FROM his vantage point in the back row of the Douglas Park stand, this management lark must have suddenly seemed simple to Martin Canning.

After 13 previous attempts without one, the first win of the post-Alex Neil era at Hamilton was secured with the man himself at a safe distance from the action, excluded from the technical area as he served out a suspension. And if there is a way to secure your Premiership safety for next season, what better way than do so with a win which dumps your local rivals even deeper into the mire.

Save for the false dawn of a 4-0 win last month, Hamilton have subjected their nearest neighbours to a thoroughly miserable experience in this fixture this season. They racked up four-goal and five-goal Premiership wins against them in September and January respectively, and knocked them out of the League Cup on penalties, but for Motherwell's supporters this may well be the most depressing of the lot. Followed across Lanarkshire by a large, noisy travelling support, the Fir Park side knew a win would cut the gap on their main play-off rivals Ross County to three points, and open up the possibility of St Mirren's relegation being secured in Paisley today against Kilmarnock.

Instead, at best they will have six points to make up on County with four matches to play. The result was cheered as far away as Paisley, as it means Gary Teale's side will be safe for another few days at least.

The hosts, outright league leaders as late as November, had found that last solitary point required to secure their SPFL safety seriously difficult to come by. The public address system blared out 'Glory Days' by Bruce Springsteen, but in truth their early season heroics seemed a long way away.

Canning's suspension cost him the chance to influence proceedings on the pitch, while there was one change for Motherwell, Marvin Johnston returning after injury, with top scorer John Sutton dropping to the bench. Leading the line for the Fir Park side were Erwin and Scott McDonald, who spent last season escaping from relegation worries with Millwall in the championship.

Rather than any one individual player, though, perhaps it was the man stood at the at the mouth of the New Douglas Park tunnel who was receiving most attention pre-game. Attempting to keep the peace between the occupants of the opposing technical areas on a Friday night Lanarkshire derby must have seemed like a walk in the park compared to the week Stevie McLean has spent in the eye of the media storm since his failure to spot the Josh Meekings hand ball during last Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final.

Perhaps if he was armed with video evidence he might have been able to assist when last night's match official had his first big decision of the night to make. Josh Law, a man who could well meet his brother and flatmate Nicky, of Rangers, in a play-off, clattered into Dougie Imrie, but referee let play run long enough for Grant Gillespie to steer an effort awkwardly wide.

Lionel Ainsworth, the scorer of a double in the most recent meeting between these two teams, rasped in a deflected drive which Michael McGovern did well to save but Hamilton had started well and merited the opening goal when it arrived. It owed much to the tenacity of Darian MacKinnon, who won possession well, and the alertness of Ali Crawford, who swept an instant pass into the path of Jason Scotland. The big striker bided his time before steering a comprehensive finish into the bottom corner.

The woodwork at New Douglas Park was taking a fair old pounding. Motherwell, stung into a response, almost had their equaliser when McDonald monstered Devlin under a high ball and Erwin pounced on the scraps to fire in a left foot half volley which clipped the post at the top corner.

By the end he was being withdrawn, his face like thunder, but in truth a run of games seems to be doing the Australian good. Some more good linking play saw Marvin Johnson run through before cutting back onto his right to send a drive flush off the bar. Before half time the goalkeeper saved well again from Erwin. But Hamilton could also have extended their lead. MacKinnon forced a save from George Long, and Mikey Devlin's header from a Crawford corner struck the underside of the bar.

Louis Lang had been forced off with what looked like a groin injury early on, to be replaced by Fraser Kerr, but there was little any Motherwell player could do to prevent the goal which gave Hamilton some badly-needed breathing space. When a visitors' attack broke down on half way, Imrie was alive to the possibilities. He used a fine run by Darren Lyon as a decoy, and meandered infield before finding Ali Crawford breaking into the box. A deadly sweep of the midfielder's left foot did the rest.

The arrival of Dom Thomas from the Motherwell bench provided some impetus, but save for some good set piece deliveries, a low left foot shot which struck the stanchion behind the goal, and a cross which whistled out of the reach of his fellow substitute Sutton they were rarely able to force the pace. Their last chance came and went when McGovern saved well at Erwin's feet.

As their fans trooped disconsolately home to consider a likely play-off, perhaps Hamilton were considering asking the SPFL's fixtures people to play all next season's games on a Friday night. All six matches they have played on that night in their history, have been won without conceding a single goal.