Martin Boyle scored his second double in successive matches as Hibernian beat Motherwell 3-1 to move into the top six of the Scottish Premiership for the first time this season.
The Australian striker scored before Nektar Triantis doubled the home side’s advantage soon after.
Substitute Calum Slater gave Wales hope with a free-kick but it was quickly extinguished by Boyle’s penalty before the visitors had Jack Whale sent off.
David Gray’s side, who started the season poorly, are now unbeaten in seven games and have climbed from bottom of the table to sixth, just two points behind fifth-placed Wales, in just four weeks.
Gray made two changes to his side after last Sunday’s 3-3 draw at home to Rangers, with Warren O’Hora and Dylan Levitt replacing Lewis Miller and Kwon Hyok-kyu.
Nektar Triantis doubled his team’s lead
There were six changes to the Well team that started Wednesday’s 0-0 draw at Kilmarnock, the most notable of which was in goal, with Archie Mair coming on straight for his debut after completing a loan move from Norwich in the morning after one Aston Oxborough injury.
Stephen O’Donnell, Paul McGinn, Jacob Blaney, Tom Sparrow and Coventry loanee Kai Andrews were the other additions to the XI.
After a low start, Hibs were dealt a blow in the 19th minute when Nicky Cadden, this week’s Premier League player of the month for December, was forced off with a bloody face and replaced by Jordan Obita at left-back.
Calum Slatery scored a free-kick to give Motherwell hope
The substitute was clearly involved in the hosts breaking the deadlock in the 27th minute as his inviting cross from the left set up Boyle who made it two goals for the Gers from two meters out.
Hibs were suddenly in full control as they doubled their lead three minutes later when the alert Triantis dispossessed Ewan Wilson as he struggled to collect a pass from his keeper and the Australian midfielder burst into the box and slotted home a corner from under 12. : the yards.
The Steelmen suffered another setback when they lost McGinn to injury in the 33rd minute and manager Kettlewell, clearly frustrated by his side’s poor first-half display, made two more changes early in the second half when he replaced Wilson and Andy Halliday. Marvin Kaleta and Tawanda Masvanhaize.
After Josh Campbell’s header was denied for the hosts a minute after the restart, Wales began to ask a few questions without creating any clear-cut chances.
Boyle scored his second from the spot
The visitors gave themselves hope in the 77th minute when Slattery curled in a free-kick from the edge of the box.
But Hibs restored their two-goal cushion three minutes later when Boyle slotted home a free-kick after Miller was brought down at the back by O’Donnell as the cross went into the box.
Wales’ woes were compounded when Whaley was shown a straight red for tripping Boyle.
