IF Louis Moult remains at Fir Park after this week’s transfer window shuts then Motherwell should have a decent season.

The striker scored his 40th goal in 73 games for the Lanarkshire club in this win over Hearts. He also had an assist against his name.

Were he to be sold, that's a lot to lose in just one player.

Moult’s stats are even more impressive considering the team he plays for. There aren’t many centre forwards outside of Celtic to have made such an impact in recent seasons.

Motherwell by the end were worthy winners. It bodes well for their manager Stephen Robson, as long as his best player stays where he is.

He said: "Louis's record is excellent. He is a big part of what we are trying to do here and hopefully he will stay with us until the end of the season - minimum.

"I'd love to be in the other position and we would be going to buy a player. I cannot control what anyone else does. All I can do is build a platform for this club.

"I don't know what will happen with Louis. We haven't had any bids. I think we are building something decent here and we want Louis to be a part of that."

Once the match came to life this was an entertaining day to spend at Fir Park.

Motherwell went close to a goal on 20 minutes when Ryan Bowman charged through the Hearts defence and his left foot effort brought out the best in goalkeeper Jack Hamilton.

Better footballers than Kyle Lafferty have played the game but there few if any more intriguing.

One minute he is pretending to get his arm entangled with Motherwell goalkeeper Trevor Carson who was prevented from throwing the ball, the way kids do in playground.

And then on the half hour, the Hearts striker collected the ball in midfield, turned and ran at a Motherwell defence, none of whom thought to challenge him, and Lafferty guided a low shot across the grass from 20 yards and into the bottom corner.

Motherwell’s reaction was positive and immediate. They were level with seven minutes, Richard Tait’s cross picked out Moult who did terrifically well to knock the ball back in for Bowman whose diving header was never going to be stopped.

The home side turned around the half just before the break. Hearts tried to pass their way out of trouble, when an old-fashioned hoof would have done, and this allowed Chris Cadden and Tait to gang out Hearts defender Michael Smith just outside his own box.

The ball fell to the foot of Moult who produced a sublime chip which delightfully dipped over Hamilton and into the net.

Jamie Walker thought he has scored an equaliser on 57 minutes when he ran purposely at the Motherwell defence, sent the ball hurtling towards the top corner only for Carson to save with his fingertips.

From the resultant corner, Motherwell broke well, Cadden showed good composure on the right to resists crossing the ball when instead he passed to the better positioned Elliot Frear, his cross to the back post found Moult and his header looked to be fraction over the line as Christophe Berra got his head to it. No goal was given.

"The referee needs help there," said Robinson.

This defeat won’t have done Jon Daly’s chances much good of him becoming the permanent head coach; however, the Irishman can be proud of reintroducing normality.

“In terms of the job, I don't know what is going to happen," said Daly. "I think something will happen newt week, whether it's me or someone else coming in. That would bring some clarity to the situation.

"But you can see the effort the players out in. I can't fault their work rate but that's not enough to win football matches.

Scorers

Motherwell: Bowman 37, Moult 41

Hearts: Lafferty 30