A fabulous double from Tom Aldred provided ‘Well with the perfect end to the year and put some distance between themselves and the three sides at the foot of Ladbrokes Premiership.
The Fir Park men recovered terrifically from a Dougie Imrie 17th minute goal, Aldred equalizing four minutes later before striking the winner 13 minutes from time.
Faced with a horrendous list of injuries Stephen Robinson was able to field a side with the players at least starting in their recognised positions.
Peter Hartley was deemed fit enough to pair up with Tom Aldred at the heart of a defensive back four. Canada-bound Andy Rose made his final appearance in the middle of the park, while Conor Sammon took over the striking role from the suspended Curtis Main.
Motherwell were more direct in the early stages and forced a couple of corners. With Frear swinging them in from either side Andy Rose was first to make most of them powering his header narrowly wide.
Three minutes later and out of nothing Accies opened the scoring. Steven Boyd hoisted a pass down the middle and after latching on to the ball Dougie Imrie calmly steered it past the advancing Mark Gillespie and just inside the ‘keeper’s left hand post to put the home side ahead.
The lead lasted only three minutes. After getting his head to a couple of corners Tom Aldred finally made it count with his right foot. Frear’s corner found Hartley but when the ball broke back toward Aldred he steered his volley through a packed penalty box and inside the post.
Motherwell, with Frear providing a real threat on the left wing, held the upper hand until 12 minutes from the interval when they were forced into a substation after Richard Tait suffered from Lenny Sowah’s late challenge.
Accies then came within a foot of regaining the lead. James Keating’s 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.
Although it was a fairly level first half, the Fir Park men completely dominated the second 45 minutes. Frear’s pace and crossing from the left wing continued to threaten the Accies defence but despite a series of inviting balls into the box Gary Woods was rarely threatened.
Everything was towards the Accies goal except from a header from Ziggy Gordon which provided Gillespie with a routine save. That gave the overworked home defence a breather before they were broken for a second time 13 minutes from time.
David Turnbull floated a free kick to the edge of the six yard box where Hartley challenged the Accies ‘keeper. The ball was cleared towards the edge of the box it was met by Aldred who again showed great control, this time with his right foot to drive the ball high into the net for a thoroughly deserved winner and send ‘Well seven points ahead of Accies and 11 above bottom placed Dundee.
