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Lionel Ainsworth fired home the winner on his return to the side

Hearts' hopes of catching Aberdeen in second place suffered a major blow as Lionel Ainsworth's first-half winner lifted Motherwell back into fourth.

Ainsworth fired home diagonally from the edge of the box and it proved to be the only goal at Fir Park.

Jamie Walker, Prince Buaben and Arnaud Djoum wasted chances for the lacklustre visitors, who remain eight points behind the Dons with four games left.

Louis Moult and Scott McDonald might have added further goals for the hosts.

But Moult hit the post in the second half and McDonald blasted a golden opportunity over the bar.

Hearts, who have now not won at Fir Park in their last seven attempts, tried to spark a late fightback and Callum Paterson's volley was well saved by Craig Samson.

But they could not find a way past a defiant Motherwell, who restored a one-point advantage over St Johnstone.

'All the tempo of a midweek training match'

The last time the two sides met, Hearts put six past the Steelmen with no reply at Tynecastle in January.

What a difference a few months make.

It started with all the tempo and passion of a midweek training match - surprising, given that the two sides faced up in fine form.

Motherwell dominated the early possession but the passing was pretty poor and the chances rare.

The visitors broke out occasionally and had a couple of speculative efforts from Walker and Buaben but neither shot really troubled Samson, who had stepped in to replace the unwell Connor Ripley.

Hearts have an unhappy recent record at Fir Park

But just as the game was beginning to spiral into complete mediocrity and the home fans were bemoaning a missed opportunity from Chris Cadden, Scott McDonald laid the ball off to Ainsworth, who smashed the ball low past Neil Alexander from just inside the box.

It was probably deserved on the run of play and it was a goal that sparked some much-needed life into the encounter in general.

Well spurn chances to extend lead

Hearts pushed on and looked to take the game to the hosts but despite some neat link-up play involving Djoum and Sam Nicholson, they could not breach a fairly sturdy Motherwell defence.

But Mark McGhee's side started the second half with drive and determination and Moult passed up a golden chance to make it two after a slack pass from Paterson in the Hearts defence.

On the hour Moult had an even better chance to double the lead when he found himself through on goal just inside the box, but he looked on in despair as his low shot smashed off the post and away to safety.

It was an expression shared by his team-mate McDonald moments later when he also found himself through on goal and uncharacteristically smashed the ball high over the bar.

Hearts pinned Motherwell back near the end but it was all huff and puff and Motherwell held out for a well deserved win.