Martin Boyle scored his second double in successive matches as in-form Hibernian defeated Motherwell 3-1 to climb into the top six of the Scottish Premiership for the first time this season.
The Australia forward netted with a tap-in before Nectar Triantis doubled the hosts’ lead soon afterwards.
Substitute Callum Slattery gave Well hope with a free-kick, but it was swiftly extinguished by a penalty from Boyle before the visitors had Jack Vale sent off in stoppage time.
David Gray’s side, who had a wretched start to the season, are now unbeaten in seven matches and have climbed from the bottom of the table to sixth place, just two points behind fifth-placed Well, in the space of just four weeks.
Gray made two changes to his team following last Sunday’s 3-3 draw at home to Rangers as Warren O’Hora and Dylan Levitt replaced Lewis Miller and Kwon Hyeok-kyu.
Nectar Triantis doubled his side’s lead
There were six changes to the Well team that started Wednesday’s 0-0 draw at Kilmarnock, with the most notable one coming in goal where Archie Mair was thrust straight into the side for his debut after finalising a loan move from Norwich on the morning of the game following an injury to regular number one Aston Oxborough.
Stephen O’Donnell, Paul McGinn, Jacob Blaney, Tom Sparrow and on-loan Coventry teenager Kai Andrews were the others added to the XI.
After a low-key start, Hibs suffered a blow in the 19th minute when Nicky Cadden, this week named Premiership Player of the Month for December, was forced off with a bloody face and replaced by Jordan Obita at left wing-back.
Callum Slattery scored a free-kick to give Motherwell hope
The substitute was prominently involved in the hosts breaking the deadlock in the 27th minute as his inviting cross from the left was helped over the line by Boyle, who netted twice against Gers, from a couple of yards out.
Hibs were suddenly in full control as they doubled their advantage three minutes later when the alert Triantis dispossessed Ewan Wilson as he dithered while trying to receive a pass from his goalkeeper and the Australian midfielder burst into the box and drilled home a low angled finish from 12 yards.
The Steelmen suffered another setback when they lost McGinn to injury in the 33rd minute and manager Kettlewell, clearly frustrated with his side’s limp first-half display, made a further two changes for the start of the second half as he replaced Wilson and Andy Halliday with Marvin Kaleta and Tawanda Maswanhise.
After Josh Campbell had a header disallowed for the hosts just a minute after the restart, Well started to ask a few questions without creating any clear chances.
Boyle netted his second from the spot
The visitors gave themselves hope in the 77th minute when Slattery curled home a free-kick from the edge of the box.
But Hibs restored their two-goal cushion three minutes later when Boyle tucked home a penalty after Miller was hauled to the ground by O’Donnell at the back post as a cross came into the box.
Well’s misery was compounded in stoppage time when Vale was shown a straight red for chopping down Boyle.
