David Turnbull and Jake Hastie continued their goalscoring spree as Motherwell wrapped up a Lanarkshire derby win over Hamilton before half-time at Fir Park.
Turnbull, twice, and Hastie were on target in a one-sided first half as Motherwell recorded a 3-0 victory to move two points off the Ladbrokes Premiership top six.
The two 19-year-olds have now shared 10 of Motherwell’s 13 Ladbrokes Premiership goals in 2019 equally between them.
But it was Gboly Ariyibi who especially terrorised Accies in the opening half, and right-back Ziggy Gordon in particular, with an exhibition of pace and trickery.
The first-half rout began in the third minute when Turnbull scuffed home Ariyibi’s low cross from six yards.
The on-loan Nottingham Forest wide man soon forced a decent save from Gary Woods after skipping between two players and was then brought down by Alex Gogic inside the box after a sharp exchange of passes. Turnbull sent Woods the wrong way from the 11th-minute penalty.
The half continued in the same vein with Accies failing to threaten during brief spells of respite. Premiership player of the month Hastie twice came close from long range before Ariyibi was again denied by Woods after gliding inside.
Ariyibi was again involved as Motherwell’s pressure paid off in the 37th minute. His initial cross was only half-cleared and Hastie was ultimately on hand to steer home from six yards after Turnbull had driven the ball into the goalmouth.
Turnbull came close to a first-half hat-trick when he headed over from close range after Liam Grimshaw had got to the byline and stood up a cross.
Motherwell striker Curtis Main and Ariyibi had efforts saved in the opening stages of the second half but the pattern of play had shifted through the half-time substitution of Gogic for James Keatings.
Keatings helped Accies play in the Motherwell half far more but the visitors were restricted to long-range efforts, mainly from the substitute, and also Tony Andreu, who was inches wide with a chip.
Motherwell continued to create the better chances though and substitute Elliott Frear and Ariyibi were off target from the pick of the bunch before the hosts finished the game well on top.
Turnbull had a half chance to net his hat-trick in stoppage-time but Woods saved the midfielder’s curling free-kick.
