Hearts ensured themselves a top six finish in the SPL with a comfortable victory over Motherwell at Tynecastle.

Robert Tomaschek fired the home side into a first half lead with a stunning 30-yard drive.

Young Andy Kirk's second half double, both close-range headers, made it an easy victory in the end for a Hearts side who were superior to their opponents in every department.

The Tynecastle men went straight on the offensive and dominated the game almost from the first whistle.

The swirling wind inside the ground made things difficult for both sides but it was Hearts who coped the better and it was no surprise when they took the lead on 15 minutes.

Tomaschek picked up a headed clearance 30 yards out and almost casually drove an unstoppable shot high into the net past Stephen Woods in the Motherwell goal.

The home side should have doubled the lead a minute later when Colin Cameron's excellent pass split the Motherwell defence, leaving Stephen Boyack with only the keeper to beat.

The ex-Dundee player skilfully rounded Woods but as he set himself to roll the ball into an empty net Motherwell captain Scott Leitch recovered to put in a tremendous tackle.

The visitors were struggling and their plans were further upset on the half hour mark when Derek Townsley was stretchered off to hospital after landing awkwardly, and was replaced by youngster Keith Lasley.

Hearts began the second half brightly and soon had the visitors on the back foot with Boyack causing no end of problems down the right.

The visitors' defence held firm, restricting Hearts to few clear-cut chances, although Kirk's run in the 52nd minute which took him into the Motherwell box should have had a better end result than his weak cross which was easily cleared.

Motherwell were gradually coming into the game and Stuart Elliott sprung the Hearts offside trap only to stumble to the ground after rounding the keeper Antti Niemi and consequently the chance was lost.

Hearts' reply to this scare was to go up the other end and double their lead.

When Boyack's cross came in from the right the unmarked Andy Kirk rose to head a simple goal in from six yards.

There was no stopping the home side now and their third goal was almost a carbon copy of their second.

This time it was Robbie Neilson who provided a cross from the right for Kirk to head in unchallenged.

It just was not to be Motherwell's day, summed up perfectly when a Greg Strong header from a Keith Lasley corner was headed off the line by Lee Makel.

Teams

Hearts: Niemi, Pressley, McCann, Mckenna, Cameron, Flogel (Juanjo 69), Makel, Tomaschek (Wales 69), Boyack, Kirk, Neilson.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Severin, Webster.

Goals: Tomaschek 15, Kirk 63, 80.

Motherwell: Woods, Corrigan, Okoli, Strong, Chiba, Adams, Twaddle (Nicholas 35), Hammell (Ramsey 54), Townsley (Lasley 31), Elliott, Leitch.

Subs Not Used: Connolly, Harvey.

Booked: Chiba, Leitch.

Att: 11,581

Ref: D Somers (Scotland).