.

Goals: Kingston 24, Velicka 90.

Att: 5,081

Ref: C Richmond (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com