Louis Moult had Motherwell 3-0 up after 21 minutes

Four goals from Louis Moult helped Motherwell to an emphatic Lanarkshire Derby win over Hamilton Academical.

Moult scored a 13 minute hat-trick as the home side started in blistering fashion.

Ali Crawford pulled one back with a fine curling effort before hitting the post with a free-kick, but Moult made it four from the penalty spot.

Crawford scored his second as Accies rallied, and had chances through Darian MacKinnon and Rakish Bingham.

Marvellous Moult

There was much anticipation about Louis Moult's first start for Motherwell of this campaign, after a troublesome groin injury picked up at the end of last season restricted him to a handful of appearances from the bench until this local derby.

But few expected the former Wrexham man, who notched 18 goals for 'Well last season, to have bagged a hat-trick in the space of 13 first half minutes to have the hosts 3-0 up, then add another later on.

The variety of his strikes was impressive. The 24-year-old poked his first under the on-rushing Hamilton Accies goalkeeper Remi Matthews following a route one approach by the hosts which saw Craig Samson's kick flicked into Moult's path by his forward partner Ryan Bowman.

Richard Tait provided the floated cross to the back post for Moult to competently head his second into the far corner. The combination of bad marking and Matthews leaving his line made the job easier for the Englishman.

Then Moult's predatory instincts were in evidence as he pounced to fire home from inside the box when Ryan Bowman's volley had been well saved by Matthews. He certainly didn't look like a man trying to get himself back to full fitness.

Motherwell player Ryan Bowman won a penalty after being brought down by Darren Lyon

In the second half he added a calm penalty to show his composure under pressure as well, after the lazy leg of Hamilton's Darren Lyon had tripped Bowman, who was desperate to take the spot-kick himself.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee stuck to his pre-match expectation that Moult would only play the first 60 minutes, but boy did they get value from him in that hour of football.

Tinkered Tactics

Hamilton Accies were reeling after Moult's early goal spree but visiting manager Martin Canning remained calm enough to switch his initial 4-1-4-1 formation to a more attacking 3-5-2.

It was after that Crawford struck his first with a lovely curled finish in off the far post after some nice interplay with Grant Gillespie and MacKinnon.

The Accies forward then watched Craig Samson touch his precise free-kick onto the post before adding another brilliant goal in the second half - a high finish into the top left corner from Bingham's pass.

Louis Longridge, MacKinnon and Bingham all had further efforts repelled in what ended up being a peppering of the hosts goalmouth in some parts of the second half.

Consistency the key

This was Motherwell's first win in five attempts in the league, while Hamilton have drawn, won and lost twice in their last four games.

If either side can find a winning pattern more regularly then they might be onto something, which might be more possible for 'Well with Moult in such great form.

Credit goes to Hamilton for not crumbling but some of the defensive play and marking in the first-half needs to be worked on.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "It's remarkable really that for 35 minutes we produced football that you work towards, but then it all got nervous with Hamilton's goal and it changed.

"Hamilton changed their shape, worked ever so hard, put us under pressure and could have got more than two.

"Moult's saying he's feeling better than he's felt for years and he's moving more freely. It's great to have him back. We'll see if he can get 20 goals by Christmas.

"Bragging rights is for the supporters but the three points is more important."

Hamilton Accies manager Martin Canning: "The damage was done - it's a difficult game to come back from three goals down. We didn't compete well enough, it's as simple as that.

"A derby game starts from minute one and we've got to go and compete yet we didn't do that for the first 20 minutes. You've got to defend and play better than that.

"We had a wee slight change in shape and and from there on we were excellent. We had lots of opportunities and how we've only managed to score two goals in that game, I don't know.

"We need to go again against St Johnstone and try to get three points at home."