Motherwell thrash 10-man Hamilton Academical to boost survival hopes

Motherwell thumped Hamilton Academical 4-0 in tonight's Lanarkshire derby at Fir Park to move four points clear of the automatic relegation spot.

Lionel Ainsworth and John Sutton both grabbed second-half braces to breathe new life into the Dossers' hopes of retaining their Scottish Premiership status.

After enjoying the better of the chances throughout the first half, Ian Baraclough's side were rewarded shortly after the break in the form of two quickfire goals.

First, Ainsworth punished the Accies with a fine strike from 25 yards after being afforded an acre of space, before the winger doubled the lead 21 seconds later by converting Marvin Johnson's cross into the top corner.

Darren Lyon was dismissed on the hour mark for a rash challenge on Johnson, but 10-man Hamilton very nearly halved the deficit when substitute Nigel Hasselbaink passed just wide of the far post.

Ainsworth came close to a hat-trick by drilling narrowly wide of Hamilton's post, but ended on a high by setting up Sutton for a third, before the striker added a fourth from the penalty spot on 83 minutes to seal the victory.