Hamilton Academical 1-2 Motherwell

Peter Hartley scored the winner as Motherwell came from behind to beat Hamilton Academical and go fourth in the Premiership.

Giannis Skondras gave Hamilton the lead with a blistering first-time effort on the angle from Dougie Imrie's delivery.

Andy Rose drilled a low shot into the corner to draw the Steelmen level before the break.

Hartley was in the right place at a corner to apply a close-range finish and hand Well all three points.

The victory sends Motherwell fourth, with 16 points from nine games, and they are now just one point behind third-placed Rangers.

Giannis Skondras drilled the ball high into the net to give Hamilton the lead

These sides went into this Lanarkshire derby following very different weeks. Hamilton suffered a financial loss due to a fraud, while new contracts for Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson and promising midfielder Allan Campbell had everyone in claret and amber buoyant.

It showed in the early stages as Well threatened, but Richard Tait's back-post effort found the side netting.

Accies looked under serious pressure and from Chris Cadden's corner, Motherwell's Carl McHugh's glanced a header that hit the base of the post, with Hartley close to applying a finish.

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But Hamilton silenced the healthy away support with a goal against the run of play. Imrie picked out Skondras with a fine back-post cross and the Greek hit a wonderful strike high into the far corner of Trevor Carson's net.

Minutes later Carson pulled off a great diving save to turn Rakish Bingham's curling effort round the post, then at the other end Motherwell striker Ryan Bowman headed narrowly over from Cadden's corner.

Andy Rose smashed a low effort past Ryan Fulton to draw Well level

It wasn't long before the visitors did hit the back of the net, though, with a brilliantly controlled finish by Australian midfielder Rose from just inside the left corner of the box. The former Coventry man did well to direct Skondras's half clearance beyond the reach of Ryan Fulton.

Robinson often says he signed Hartley in the summer because of his threat from set-pieces. The Englishman has lived up to that reputation since joining from Blackpool and he delivered his third goal of the campaign in the derby, converting from six yards after Cadden's free-kick delivery.

Greg Docherty's energy nearly brought Hamilton back level - the midfielder dispossessing Charles Dunne out wide and nearly picking out substitute Danny Redmond with a low cross.

Redmond was then in the right place on his own goal-line to ensure another header by McHugh was cleared via the crossbar.

Peter Hartley knocked the ball home to secure a crucial derby win for Motherwell