Motherwell managed to haul themselves off the bottom of the table for at least 24 hours following a bad-tempered win over Hibernian.

Terry Butcher's men moved back above Dundee United ahead of their derby game with Dundee on Sunday afternoon.

David Clarkson nodded Motherwell into the lead after half an hour before Shaun Fagan grabbed the second goal.

Garry O'Connor pulled a goal back for Hibs with 20 minutes remaining but they could not find the goal that would give them the share of the points.

Motherwell slumped to the bottom of the table last week when Dundee United celebrated new boss Ian McCall's first game in charge of the Tannadice club with three points.

The bottom spot has largely been occupied by either of the two sides throughout much of the campaign, although Hibs had the dubious honour of being the worst team in the Scottish Premier League earlier in the season before ending their run of bad results.

But the visit of Bobby Williamson's men gave Motherwell the chance to haul themselves back into 11th spot.

It was Hibernian who looked the stronger side early on, although they struggled to create much in the way of clear-cut chances.

Mixu Paatelainen enjoyed their best chance of the first half when he met John O'Neil's cross at the near post only to nod the ball wide of the upright from just a few yards out.

Motherwell's opportunities in front of goal were also limited but the difference between the two sides in the opening 45 minutes was that the Fir Park side enjoyed better success with their chances.

They surged into the lead after half an hour when Clarkson met Stephen Pearson's cross with a diving header to bullet the ball past goalkeeper Nick Colgan.

Youngster Shaun Fagan had replaced Scott Leitch after just six minutes, when he hobbled off with an injury, and he added his name to the scoresheet five minutes before the break.

Steven Hammell's free kick was cleared by the Hibernian defence but the ball broke kindly to Fagan and he fired home from 15 yards.

Hibernian started the second half determined to haul themselves back into the game and they could have pulled a goal back just two minutes after the restart.

O'Neil flighted a corner into the box which was met by O'Connor in front of goal but the striker nodded just inches over the crossbar and the opportunity was lost.

O'Connor then had the chance to set up a goal when he squared the ball into the path of Paatelainen - all that was required from the big Finn was to stab the ball into an empty net but he somehow missed the ball completely.

With 20 minutes remaining, Hibs' hard work began to pay off when they managed to pull a goal back.

O'Neil went on a good run down the right, taking the ball past David Partridge, before cutting the ball back to O'Connor who fired into the top corner of the net after 70 minutes.

Khaled Kemas had replaced Steven Craig just six minutes earlier but he almost grabbed Motherwell's third goal after 76 minutes when he went on an impressive solo run before firing wide across the face of goal.

Hibs had a great chance to draw level when substitute Freddie Arpinon played the ball into O'Connor's path just a few yards out from goal only for him to volley over the crossbar with 10 minutes to go.

Motherwell should have killed off the game in injury time when Pearson's run took him all the way to the six-yard line but his shot was blocked by Colgan and Kemas sent the rebound well over the crossbar.

Colgan's booking six minutes into injury time brought the total number of cautions to nine in a bad-tempered affair.

Teams

Motherwell: Dubourdeau, Cowan, Hammell, Corrigan, Vaughan, Partridge, Adams, Leitch (Fagan 7), Pearson, Clarkson, Craig (Khaled 70).

Subs Not Used: Woods, Lasley, Kinniburgh.

Booked: Adams, Cowan, Fagan.

Goals: Clarkson 31, Fagan 41.

Hibernian: Colgan, Orman, Murray, Townsley, Zambernardi (James 36), Fenwick, O'Neil, Brebner, Jack (Arpinon 79), Paatelainen, O'Connor (Reid 90).

Subs Not Used: Doumbe, Andersson.

Booked: Zambernardi, Jack, Murray, Colgan, Townsley, O'Neil.

Goals: O'Connor 71.

Att: 4,999

Ref: C Richmond (Scotland).