Hearts secured their first victory in 10 games with three goals in nine second-half minutes against Motherwell at Tynecastle.

Takis Fyssas fired Hearts ahead early on but Richie Foran shocked the hosts with a 20th-minute leveller and Well appeared to have stifled the home side's threat.

However, Paul Quinn headed into his own net after Bruno Aguiar's free-kick and the Portuguese midfielder then set up Andrius Velicka for the third before firing home a superb 25-yard free-kick himself.

Nerijus Barasa and Marius Zaliukas increased the number of Lithuanians in the Hearts starting line-up to five and Julien Brellier also won a recall.

Christophe Berra and the suspended Paul Hartley dropped out and Robbie Neilson was demoted to the bench, while axed skipper Steven Pressley was still absent.

Martyn Corrigan made his first start of the season for Well after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury and he slotted into central midfield in place of Keith Lasley, who suffered the same injury last week.

The hosts forced several corners and free-kicks around the box in the opening stages and Ibrahim Tall volleyed wide after Aguiar's delivery from

the right touchline.

Hearts took the lead in the ninth minute when Fyssas ran down the left and slid the ball beyond Colin Meldrum after being played in by Neil McCann.

The Jambos continued to dominate possession and Saulius Mikoliunas headed into Meldrum's hands after a Barasa cross.

But Well hit back when Corrigan sent David Clarkson scurrying down the right wing and the striker's

low cross was slotted home by the onrushing Foran from 10 yards.

The goal knocked Hearts off their stride and Well won a free-kick 20 yards out that Brian Kerr blazed over.

The game developed into a physical contest and Barasa was booked for hauling down Clarkson as Well tried to break.

Edgaras Jankauskas fired just wide from 25 yards but the Jambos were struggling to create any meaningful chances as the visitors dug in.

The Hearts fans chanted for Pressley amid an uninspiring start to the second half and Aguiar was booked for a dangerous late tackle on Kerr.

Quinn was next in the book for blocking Fyssas and the Well right-back's day immediately got much worse when he glanced Aguiar's inswinging free-kick over his head and into the net in the 56th minute.

The midfielder set up the third two minutes later when he knocked the ball over the top for Velicka to race on to and lob Meldrum.

Well tried to hit back and threatened from two Jim Paterson corners but the left-back then found himself in the book for a strong challenge on Mikoliunas.

And Aguiar once again doubled the punishment when he blasted the 64th-minute free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards.

Well again threatened from a series of corners before McCann missed a sitter at the other end. Meldrum saved brilliantly from a Michal Pospisil header moments after the Czech hitman had come off the bench and the Scotland winger somehow volleyed the rebound over from four yards.

Scott McDonald fired just wide after a great run from Well substitute Darren Smith

but the youngster gave the ball away on a promising counter-attack moments later.

Hearts went straight up the other end and Meldrum got down well to block a Mikoliunas drive from 16 yards.

McDonald had an effort deflected just over before Mikoliunas again came close on the break when he slid the ball inches wide after Jamie Mole's pass.

Teams:

Hearts Gordon, Barasa, Tall, Zaliukas, Fyssas, Mikoliunas,Brellier, Aguiar, McCann (Driver 81), Jankauskas (Pospisil 73),Velicka (Mole 77).

Subs Not Used: Banks, Goncalves, Karipidis, Neilson.

Booked: Barasa, Aguiar.

Goals: Fyssas 9, Quinn 55 og, Velicka 58, Aguiar 64.

Motherwell Meldrum, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Paterson, Foran,Corrigan (Darren Lee Smith 80), Kerr, McGarry (Fitzpatrick 69),Clarkson, McDonald.

Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, McCormack, Kinniburgh, Connolly,

Coakley.

Booked: Quinn, Paterson.

Goals: Foran 20.

Att: 16,753

Ref: C MacKay (Scotland).