A well-taken double from central defender Tom Aldred ensured Motherwell ended 2018 on a high with a 2-1 Ladbrokes Premiership victory over derby rivals Hamilton.
Dougie Imrie had given Accies the lead early in the first half at New Douglas Park but the visitors controlled the game and Aldred's double stretched their advantage over their rivals to seven points.
Motherwell were more direct in the early stages and forced a couple of corners but the home side went route one and they took the lead after 17 minutes.
Steven Boyd lofted the ball down the middle and after latching onto the ball Imrie calmly steered it past the advancing Mark Gillespie and just inside the goalkeeper's left hand post.
The advantage lasted only three minutes. After getting his head to a couple of corners Aldred broke through with his right foot when his dipping volley sent the ball over a packed penalty box and under the crossbar.
Motherwell were forced into a substitution when Richard Tait suffered from Lenny Sowah's late challenge, before Accies came within a foot of regaining the lead.
James Keatings' curled free-kick from 22 yards was on target but a wicked deflection wrong-footed Gillespie, who was relieved to watch the ball bounce just beyond his right hand post.
The Fir Park men dominated after the restart, with Elliott Frear catching the eye with his pace and crossing from the left.
Aaron McGowan's 65th-minute challenge ended the Well winger's game and earned the Hamilton right-back a booking – and substitute Alex Gogic a return from an 11-month lay-off.
The incident did not affect the pattern of play and a header from Ziggy Gordon, which provided Gillespie with a routine save, was the only respite for a hard-worked Hamilton defence which finally succumbed after 77 minutes.
Substitute Daniel Turnbull floated a free-kick to the edge of the six-yard box where Hartley challenged the Accies' keeper. When the ball emerged towards the edge of the box it was met by Aldred, who drove it high into the net for a thoroughly deserved winner.
